Phrase guide

hungry ghost

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A type of supernatural being, condemned to desire more than it can consume; often depicted with large belly and tiny mouth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: Chinese folk religion

Topics: Buddhism, lifestyle, religion

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Burmese: ပြိတ္တာ (pritta) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Chinese Mandarin: 餓鬼 /饿鬼 (èguǐ) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Finnish: nälkäinen haamu — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • German: Hungergeist — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Japanese: 餓鬼 (gaki) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Korean: 아귀 (agwi) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Malay: hantu lapar — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Mongolian: бирд (bird) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Portuguese: espírito faminto — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Russian: преты (prety) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Sanskrit: प्रेत (preta) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Thai: เปรต (bprèet) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Tibetan: ཡི་དྭགས (yi dwags) — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Tocharian B: prete — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Vietnamese: ma đói — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being
  • Vietnamese: ngạ quỷ — in Buddhism, a type of supernatural being