also: しれい
noun
spirit of the dead; ghost; departed soul
Refers to the spirit or soul of a deceased person, often in religious, supernatural, or literary contexts.
彼は死霊の存在を信じている。
He believes in the existence of spirits of the dead.
その儀式は死霊を鎮めるために行われた。
The ritual was performed to appease the departed souls.
幽霊 is the common word for ghost or apparition, often with a visual or haunting connotation. 死霊 is more formal and emphasizes the spirit of a dead person, often in religious or spiritual contexts.
亡霊 also means ghost or spirit of the dead, but can carry a nuance of a vengeful or restless spirit. 死霊 is more neutral and simply refers to the spirit of a deceased person.
Compound of 死 (death) and 霊 (spirit, soul). The reading しりょう is the standard on'yomi combination; しれい is a less common variant reading.