魔法

Chinese

		devil	law; method; way law; method; way; Buddhist teaching; Legalist; France (abbrev.)
trad. (魔法)		魔	法
simp. #(魔法)		魔	法

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): mófǎ

  (Zhuyin): ㄇㄛˊ ㄈㄚˇ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): mo¹ faat³
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): mô͘-hoat

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: mófǎ
    • Zhuyin: ㄇㄛˊ ㄈㄚˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: mófǎ
    • Wade–Giles: mo²-fa³
    • Yale: mwó-fǎ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: mofaa
    • Palladius: мофа (mofa)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mu̯ɔ³⁵ fä²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: mo¹ faat³
    • Yale: mō faat
    • Cantonese Pinyin: mo¹ faat⁸
    • Guangdong Romanization: mo¹ fad³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɔː⁵⁵ faːt̚³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: mô͘-hoat
    • Tâi-lô: môo-huat
    • Phofsit Daibuun: mo'hoad
    • IPA (Xiamen): /mɔ̃²⁴⁻²² huat̚³²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /mɔ̃²⁴⁻²² huat̚⁵/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /mɔ̃¹³⁻²² huat̚³²/
    • IPA (Taipei): /mɔ̃²⁴⁻¹¹ huat̚³²/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /mɔ̃²³⁻³³ huat̚³²/

---

• Middle Chinese: ma pjop

Rime
Character	魔	法
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	明 (4)	幫 (1)
Final (韻)	戈 (95)	乏 (148)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Checked (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed	Closed
Division (等)	I	III
Fanqie	莫婆切	方乏切
Baxter	ma	pjop
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/muɑ/	/pɨɐp̚/
Pan Wuyun	/muɑ/	/piɐp̚/
Shao Rongfen	/muɑ/	/piɐp̚/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/mwa/	/puap̚/
Li Rong	/muɑ/	/piɐp̚/
Wang Li	/muɑ/	/pĭwɐp̚/
Bernhard Karlgren	/muɑ/	/pi̯wɐp̚/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	mó	fa
Expected Cantonese Reflex	mo4	faat3

Noun

魔法

1. magic; wizardry; witchcraft; sorcery

Usage notes

In modern times, this term is often associated with magic in Western fairy tales and popular culture.

Derived terms

• 白魔法 (báimófǎ)
• 魔法少女 (mófǎ shàonǚ)
• 魔法師 / 魔法师 (mófǎshī)
• 魘魔法 / 魇魔法
• 黑魔法 (hēimófǎ)

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (魔法):

• → Japanese: 魔(ま)法(ほう) (mahō)
• → Korean: 마법(魔法) (mabeop)
• → Vietnamese: ma pháp (魔法)

Japanese

Kanji in this term
魔	法
ま Grade: S	ほう Grade: 4
on'yomi

Etymology

Apparently from Middle Chinese compound 魔法 (MC ma pjop, literally “devil, magic + law, method”). Compare modern Min Nan reading mô͘-hoat.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) まほー [màhóó] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ma̠ho̞ː]

Noun

魔(ま)法(ほう) • (mahō) 

1. The arts of magic, spellcraft, witchcraft, wizardry, sorcery.
2. Spellwork such as magical formulas, incantations, spells, etc.

   魔法(まほう)をかける

   mahō o kakeru

   to cast magic

3. An organized body or system of magical use, i.e. Wicca, the Kabballah and Onmyōdō.

Usage notes

The term for magic as a trick performed by a modern magician is 手品 (tejina).

Synonyms

• 魔術(まじゅつ) (majutsu)
• 妖術(ようじゅつ) (yōjutsu)
• 幻術(げんじゅつ) (genjutsu)
• 呪術(じゅじゅつ) (jujutsu)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 魔法師(まほうし) (mahōshi), 魔法士(まほうし) (mahōshi): magic master or specialist, sorcerer
• 魔法円(まほうえん) (mahōen): magic circle
• 魔法少女(まほうしょうじょ) (mahōshōjo): magical girl
• 魔法使(まほうつか)い (mahōtsukai): magician
• 魔法瓶(まほうびん) (mahōbin): vacuum flask
• 魔法(まほう)の杖(つえ) (mahō no tsue): magic wand

Korean

Hanja in this term
魔	法

Noun

魔法 • (mabeop) (hangeul 마법)

1. hanja form^? of 마법 (“magic”)

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
魔	法

Noun

魔法

1. chữ Hán form of ma pháp (“magic”).