Hungry ghost is a term in Buddhism, and Chinese traditional religion, representing beings who are driven by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way.
The terms 餓鬼 èguǐ literally "hungry ghost", are the Chinese translation of the term preta in Buddhism which is a Sanskrit word.
"Hungry ghosts" play a role in Chinese Buddhism and Taoism as well as in Chinese folk religion.
The term is not to be confused with the generic term for "ghost" or damnation, 鬼 guǐ. The understanding is that all people become such a regular ghost when they die, and would then slowly weaken and eventually die a second time.