鬼
contributes the sense of ghosts · Kangxi radical 194
contributes the sense of ghosts, spirits and demonic beings, and often just supplies the sound gui-like syllable
The old graph for 鬼 drew a human figure with an oversized, strange head — most likely a person wearing a mask, or a spirit shown with a monstrous face on a small body. You can still read that picture in the modern shape: the boxy 田 on top is the big head, the 儿-like strokes underneath are the bent legs of the figure, and the small 厶 at the lower right is a later addition. In characters like 魂, 魄, 魅, 魔 and 魍 the 鬼 gives the spirit meaning, while in 愧, 槐, 瑰 and 傀 it mainly carries the sound.
鬼 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of ghosts
- Strokes
- 9
- Characters
- 25
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 194
Characters with 鬼 (21 of 25)
HSK 5 · 2
HSK 6 · 3
Beyond HSK · 16
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 鬼 mean?
鬼 means "contributes the sense of ghosts". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 鬼?
25 characters in this dictionary contain 鬼, including ones at HSK 5, HSK 6.
Is 鬼 a radical?
Yes — 鬼 is Kangxi radical 194, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 鬼 have?
鬼 is written in 9 strokes.