魔鬼 (mó guǐ) — devil | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

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liánhéCoordinate

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

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.

麻鬼魔

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.

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.

Appears in

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