鬼 (guǐ): ghost; spirit; devil

Meanings

1 ghost; spirit; devil
2 person with a particular vice or trait
3 sly; crafty; damned

Characters

鬼

guǐ

ghost; spirit; devil

Examples

HSK 1

别说鬼话了！

Bié shuō guǐhuà le!

Stop talking nonsense!

HSK 3

你相信世界上有鬼吗？

Nǐ xiāngxìn shìjiè shàng yǒu guǐ ma?

Do you believe there are ghosts in the world?

HSK 4

这个小鬼真调皮。

Zhège xiǎoguǐ zhēn tiáopí.

This little rascal is really mischievous.

Tips

culture

Chinese ghost culture is rich and ancient. The Ghost Festival (中元节/鬼节) falls on the 15th of the 7th lunar month, when ghosts are believed to roam freely. People burn paper money and offerings for the dead.

usage

鬼 as a suffix describes people with a particular trait (usually negative): 酒鬼 (drunkard), 烟鬼 (chain smoker), 懒鬼 (lazybones), 小气鬼 (cheapskate), 胆小鬼 (coward). But 小鬼 (little rascal) can be affectionate.

usage

鬼话 (guǐhuà) = nonsense/lies. 鬼子 (guǐzi) = foreign devil (derogatory, historically for Japanese invaders). 魔鬼 (móguǐ) = demon/devil.

Components

pictograph

鬼 guǐ

ghost; spirit of the dead

Self-component - 鬼 is itself Kangxi radical #194 and not analysable into independent modern leaves. The oracle-bone form depicted a kneeling figure topped by an oversized fearful mask, the 田-like upper portion being the spirit-mask and the lower 儿+厶 being the body and a wisp of departing soul. Indexing radical for 魂, 魄, 魅, 魔.

Radical

Ghost Kangxi #194

The supernatural radical, depicting a frighteningly large head atop a kneeling body — humans imagining a not-quite-human being. Indexes characters about ghosts, demons, and the uncanny: 魂 (soul), 魄 (corporeal spirit), 魔 (demon), 魅 (charm / haunt), 魁 (chief / first), 魏 (Wei dynasty / surname).