鬼oni
Quick definition:Oni are horned, fanged ogres or demons from Japanese folklore, usually shown as huge, strong and fearsome, with red or blue skin, an iron club and a tiger-skin loincloth.
Meaning
Oni are ogre-like demons that appear in Japanese tales as bringers of disaster and illness. They are drawn with sharp horns, wild hair, fangs and a heavy iron club, and they are often red or blue. Stories describe them living in mountains or on remote islands, and heroes set out to defeat them. Not all oni are evil, and some modern stories show them as misunderstood or even friendly.
The most familiar folk custom is Setsubun, a ceremony in early February, held on the day before spring in the old calendar. People throw roasted soybeans and shout for oni to go away. The beans are meant to drive out bad luck and welcome good fortune for the new season.
In anime and manga, oni appear as warriors, villains and characters with horns and great strength. Some series play with the idea by making an oni a gentle neighbour or a clumsy comic heroine. In everyday speech, the word can also describe a very strict person, such as a harsh coach.
Origin:Oni is an old Japanese word whose origins are debated. Some scholars have linked it to a term meaning hidden, since oni were once thought of as unseen spirits, and Chinese beliefs about ghosts and demons also influenced the image. The horns and tiger-skin clothing are often explained by a link to the north-east, called the demon gate, in the old zodiac.
Example:In the folk tale of Momotaro, a boy born from a peach sets out with a dog, a monkey and a pheasant to defeat the oni living on a distant island. The story is among Japan's best-known children's tales, and it is often referenced or parodied in anime and manga.
Did you know?The Japanese word for the children's game of tag, onigokko, literally means oni play, and the player who is it is called the oni. The folklore monster has therefore lent its name to an ordinary playground game.
