JLPT N1Four-character idioms
魑魅魍魎
Readingちみもうりょうchimimouryou
- Meaning
- 山や川に棲む様々な化け物。さまざまな悪人のたとえ
- Explanation
- 「魑魅魍魎（ちみもうりょう）」 originally refers to various monsters and spirits lurking in nature such as mountains, forests, and rivers, and by extension is used as a metaphor for unfathomable evil people who scheme in secret for their own gain. It is used as in 「魑魅魍魎が跋扈する（demons run rampant）」. The point is that it is not a strict classification of four kinds as in c1, but a general term for assorted monsters and villains.
Original Japanese explanation
「魑魅魍魎（ちみもうりょう）」は、もとは山林や川など自然界に潜むさまざまな化け物・妖怪を指し、転じて、私欲のために暗躍する得体の知れない悪人たちのたとえに使う。「魑魅魍魎が跋扈する」のように用いる。c1 のように四種を厳密に分類した呼称ではなく、雑多な妖怪・悪人の総称である点が要点。
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