What is "mogwai"

n. (context Chinese folklore English) A kind of demon held to be harmful to humans.

The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 ( Jyutping: mo1 gwaai3; Standard Chinese: 魔鬼; pinyin: móguǐ) meaning " monster", "evil spirit", " devil" or " demon".

Mogwai are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). The band typically compose lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces that feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of distortion and effects. The band were for several years signed to renowned Glasgow indie label Chemikal Underground, and have been distributed by different labels such as Matador in the US and Play It Again Sam in the UK, but now use their own label Rock Action Records in the UK, and Sub Pop in North America. The band were frequently championed by John Peel from their early days, and recorded seven Peel Sessions between 1996 and 2004. Peel also recorded a brief introduction for the compilation Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996–2003.

Mogwai may refer to:

• Mogwai (Chinese culture), a demon in Chinese tradition
• Mogwai, a species of fictional creature (based on the Chinese demon) in the film Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch
• Mogwai, a Scottish post-rock band, named after the movie creatures