fox possession; person possessed by a fox
Refers to the folk belief that a fox spirit can possess a person, causing erratic behavior or illness. Can also denote the possessed individual.
In old villages, fox possession was thought to be cured by prayer.
She suddenly burst out laughing as if possessed by a fox.
Standard kanji spelling for fox possession.
Rarely used kanji form; 憑き is preferred.
Compound of 狐 (kitsune, 'fox') and 憑き (tsuki, 'possession', from 憑く 'to possess'). The exact historical origin of the fox-possession belief is uncertain, but it is deeply rooted in Japanese folklore.