悪魔|あくまakuma[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. noundevil; demon; fiend
   悪魔あくまは岩いわの間あいだに隠かくれている。↗

   Devils are hiding among the rocks.
2. noun, ChristianitySatan; the Devil
3. noun, BuddhismMāra; evil spirits or forces that hinder one's path to enlightenment

• SynonymデーモンNeutralLoanword for demons and evil spirits, often in the names of game and film characters and for computing background processes; everyday speech uses 「悪魔」.
• Synonym魔まNeutralSingle character for an evil being that blocks the right path; also a suffix for someone obsessed, as in 「電話魔」. When you simply mean a devil, 「悪魔」 is more common.
• Synonym悪霊あくりょうNeutralAn evil spirit, the haunting ghost of a dead person. 「悪魔」 is not a departed soul but a being like Māra or Satan.
• Synonym魔物まものNeutralA demonic thing or monster; also a metaphor for something unpredictable, as in 「選挙は魔物」. 「悪魔」 stresses an evil being more.
• SynonymデビルNeutralLoanword for the devil or Satan, used mostly as a name or for a Western-flavoured feel; in ordinary narration 「悪魔」 is the standard choice.
• Synonym悪鬼あっきWrittenWritten word for evil ogres and monsters that haunt people, with an Eastern flavour; 「悪魔」 leans toward Māra, Satan and devils of their kind.
• Synonym魔神まじんNeutralA god that brings people misfortune, seen mostly in myth and fantasy; 「悪魔」 is not necessarily thought of as a god.
• Synonym妖魔ようまWrittenWritten word, a general term for demons and monsters, leaning toward monsters; 「悪魔」 is more a religious being opposed to gods and Buddha.
• Related鬼おにNeutralThe ogre of Japanese legend, also a jailer of hell, and a metaphor for a ruthless person, as in 「鬼コーチ」; 「悪魔」 comes from religion.
• Related妖怪ようかいNeutralSupernatural beings of folk legend, like kappa and tengu, not necessarily evil; 「悪魔」 is an evil being opposed to good.
• Related悪神あくじんWrittenWritten and rare: an evil god that sends calamity. 「悪魔」 need not be a god and is far more common.
• Related鬼畜きちくCasualColloquial. Originally short for the Buddhist hungry-ghost and beast realms; now a strong insult for someone brutishly cruel. 「悪魔」 too can brand a person evil.
• Related邪鬼じゃきWrittenWritten word for evil, cursing gods and spirits or vengeful ghosts, with an Eastern flavour; 「悪魔」 more often means a devil in the mould of Māra or Satan.
• Related天魔てんまWrittenBuddhist term for the demon and its king in the sixth heaven of the desire realm, who tempts people and hinders Buddhist practice; not used in daily life — say 「悪魔」.
• Related魔王まおうNeutralA king of demons, familiar as the great villain of games and fairy tales, also the Buddhist sixth-heaven demon king; 「悪魔」 is the general term.
• Related邪神じゃしんNeutralA god that brings calamity, seen in myth and games; 「悪魔」 is not necessarily regarded as a god.
• Related波旬はじゅんWrittenBuddhist term for the demon king who tries to destroy all that is good; not used in everyday speech — say 「悪魔」.
• Antonym天使てんしNeutralAntonym: a messenger of God; in Christian contexts it stands opposite 「悪魔」, which is a fallen angel.
• Antonym神かみNeutralAntonym in religion or stories, as in 「神と悪魔」; note that 「神」 itself can also mean an evil god.

Use 「悪魔」 for the Buddhist Māra, the Christian Satan, or an evil person in metaphor. For the ogres of Japanese legend say 「鬼」 or 「妖怪」, for a vengeful ghost 「悪霊」, for a game's big villain 「魔王」. 「デーモン」 and 「デビル」 are loanwords for names or Western flavour, 「魔」 forms suffixes like 「電話魔」, and 「鬼畜」 is a strong colloquial insult. 「悪鬼」「妖魔」「悪神」「邪鬼」「天魔」「波旬」 are written or Buddhist terms; 「魔神」「邪神」 are calamity gods and 「魔物」 a monster; 「天使」 and 「神」 are the opposites.

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

1. 仏道ぶつどう修行しゅぎょうを妨さまたげる悪神あくしん。マーラの漢訳かんやく。魔羅まら。魔ま。
2. サタンあるいはその仲間なかまとされる存在そんざい。堕天だてん使し。devilないしdemonの訳語やくご。
3. （1.、2.が広義こうぎ化か、また通俗化つうぞくかして）超ちょう自然的しぜんてきな存在そんざいのうち、悪わるや邪心じゃしんを象徴しょうちょうするもの。人ひとに災わざわいをなすと信しんじられた、擬人化ぎじんかされた存在そんざい。
4. 極悪ごくあく非道ひどうな人物じんぶつ。他人たにんをそそのかして破滅はめつに追おいやる人ひと。