Most sources on the internet, such as [How are 化け物, 妖怪, 幽霊, etc. related to
each other?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/1528/how-
are-%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91%E7%89%A9-%E5%A6%96%E6%80%AA-%E5%B9%BD%E9%9C%8A-etc-
related-to-each-other), seem to say that 化け物 and おばけ are two separate words
for the same type of creature. But even if that's true in theory, in practice
it seems better to understand 化け物 as 'monster' and おばけ as 'ghost'.

It would seem kind of silly to call a person おばけ as an insult, for example.
The Google results for searching 化け物 are things I would recognize as monsters
but not as ghosts, and おばけ gets ghosts rather than monsters. Same goes for
ばけもの and お化け (though the results for お化け are rather creepier than おばけ).

So: In practice, is there a difference between 化け物 and おばけ?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-29T02:23:46.607
58226
2018-05-02T00:50:28.383
2018-04-29T06:50:02.500
9971
9971
question
word-choice words
Are 化け物 and おばけ really the same thing?
heh. Looks to me like you've basically answered your question IN your
question.

Essentially, ばけもの/化け物 can be thought of as "scary supernatural things" aka
"monsters" though I think the Japanese idea of 化け物 is much broader than the
western idea of monster, including spiritual creatures such as demons, youkai
(妖怪), and yes, ghosts. ... Japanese 妖怪 are another very broad category of
monsters in and of itself. Check wikipedia. ;) ....おばけ, on the other hand,
always refers specifically to ghosts/spirits. And as another user pointed out,
almost exclusively the cute/funny kind, like Casper or maybe Slimer.

Whether human shaped or otherwise, if it's floaty, see-through, glowing, or
cannot normally be seen by people unless it wants to be seen, etc., it's an
おばけ. Part of the confusion might be because the Japanese version of the spirit
world contains so many more types of spirits than the western version.

One more thing: when Japanese people are specifically talking about
ghosts/spirits, the kind that closely match the western sense, they use the
word yuurei 幽霊. Obake includes yuurei, but again is much broader.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-29T03:01:09.130
58228
2018-05-01T13:58:26.453
2018-05-01T13:58:26.453
29347
29347
58226
answer
[化け物](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91%E7%89%A9&num=100&rlz=1C1CAFA_enJP730JP731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjXrZ_Mj9_aAhVMVrwKHXF1B8oQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=637)
and
[おばけ](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E3%81%8A%E3%81%B0%E3%81%91&num=100&rlz=1C1CAFA_enJP730JP731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYl73Vj9_aAhVHW7wKHT-
_DQwQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=637) do NOT refere same thing.

おばけ involves some cute feeling (”お” and hiragana makes it seems like joking
monster) If adult people say I see おばけ and be scared it looks strange and
funny. You must be careful that おばけ is not (I think) same to the ghost. おばけ
involves more soft atmosphere. And Yes, おばけ often refers unconcrete creatures
like ghosts.

But 化け物 refers concrete creatures. It is sometimes used to speak ill of
somebody.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-29T09:09:34.583
58234
2018-04-29T15:51:37.963
2018-04-29T15:51:37.963
78
29705
58226
answer
According to the 大辞泉,
[お化け](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BE%A1%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91-453893#E3.83.87.E3.82.B8.E3.82.BF.E3.83.AB.E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.B3.89)
is synonymous with
[化け物](https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%8C%96%E3%81%91%E7%89%A9-113963#E5.A4.A7.E8.BE.9E.E6.9E.97.20.E7.AC.AC.E4.B8.89.E7.89.88)
(definition #1), but it can also mean 幽霊 (definition #2). The latter
definition seems more common in contemporary usage. In fact, when I type お化け I
get a ghost emoji ().
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-05-02T00:50:28.383
58288
2018-05-02T00:50:28.383
58226
answer