羅刹(らせつ)

らせつ
noun
rakshasa; man-eating demon; fierce demon
religionculture
1. rakshasa; man-eating demon; fierce demon
A fearsome demon from Buddhist and Hindu mythology that devours humans. In Japanese Buddhist tradition, these demons are sometimes depicted as protectors of the dharma after being converted by Buddhist teachings. Also used figuratively for someone extremely fierce or frightening.
仏教(ぶっきょう)の経典(きょうてん)に羅刹(らせつ)が登場(とうじょう)する。
Rakshasas appear in Buddhist scriptures.
羅刹(らせつ)のような形相(ぎょうそう)で怒(おこ)っていた。
He was angry with a face like a demon.
古(ふる)い物語(ものがたり)では羅刹(らせつ)が人(ひと)を襲(おそ)うが、仏(ほとけ)の力(ちから)で改心(かいしん)する話(はなし)が多(おお)い。
In old stories, rakshasas attack people, but there are many tales of them being reformed by the power of Buddha.

A transliteration from Sanskrit रक्षस (rakṣasa) via Chinese 羅刹(らせつ). In Indian mythology, rakshasas are powerful demons who eat human flesh. In Japanese Buddhism, they were incorporated as one of the 八部衆(はちぶしゅう) (eight legions of supernatural protectors). The word appears in classical literature, manga, anime, and games.

Common collocations

  • 羅刹(らせつ)のような: demon-like, fiendish
  • 羅刹(らせつ)女(にょ): female rakshasa
  • 羅刹(らせつ)鬼(き): rakshasa demon
  • 羅刹(らせつ)の形相(ぎょうそう): the face of a demon

Similar words

  • 鬼(おに): demon, ogre — the most common Japanese word for a fearsome supernatural being
  • 夜叉(やしゃ): yaksha — another Buddhist demon figure, sometimes depicted as nature spirits
  • 悪魔(あくま): devil, demon — a more modern, general term for evil supernatural beings

Related Words

Compare: 鬼(おに) (demon, ogre)
Compare: 夜叉(やしゃ) (yaksha)
Compare: 悪魔(あくま) (devil, demon)
general
Added 2026.5.2 20:32 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
26000/26467_rasetsu