Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| お化け | obake | [o̞ba̠ke̞] (narrow) |
| 幽霊 | yūrei | [jɯ̟ːɾe̞ː] (narrow) |
| 亡霊 | bōrei | [bo̞ːɾe̞ː] (narrow) |
| 化け物 | bakemono | [ba̠ke̞mo̞no̞] (narrow) |
| 死霊 | shiryō | |
| 妖怪 | yōkai | [jo̞ːka̠i] (narrow) |
| 怨霊 | onryō | [õ̞n̺ɾʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 幽鬼 | yūki | [jɯ̟ːkʲi] (narrow) |
| 魂魄 | konpaku | |
| 精霊 | seirei | [se̞ːɾe̞ː] (narrow) [ɕo̞ːɾʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 妖魔 | yōma | [jo̞ːma̠] (narrow) |
| 魂 | tamashī | [ta̠ma̠ɕiː] (narrow) [ta̠ma̠] (narrow) |
| 霊 | rei | [ɾe̞ː] (narrow) [ta̠ma̠] (narrow) |
| 変化 | henge | [hẽ̞ŋka̠] (narrow) [hẽ̞ŋɡe̞] (narrow) |
| 物の怪 | mononoke | [mo̞no̞no̞ke̞] (narrow) |
| ゴースト | gōsuto | [ɡo̞ːsɨ̥to̞] (narrow) |
The Japanese language offers many specific terms for a ghost or spirit. While お化け is an informal term used to refer to a ghost or supernatural creature in Japanese folklore, 幽霊 is the standard term for a human spirit appearing after death. If the spirit is a vengeful spirit or a ghost driven by intense resentment or grudge, it is called an 怨霊. For supernatural monsters or spirits that are often part of folklore and may not necessarily be the spirits of deceased humans, use 妖怪. If you are referring to spirits of nature or elemental spirits, rather than the ghost of a person, use 精霊. In modern contexts like pop culture, video games or technical terms, the English loanword ゴースト is also used.
Which one should you use?
The terms differ based on the nature of the entity. 幽霊 (yūrei) is the standard term for a human spirit appearing after death, whereas お化け (obake) is a more general, often playful term for anything that transforms or appears strange. 怨霊 (onryō) specifically refers to a vengeful spirit or a ghost driven by intense resentment or grudge. Unlike human ghosts, 妖怪 (yōkai) refers to supernatural monsters or spirits that are often part of folklore and may not necessarily be the spirits of deceased humans. Finally, 精霊 (seirei) refers to spirits of nature or elemental spirits, rather than the ghost of a person.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Tōhoku region of Japan, specifically in Iwate and Akita, the term 座敷童 refers to a childlike ghost or spirit that haunts specific rooms and brings good fortune.
How do you pronounce it?
obake
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese art, a 幽霊 is typically depicted without feet, which distinguishes them from living humans in paintings and theater.
- In Japanese folklore, an お化け is not necessarily a dead person, but can be an inanimate object like an umbrella or lantern that has gained a soul.
- To appease an 怨霊, historical Japanese governments sometimes built shrines to the spirit to prevent it from causing natural disasters or plagues.
Examples in context
- 俺は幽霊じゃない。I'm not a ghost.This sentence uses 幽霊 to deny being a ghost.Tatoeba #10885516 by KK_kaku_, translation #11040564 by CK
- 私は本当に幽霊を見た。I actually saw a ghost.This sentence uses 幽霊 to describe seeing a ghost.Tatoeba #152783 by bunbuku, translation #261766 by CK
- 幽霊って見たことある？Have you ever seen a ghost?This sentence uses 幽霊 to ask if someone has ever seen a ghost.Tatoeba #3555719 by arnab, translation #2644125 by CK
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about a scary house in their neighborhood.
- 蓮 Renあの古い家に、お化けが出るらしいよ。Ano furui ie ni, obake ga deru rashii yo.I heard a ghost appears in that old house.
- 結衣 Yuiえっ、本当？怖すぎるよ！E, hontou? Kowasugiru yo!What, really? That's too scary!
- 蓮 Renお化けなんて、ただの噂だと思うけどね。Obake nante, tada no uwasa da to omou kedo ne.I think ghosts are just rumors, though.
- 結衣 Yuiもう、そういう話はしないで！Mou, sou iu hanashi wa shinaide!Stop talking about things like that!
