guǐ

ghost

Pictograph of a person () with the head of a ghost/demon (). was later added as a decorative mark.

Components
甶 iconic component

  Iconic component

  

human's head

Used here to depict the head of a ghost/demon.

人 iconic component

  Iconic component

rén

  

person

厶 distinguishing component

  Distinguishing component

mǒu

  

private, selfish

Evolution

鬼 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
鬼 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
鬼 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
鬼 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
鬼 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

guǐ

ghost; spirit of dead; devil; demon; terrible; damnable; clever; sly; crafty; (suffix for sb with a certain vice or addiction etc); one of the 28 constellations

Most common words with 鬼
Freq.
Word
Meaning

ghost

见鬼

curse it!

魔鬼

devil

吸血鬼

leech

鬼魂

ghost

Component uses

Meaning component in 17 characters (2 verified)

Sound component in 9 characters (3 verified)

Iconic component in 1 character (1 verified)