Translation guide
How to express that someone is possessed by a spirit, demon, or supernatural force in Japanese.
To say that a person is under the control of a supernatural entity, often in a religious or folkloric context.
The most common and natural way to say someone is possessed. Uses the verb 憑く (つく) in its passive form.
彼は悪霊に憑かれている。
He is possessed by an evil spirit.
彼女は何かに憑かれているみたいだ。
She seems to be possessed by something.
To express that someone is figuratively 'possessed' by a strong desire, idea, or feeling, not literally by a spirit.
Used adverbially to mean 'as if possessed', describing someone acting obsessively or compulsively.
彼は取り憑かれたように働いている。
He works as if possessed.
Do not use 所有されている (しょゆうされている), which means 'to be owned' (as property). That is not used for spiritual possession.
憑く (つく) is the basic verb for a spirit attaching itself to someone. 取り憑く (とりつく) adds a nuance of 'taking hold of' and implies a stronger, more invasive possession. In many contexts they are interchangeable, but 取り憑く is slightly more intense.
A more emphatic version, often used for stronger or more complete possession. 取り憑く means 'to take possession of'.
彼は狐に取り憑かれている。
He is possessed by a fox spirit.
A more technical or formal term, often used in psychology, parapsychology, or academic contexts. 憑依 means 'possession' as a phenomenon.
その霊媒師は霊に憑依されている。
The medium is possessed by a spirit.
She kept writing the novel as if possessed.
Can be used figuratively with abstract nouns like 'idea' or 'desire'. Less common than the literal use but still natural.
彼はある考えに憑かれている。
He is possessed by an idea.
Similar to above but stronger, often implying a destructive obsession.
彼は復讐心に取り憑かれている。
He is possessed by a desire for revenge.