鬼 (guǐ)

disembodied spirit; ghost; devil; (suffix) person with a certain vice

Etymology

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

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“鬼,人所歸為鬼。从人,象鬼頭。鬼陰氣賊害,从厶。,古文从示。”

Components