幽霊

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 幽霊, read ゆうれい, denotes a supernatural apparition resembling the spirit of a dead person in stories or belief.
• Basic usage: It names the rumored apparition at an old inn and what a white cloth is mistaken for in darkness.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Story reference without asserting existence
  • The rumor and mistaken-sight examples name a supernatural figure without asserting that it exists.