strange-looking creatures; spirits and goblins
A yojijukugo referring to bizarre, otherworldly beings, often in folklore or fantasy contexts. Not an everyday word; used in literary or descriptive writing.
Strange-looking creatures often appear in old tales.
Both are yojijukugo for strange beings, but 魑魅魍魎 specifically refers to harmful spirits of mountains and rivers, whereas 異類異形 is broader.
A yojijukugo composed of 異 (different, strange), 類 (kind, type), 異 (different, strange), and 形 (shape, form). Literally 'different kind, different shape,' it describes beings that are unlike ordinary humans or animals. The exact origin is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of four-character compounds in classical Chinese and Japanese.