also: きじん · おにがみ
noun
fierce god; wrathful deity
Refers to a god or spirit of intense, often destructive power, distinct from benevolent kami. Common in mythology and fantasy contexts.
その伝説には、鬼神が村を滅ぼしたと記されている。
The legend records that a fierce god destroyed the village.
彼は鬼神のような形相で立ち向
He confronted them with the look of a wrathful deity.
Rare reading; may appear in older or specialized texts.
Composed of 鬼 (oni, 'demon, fierce spirit') and 神 (kami, 'god, deity'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound naturally conveys a deity of fearsome power.