The Gremlins called Mogwai

 Cat Ghosts, Cat Demons, Cat Monsters: A Wild Ride Through “Mogwai” in Chinese Culture

Ah, “Mogwai.” If you’re like most people, the word conjures up that fluffy, pointy-eared furball from Gremlins—

Gizmo, the adorable critter you absolutely cannot feed after midnight, or else it spawns a horde of mischievous gremlins. Hollywood turned “Mogwai” into a cute marketing gimmick, but the term actually hails from Cantonese “mo¹ gwai²,” meaning “demon” or “monster.” It’s like borrowing a word for “nightmare” and slapping it on a plush toy. Classic cultural remix.

But in real Chinese folklore, mogwai (often translated as cat ghosts, cat demons, or just plain weird cat spirits) are way more fascinating—and terrifying—than movie props. Spanning thousands of years of myths, stories, and superstitions, these feline fiends straddle the line between horror villain and quirky sidekick. Half the time they’re sucking your soul for profit; the other half, they’re shape-shifting into hot dates. Let’s dive into this purr-fectly chaotic world, shall we?

The mogwai’s roots go deep into ancient Chinese texts, where they’re less “aww” and more “oh no.” One of the first mentions pops up in the Southern and Northern Dynasties era (around 420–589 AD) in Soushen Ji(In Search of the Supernatural). In the岭南 (Lingnan) region, folks allegedly raised “cat ghosts” as a form of black magic or gu (a poisonous curse). Here’s the recipe: Lock a bunch of cats in a jar, let them fight to the death, and the survivor? Boom—it’s now a mogwai. Send it out to drain someone’s life force, and voilà, their wealth transfers to you. The victim wastes away, looking like they’ve been on a crash diet from hell, while your bank account mysteriously swells.

The hidden meaning of Mogwai

"Mogwai" has many hidden meanings in Chinese culture and even Greek terminology. Let's take a closer look.

The Chinese word for Mogwai

In Cantonese, 魔怪 (mó guài) can be broken into "魔" (mó), which can mean demonic spirits, and "怪" (guài) can mean "monster" or "strange creature." So together, it can be best translated as a supernatural and mysterious creature.

While in Mandarin, 魔鬼 (mó guǐ) can be broken into 魔 (mó), which can refer to "demon" or "evil spirit," and "鬼" (guǐ), which can mean "ghost" or "spirit." So 魔鬼 can refer to a creature's supernatural abilities.

Both 魔怪 and 魔鬼 have similar meanings, but the difference lies in their second character to describe the creature. So in Cantonese, 怪 emphasizes its monstrous and odd characteristics, while Mandarin's 鬼 implies a more ghostly or supernatural aspect.

The Sanskrit influence Mogwai

Both Chinese terms 魔怪 (móguài) and 魔鬼 (móguǐ) are connected to Sanskrit through their etymology and the influence of Sanskrit on Chinese language and culture. 

The character 魔 (mó) in both terms originates from the Sanskrit term "मार māra,"which signifies 'evil beings' or 'demons.' The character 鬼 (guǐ) in 魔鬼 (móguǐ) initially meant 'ghost' but evolved to represent vengeful spirits. These terms reflect the cross-cultural exchange facilitated by transmitting Buddhist teachings from India to China, with Sanskrit-derived concepts adapting to the Chinese language and thought.

The Greek term “Diabolos” and its relation to Mogwai

While writing this article, there is a lot of connection between the Greek term "Diabolos" and the Chinese term Mogwai.

In the Chinese language, biblical texts tends to translate 'satan' and 'diabolos' as mogui, such as in the Book of Job.

The definition for diabolos, which can mean "slanderer" or "accuser," resembles the meaning of Mogwai in Chinese culture, as both entities are considered forces that can tempt people into doing evil deeds. 

Despite the different cultures and interpretations, both can recognise the meaning of evil and monstrous.

Mogwai and rain

Chinese tradition has rain for Mogwais' mating season. Rain symbolizes good luckand peril, as Mogwai will cause chaos due to their nature.

With Mogwai, rain is a reminder highlighting the duality of good and evil.

Another way of looking at Mogwai and rain is transformation and growth. Again, rain signifies rich luck and purification, while Mogwai can represent chaos and death. Thus these two items together embody a juxtaposition of positive and negative forces.

Mogwai and harming others

Chinese myth has Mogwai be mischievous and evil creatures that can inflict harm on people. During their mating and rainy season, they change where they can cause havoc, misfortune, or illness, illustrating the fear towards them. 

Recognizing them as potential dangers through a Chinese cultural lens, you can gain insight into superstitious beliefs.

Thus, in modern Chinese, Mogwai can refer to dead spirits or can simply means deceased spirits or souls of non-family members that will take revenge on living humans who caused them pain when they were still living.

Gremlins will no doubt be on TV again. Now when you watch it perhaps it’ll make you see the film in a different light.