noun
anxiety; secret fear; hidden worry
Only when written 鬼胎
Refers to a nagging worry or fear that one keeps to oneself, often without a clear external cause. The kanji 鬼 (demon) + 胎 (womb) suggests something sinister growing inside.
彼の心には常に鬼胎が潜んでいるようだ。
It seems there is always a secret fear lurking in his heart.
その知らせを聞いてから、鬼胎を抱えて過ごしている。
Ever since hearing that news, I've been living with a nagging anxiety.
noun
hydatidiform mole; molar pregnancy
Medical term for an abnormal pregnancy where a non-viable mass forms in the uterus. Often appears in the compound 胞状奇胎 (ほうじょうきたい).
See also: 胞状奇胎
胞状奇胎は、妊娠初期に発見されることが多い。
Hydatidiform mole is often detected in early pregnancy.
The word 鬼胎 literally means 'demon womb' or 'ogre fetus'. The anxiety sense likely derives from the idea of carrying a monstrous secret within. The medical sense is a direct calque or adaptation of the Western medical term 'mole' (from Latin mola, meaning millstone or false conception), using the same kanji to represent an abnormal growth.