Definition
鬼 (guǐ) is a versatile word: noun 'ghost/spirit' — the general term vs. 妖怪 'monster/demon' and 魔鬼 'devil'. Adjective 'cunning, sly, clever' in everyday speech, more mischievous than the purely derogatory 狡猾 and less literal than 滑. Suffix (e.g., 酒鬼) marks a person with a compulsive habit, while 瘾/嗜好 name the addiction itself.
noun
ghostspiritdemondevil(suffix) a person with a particular viceaddictionor habit (colloquial, often derogatory)
adjective
slycraftycunningalso resourcefulclever
Easily confused
- 归guīsound-aliketo return, to go back
- 贵guìsound-alikeexpensive
- 跪guìsound-aliketo kneel
- 龟guīsound-aliketortoise, turtle
Examples
- 鬼。Tā xiǎoshíhou hěn pà guǐ.He was very afraid of ghosts as a child.
- 鬼，。Zhège zhǔyi zhēn guǐ, méi rén xiǎng de dào.This idea is really clever; no one would have thought of it.
- ，。Wǒ rènshi yí gè jiǔ guǐ, tā měitiān dōu yào hē jiǔ.I know a drunkard; he drinks every day.
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