evil spirit; possessing demon
Refers to a malevolent spirit or demon that possesses a person, often causing misfortune or illness. Common in folklore and traditional beliefs.
People in the past thought that illness was caused by an evil spirit.
She became cheerful as if a possessing spirit had left her.
Standard kanji spelling for a possessing spirit.
Abbreviated kanji spelling; less common but still used.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; common in everyday writing.
Compound of 憑き (tsuki, continuative form of 憑く 'to possess') and 物 (mono, 'thing, spirit'). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it has long been used in Japanese folklore to describe spirits that possess humans.