鬼神|きしんkishin[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounfierce god

• RelatedデーモンNeutralLoanword for Western demons; also a background process in Unix. Leans fantasy or technical.
• Related悪魔あくまNeutralThe everyday word for the devil and demons, used most often; also likens a very wicked person to one, as in 「悪魔のような人」.
• Related魔まNeutralA demonic force that tempts or obstructs; mostly a suffix 「〜魔」, as in 「睡魔」「殺人魔」.
• Related悪霊あくりょうNeutralAn evil spirit that haunts people; stresses vengeful spirits of the dead, unlike the mighty gods of 「鬼神」.
• Related亡者もうじゃNeutralThe dead or a ghost; also figuratively a person obsessed with money, as in 「金の亡者」.
• Related鬼おにWrittenArchaic, read 「しこ」: something ugly, strong and fearsome; also a pejorative prefix. Written 「鬼」 also reads 「しこ」; not used in everyday speech.
• Related魔物まものNeutralA demonic creature or monster, common in fantasy works; also figuratively something unpredictable.
• Related魔神まじんNeutralA demon god or evil spirit, common in fantasy works; the emphasis is on evil power.
• Related邪神じゃしんNeutralAn evil god; a religious term set against righteous gods, without the fierce, mighty nuance of 「鬼神」.
• RelatedデビルNeutralLoanword for the Devil or Satan, with a Western religious coloring, as in 「デビルマン」.
• Related悪鬼あっきWrittenWritten/formal: an evil demon; a Buddhist term stressing vicious harm to people, with no divinity.
• Related悪神あくじんWrittenWritten/formal and rare: a god that brings calamity, opposed to good gods.
• Related邪鬼じゃきWrittenWritten/formal: a haunting evil god, vengeful spirit or monster; also the small demons trampled by the Four Heavenly Kings. Lacks the might of 「鬼神」.
• Related天魔てんまWrittenWritten/formal: the demon king of Buddhist lore who hinders spiritual practice, obstructing good deeds.
• Related魔王まおうNeutralA demon king; the great villain of games and fairy tales, as in 「魔王を倒す」.
• Related妖魔ようまWrittenWritten/formal: eerie monsters and phantoms; stresses the uncanny, without the divine might of 「鬼神」.

「鬼神」 is for mighty, fearsome gods or spirits; 「鬼神のごとき強さ」 describes ferocious strength. For the devil or demons in general use 「悪魔」, for the Western Devil 「デビル」, and for monsters 「魔物」. The rest are narrower: religious, Buddhist, fantasy or written terms.

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

1. 人ひとの耳目じもくでは見みたり聞きいたりすることができない超人的ちょうじんてきな能力のうりょくを有ゆうするもの。
2. 恐おそろしい鬼おに。化け物ばけもの。