also: あまんじゃく
noun, na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
perversity; contrariness; perverse person; contrarian
Describes a person who deliberately does the opposite of what is expected or reasonable, or the trait itself. Often used in the phrase 天邪鬼な性格 (a contrary personality).
He's such a contrarian that if everyone says right, he goes left.
Stop taking such a perverse attitude.
antagonistic demon in Japanese folklore
A mythical creature known for opposing and contradicting others; often depicted as a small demon or goblin that does the opposite of what it is told.
The amanojaku in old tales is always going against people.
demon under the feet of temple guardian statues
In Buddhist iconography, a small demon figure trampled underfoot by guardian deities such as Niō, symbolizing the subjugation of evil.
The amanojaku trampled under the feet of the Niō statue is considered a symbol of worldly desires.
Alternate spelling with の inserted; less common but seen.
Spelling reflecting the contracted reading あまんじゃく.
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.