鬼おに

noun

oni; ogre; demon

A mythical horned, fierce creature from Japanese folklore, often red or blue, wielding a club. Also used broadly for demons or monsters.

• 節せつ分ぶんには「鬼おには外そと、福ふくは内うち」と言いって豆まめをまく。

  On Setsubun, we throw beans while saying, 'Oni out, good fortune in.'

• 昔むかし話ばなしに出でてくる鬼おには、たいてい怖こわい顔かおをしている。

  The oni in old tales usually have scary faces.

noun

spirit of the dead; ghost

Rare, literary, or archaic use for the spirit of a deceased person. Cross-referenced with 亡魂.

See also: 亡魂

• 古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、鬼おにが死し者しゃの魂たましいを指さすことがある。

  In old texts, 鬼 can refer to the spirit of a dead person.

noun

fierce person; relentless person; ogre-like person

Only with reading おに

Figurative use for a person who is exceptionally strict, merciless, or intense, like a demon.

• あのコーチは鬼おにのように厳きびしい。

  That coach is as strict as an ogre.

• 彼かれは仕し事ごとの鬼おにだ。

  He's a demon for work.

noun

it; tagger; chaser

Only with reading おに

The person who is 'it' in games like tag or hide-and-seek. Reading is おに.

See also: 鬼ごっこ (おにごっこ)

• 鬼おにごっこで、最さい初しょに鬼おにになったのは太た郎ろうだった。

  In tag, Taro was the first one to be 'it'.

• かくれんぼで鬼おにが見みつけたら、次つぎの鬼おにになる。

  In hide-and-seek, if the seeker finds you, you become the next seeker.

noun

Chinese 'Ghost' constellation

Only with reading き

Astronomy term: one of the 28 Chinese mansions, part of the Vermilion Bird. Reading is き.

See also: 二十八宿 · 朱雀 (すざく)

• 二に十じゅう八はっ宿しゅくの一ひとつに「鬼き」があり、これは「き」と読よむ。

  One of the 28 mansions is 鬼, read as き.

prefix

super-; extremely; very

Only with reading おに

Slang prefix used for emphasis, similar to 'super-' or 'mega-'. Reading is おに.

See also: 超

• このラーメン、鬼おにうまい！

  This ramen is super delicious!

• 鬼おに忙いそがしい一いっ週しゅう間かんだった。

  It was an insanely busy week.