幻影
Meanings
1
noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Refers to something that appears real but is not physically present, often with a literary or slightly formal tone. Can describe optical illusions, ghostly apparitions, or metaphorical false images.
He said he saw a mirage in the desert.
It was nothing more than an illusion.
Usage patterns
- 幻影が現れるfor a phantom/vision to appear
I felt like a phantom appeared in the hallway late at night.
- 幻影を見るto see a phantom/vision
He saw his own phantom image on the water's surface.
- 幻影に惑わされるto be deceived/misled by an illusion
Deceived by the phantom image of an old lover, he can't move forward easily.
- 幻影を追うto chase after an illusion
He kept chasing the illusion of eternal happiness.