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Ijira

Folklore
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Japanese yōkai that transforms from a human, often a vengeful woman

Detailed Definition
Ijiraq (Inuit) or Ijira (Japanese variant) shifts form to mislead or harm. In poetry, it symbolizes betrayal, hidden identities, and the danger of trust, often appearing in psychological or horror-infused works.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ijira, the Japanese snow spirit, haunts winter verse: "Ijira walks the blizzard white—her tears are ice, her sigh is snow"; Poets use her to explore loneliness: "She loved a man who left in spring—Ijira’s heart froze where he walked"; In cautionary tales, she lures travelers: "Follow Ijira’s song, and sleep beneath the drifts forevermore"; Her beauty masks danger: "Fair as frost, cold as grave—Ijira’s kiss is sweet, then still"
Additional Notes
Ijira: A shapeshifting yōkai from Japanese folklore, often a beautiful woman by day who becomes a monster at night to seek vengeance (e.g., for betrayal). In poetry, she represents duality, hidden trauma, and the monstrous feminine. Related to kasha and onryō; effective in psychological or feminist horror verse exploring betrayal and retribution.
Also Known As
Ijirako
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