1.
ghost, specter, apparition
The spirit of a dead person that appears in the world of the living, often depicted in Japanese tradition as a pale figure with no feet.
幽霊が出る。
A ghost appears.
この屋敷には幽霊が出るらしい。
Apparently ghosts appear in this mansion.
子供のころ、幽霊の話を聞くと夜眠れなくなった。
As a child, when I heard ghost stories I couldn't sleep at night.
2.
phantom, ghost (figurative)
Something that exists only in name or on paper, not in reality.
幽霊会社に注意する。
To watch out for ghost companies.
幽霊会員が多すぎる。
There are too many phantom members.
その団体は幽霊会員を除けば実際の活動人数は少ない。
If you exclude the phantom members, the actual number of active people in the organization is small.
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Traditional Japanese 幽霊 are typically depicted as pale figures wearing white burial kimono (白装束), with long disheveled black hair, and characteristically lacking feet. This differs from Western ghosts. Classic examples include 四谷怪談 (Yotsuya Ghost Story).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 幽霊が出る (a ghost appears)
- 幽霊屋敷 (haunted mansion)
- 幽霊会社 (shell company)
- 幽霊会員 (phantom member)
- 幽霊話 (ghost story)