魔鬼 (mó guǐ) — devil

Definition

魔鬼 is 'devil/demon' with a strong evil, often supernatural sense. More threatening than 鬼 (which can be a ghost or a sly person) and more human-world-focused than 妖怪 (mythical monster/spirit).

noun
devil
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 魔鬼。
    Chuán shuō zhōng mó guǐ zhù zài hēi àn de shān dòng lǐ.
    Legend says that devils live in dark caves.
  • 魔鬼，。
    Tā zhēn shì gè mó guǐ, jìng rán zhè yàng duì dài lǎo rén.
    He is a real devil to treat the elderly this way.
  • 魔鬼。
    Tā de shēn cái xiàng mó guǐ yí yàng mí rén.
    Her figure is as seductive as a devil's.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

魔módemon
鬼guǐghost

魔 (demon) and 鬼 (ghost) together give the sense of devil.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鬼鬼guǐdemon
Sound part声符shēngfú
麻
麻má魔mó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

魔 pairs 鬼, meaning demon, with 麻, which gives the sound.

Open 魔 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

鬼 originally drew a kneeling figure with an ugly face, perhaps a mask; the small lower right dot is a later added tail.

Open 鬼 →
Appears in
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