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Oni Demon

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

A Japanese ogre with horns and clubs, punishing evildoers in Buddhist folklore, sometimes tamed as guardians.

Detailed Definition
Oni, from yokai lore, feast on flesh during festivals, red or blue-skinned, symbolizing chaos tamed by virtue. Literature onis in Lafcadio Hearn's "Kwaidan." In poetry, they club Basho's haiku shadows; poets punish for moral tales, ideal for zen verses, where clubs swing as karma's blow, enhancing Eastern folklore with demonic redemption.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Japanese Noh drama poetry, Oni Demon's horns rage in exile; Folklore's gate guardians teach protective fury; A haiku masks Oni Demon's club; Kabuki influences explore Oni's redemption; Modern manga verse humanizes Oni solitude; Epic ogre tales invoke its red skin.
Additional Notes
Oni Demon, Buddhist oni from "ghost," red-blue skins punish; Noh poetry tames them; usage tip: iron club for justice; related: tengu or yokai; Japanese context: gate guardians, for moral transformation.
Also Known As
Japanese ogre horned guardian fearsome mask
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