Where does “귀신고래” come from?

귀신고래 (Korean) comes from Korean 귀신, from Middle Chinese 鬼神.

귀신고래 (Korean): The gray whale

Definitions

  1. The gray whale

Ancestry of “귀신고래”, step by step

귀신고래 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Korean 귀신

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Korean귀신ghost, spirit
2Middle Chinese鬼神—

via Korean 고래

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Korean고래whale; strong drinker; hypocaust, underfloor flue
Every word from Middle Chinese 鬼神 →Every word from Korean 귀신 →
귀신고래 — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer