Questions on the (underlying) meaning of the word お化け


If ばけもの / ばけもん / お化け can, in general, be understood to mean
ghost/apparition/monster, what is the connection to the meaning of 化け, meaning
"transform?" (or "transforming one's appearance")

Is it implying a creature transforming its appearance, or the appearance of
person transforming from corporal body to ghost, or a combination thereof? (or
perhaps it refers to the state of flux that a ghost exists in, or even
something theater-related)

I am interested if anyone has any insight as to the etymology of the term and
how it came to mean "ghost/monster".

Furthermore, does anyone have an idea if the け of 化け derives from the verb
化ける, or did the noun predate the verb?




I am not sure if I understand the question, but I will give it a shot.

As you observed, 化ける means “to transform,” and 化け in 化け物 and お化け is its noun
form. (I do not know which of 化ける and 化け comes first historically, though.)
化け物 or お化け is supposed to be the result of transformation of a human, an
animal, or a thing, often after the human or the animal dies or the thing is
discarded.

Such transformation is not necessarily only about its _appearance_ ; after
transforming, an animal is often supposed to become larger or stronger, a
thing is suppose to be able to speak, and so on, and they often do harm to
living humans.

