鬼月 guǐ yuè Ghost Month 陽間 yángjiān the world of the living 陰間 yīnjiān the land of the dead; the underworld 普度 pǔdù on the 15th night of the seventh month (lunar year), people prepare ritualistic food offerings, burn incense & joss paper for ghosts, spirits or the deceased ancestors coming out from the lower realm 人間 rénjiān human world 轉世 zhuǎnshì after death, a soul/spirit reborn in a new body
孤魂野鬼 gū hún yě guǐ wandering ghost 超度 chāodù to release souls from purgatory (for the wandering ghosts) 搶孤 qiǎng gū Ghost Grappling (a competition that participants climbing up to the top of the poles for the food offerings) 竿子 gānzi pole 搶 qiǎng to take by force; to snatch; to fight over 祭品 jì pǐn ritualistic food offerings 溺死 nìsǐ drown 庇護 bìhù protection (by god)
禁忌 jìnjì taboo 拖 tuō to drag 投胎 tóutāi reincarnation 剪指甲 jiǎn zhǐjiǎ cut nails 夜深人靜 yèshēnrénjìng dead of night 氣 qì Qi, vital life force (in one’s body) 晾衣服 liàng yīfú hang out one’s clothes to dry