幽霊(ゆうれい)

ゆうれい
noun
ghost, specter
abstractculture
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(ゆうれい)が出(で)る。
A ghost appears.
この屋敷(やしき)には幽霊(ゆうれい)が出(で)るらしい。
Apparently ghosts appear in this mansion.
子供(こども)のころ、幽霊(ゆうれい)の話(はなし)を聞(き)くと夜(よる)眠(ねむ)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(ゆうれい)会社(かいしゃ)に注意(ちゅうい)する。
To watch out for ghost companies.
幽霊(ゆうれい)会員(かいいん)が多(おお)すぎる。
There are too many phantom members.
その団体(だんたい)は幽霊(ゆうれい)会員(かいいん)を除(のぞ)けば実際(じっさい)の活動(かつどう)人数(にんずう)は少(すく)ない。
If you exclude the phantom members, the actual number of active people in the organization is small.

Cultural note

Traditional Japanese 幽霊(ゆうれい) are typically depicted as pale figures wearing white burial kimono (白装束(しろしょうぞく)), with long disheveled black hair, and characteristically lacking feet. This differs from Western ghosts. Classic examples include 四谷怪談(よつやかいだん) (Yotsuya Ghost Story).

Common collocations

Related Words

Related: おばけ (ghost, monster)
Compare: 背後霊(はいごれい) (spirit behind someone)
Compare: 地縛霊(じばくれい) (earthbound spirit)
Compare: 浮遊霊(ふゆうれい) (wandering spirit)
general
Added 2026.2.9 0:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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