also: ろう
noun
vengeful spirit; revengeful ghost
Archaic term for a spirit of the dead that seeks vengeance, often appearing in classical literature and folklore. Compare with 生き霊 (spirit of a living person) and 死霊 (spirit of the dead).
See also: 生き霊 (いきりょう) · 死霊 (しりょう)
古典文学では、霊が恨みを晴らすために現れることがある。
In classical literature, a vengeful spirit sometimes appears to exact revenge.
The kanji 霊 means 'spirit' or 'soul'. The reading りょう is the on'yomi, while ろう is a rare alternate on'yomi. The term is archaic and primarily found in historical or literary contexts.