Onryō
/oɴɾʲoː/noun
In Japanese folklore, an onryō is a vengeful spirit believed to return from the dead to punish those who wronged it.
Did you know?The historical figure Sugawara no Michizane was posthumously feared as an onryō after disasters were attributed to his anger, so he was worshipped as the deity Tenjin.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese; before Japanese adoption
Sino-Japanese roots
怨 / 霊
“The characters contributed the ideas of resentment or grievance and spirit; their Japanese readings became on and ryō.”
Heian Period; 8th–12th centuries
Japanese
怨霊 (onryō)
“A spirit of a dead person believed to cause illness, disaster, or misfortune because of unresolved anger.”
10th–11th Century
Japanese
おんりょう (onryō)
“A recognized category of dangerous, vengeful spirit in court-era religious and literary culture.”
Medieval Japan; 12th–16th centuries
Japanese
怨霊 (onryō)
“The concept continued in Buddhist, Shinto, and military narratives involving curses, calamities, and unsettled dead.”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
怨霊 (onryō)
“A vengeful ghost or supernatural spirit, especially one driven by resentment.”
20th–21st centuries
English
onryō
“An English loanword used in discussions of Japanese folklore, horror cinema, and supernatural fiction.”