How to say "phantom" in Japanese

• 幻まぼろしCommon
  no-adjectiveCovers the phantom of something illusory or deceptive—a vision that may not be real. Fits contexts where a hoped-for or seen thing turns out to be unreal, an illusion or apparition.
  その幻まぼろしは意識いしきの中なかに宿やどり、静寂せいじゃくのなかで動うごかない。↗

  The vision that was planted in my senses still silently lingers.
• ファントムCommon
  nounA direct loanword matching 'phantom'. Use it for Western or technical contexts, such as names, brands or works of fiction, where the English word itself is carried over as-is.
• 幻影げんえいCommon
  no-adjectiveRefers to a phantom as an intangible image or vision—the figurative shadow of a person or thing rather than a physical entity. Suits literary or abstract talk of illusions and visions.
  ほのかな光ひかりが俺おれのねじれた視界しかいを幻影げんえいに変かえてゆく。↗

  Light shines on my sigh of doubt.
• 妖怪ようかいCommon
  nounCovers 'phantom' in the sense of a supernatural monster or spectre of folklore—a strange being rather than a mere illusion. For this meaning it is a natural choice, alongside its primary sense of ghost or apparition.
  一いち匹ひきの妖怪ようかいがヨーロッパを徘徊はいかいしている。共産主義きょうさんしゅぎという妖怪ようかいが。↗

  A spectre is haunting Europe ― the spectre of communism.
• 幽霊ゆうれいJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounMeans the ghost or apparition of a dead person, so it fits 'phantom' only when that ghostly sense is meant. It does not cover the illusory or figurative senses of the word.
  その家いえには幽霊ゆうれいが出でるといわれる。↗

  The house is said to be haunted.

Use 幻 for something illusory or visionary, 「ファントム」 as a straight borrowed rendering, 幻影 for an intangible image, 妖怪 for a supernatural creature, and 幽霊 for a ghost of a dead person.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 幻まぼろしphantom
• ファントムphantom
• 幻影げんえいphantom
• 妖怪ようかいghost
• 幽霊ゆうれいghost
• 化け物ばけものgoblin
• 幻像げんぞうphantom
• 神出鬼没しんしゅつきぼつappearing in unexpected places and at unexpected moments
• 妖鬼ようきghost
• 妖魔ようまghost
• 怪異かいいghost
• 曲者くせものgoblin