悪霊|あくりょうakuryou[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounevil spirit
   その儀式ぎしきは悪霊あくりょうを追い払おいはらうためのものである。↗

   The ceremony is to turn away evil spirits.

• SynonymデーモンNeutralLoanword for Western-style demons; also means a background process in computing. Carries a Western flavor, while 「悪霊」 is the haunting spirit of someone who has died.
• Synonym魔物まものNeutralCovers demons, monsters and yōkai, and figuratively anything that bewitches, as in 「金は魔物」. Stresses the monstrous quality rather than a haunting ghost of the dead.
• Synonym悪魔あくまNeutralThe everyday word for the devil or demons: Satan in Christianity, Māra obstructing Buddhist practice. Stresses supernatural evil, not a specific haunting ghost.
• Synonym魔まNeutralA single character covering demons, evil forces and evil influence; also a suffix in 「〜魔」 for someone obsessed. Broad and polysemous, unlike the specific 「悪霊」.
• Synonym悪鬼あっきWrittenA written, formal word for evil oni and monsters that curse people. Emphasizes the oni-like, monstrous image rather than the ghost of a dead person.
• Synonym邪鬼じゃきWrittenA written, formal word for wicked gods, imps and spirits that work curses. Stresses sheer evil, not the ghost of a dead person that 「悪霊」 centers on.
• RelatedデビルNeutralLoanword for the devil or Satan; mostly seen in fantasy fiction. Refers to Western-style devils, not the cursing ghost of the dead that 「悪霊」 denotes.
• Related妖魔ようまWrittenA written, formal word for demons and monsters, common in fantasy stories. Broader than 「悪霊」, which means a dead person's spirit that haunts and harms the living.
• Related悪神あくじんWrittenA written, formal word for an evil god that brings calamity. Stresses divine status, whereas 「悪霊」 is the restless spirit of a dead human.
• Related魔神まじんNeutralA demon god that brings misfortune; neutral register and common in games and mythology. A divine being, not the ghost of the dead that 「悪霊」 means.
• Related邪神じゃしんWrittenA written, formal word for an evil god within religious belief. Stresses the false or malevolent deity, not a haunting spirit of the dead.
• Related物の怪もののけWrittenA classical, literary word for vengeful spirits and uncanny beings that possess people. Heavily classical in tone; 「悪霊」 is the ordinary modern term.
• Related幽鬼ゆうきWrittenA written, formal word for the souls of the dead and ghosts. Carries an eerie, chilling feel; broader than 「悪霊」, which specifically curses the living.
• Antonym善霊ぜんれいNeutralAntonym: the spirit of a person who did good, or a benevolent being. The opposite of 「悪霊」, whose dead spirit curses and harms the living.
• Antonym守護霊しゅごれいNeutralAntonym: an unseen spiritual being believed to protect and guide a person. The opposite of 「悪霊」, which attacks and possesses people.

Use 「悪霊」 for the spirit of a dead person that haunts and brings harm to the living, as in 「悪霊に取り憑かれる」 or 「悪霊払い」. For Western devils say 「悪魔」 or 「デーモン」, and for monsters and yōkai 「魔物」. The written words 「妖魔」「悪鬼」「物の怪」 and the like are literary alternatives, while the opposites are 「善霊」, a benevolent spirit, and 「守護霊」, one that protects people.

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

1. 人ひとに祟たたりをする死人しにんの霊れい。