智力
zhìlì/ʈ͡ʂɻ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹/
In Chinese, the term for mind (as in the ability for rational thought) can be expressed in several ways, with 智力 (zhìlì) being the default form. Wiktionary also lists 悟性 (wùxìng) and 精神 (jīngshén).
Meaning: ability for rational thought (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 智力 | zhìlì | /ʈ͡ʂɻ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡siː³³ lɪk̚²/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
| 悟性 | wùxìng | /u⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕiŋ⁵¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /u⁵¹ ɕiŋ¹/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) |
| 精神 | jīngshén | /t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂən³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂəɻ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA, 精神兒 / 精神儿) |
When referring to the mind, the specific word you choose depends on whether you are discussing cognitive capacity, psychological state or intuitive insight. Related verbs include 介意, which means to dislike or object to something and 注意, which means to look after or take care of something.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 精神 is composed of the characters 精 (meaning essence or refined) and 神 (meaning spirit, god or soul).
Which one should you use?
The different forms of mind are used in distinct contexts: 智力 refers specifically to intellectual capacity or IQ. 悟性 describes one's comprehension, insight or intuition. And 精神 refers to a person's spirit, psyche or mental state.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
zhìlì (/ʈʂɻ̩⁵¹⁻⁵³ li⁵¹/)
Did you know?
- The character 精 in 精神 also means 'essence' or 'sperm', reflecting an ancient Chinese medical belief that the mind and physical vitality come from the same substance.
- The character 神 in 精神 originally referred to lightning or thunderstorms before evolving to mean a divine spirit or the human mind.
- The word 悟 (wù) inside 悟性 is the same character used in the name of the famous Monkey King, Sun Wukong, in 'Journey to the West', signifying his awakening.
Examples in context
- 快要考试的时候，举重真的消愁解闷，再说对身体和精神都很好。When you're about to have exams, lifting weights really does relieve stress, and it's also good for your mind and body.This sentence shows how weightlifting can benefit both the body and the 精神.Tatoeba #899138 by eastasiastudent, translation #899139 by eastasiastudent
- 精神不健全To be mentally unsound, unsoundness of mindThis phrase is used to describe being mentally unsound or having an unsoundness of 精神.
- 玛丽娜现在仍是个浪漫的人，她还没有陷入消极的精神状态 — 那是一种认为一个人必须找一个角落活着，不管哪儿，然后一生就回绕着那个角落的的精神状态。Now Marina was a romantic, she had not yet fallen into that passive state of mind which accepts that one should find a corner to live, anywhere, and then arrange one's whole life around it.This sentence describes a person's passive state of 精神.Tatoeba #863867 by kooler, translation #312442 by shekitten
- 成功需要有一个强大的心智和坚定的决心。Success requires a strong mind and firm determination.
- 这个问题很复杂，让我动动脑子想想。This is a complex problem, let me use my mind to think about it.
- 他对你有好感，这点我可以看出来，因为我了解他的心思。He has a crush on you, I can tell because I understand his mind.
- 他的头脑灵活，很会想办法解决问题。He has a quick mind and knows how to find solutions to problems.
Example conversation
Zihan and Junjie are discussing a challenging puzzle game.
- 梓涵 Zihan这个游戏真的在挑战我的智力。Zhège yóuxì zhēnde zài tiǎozhàn wǒ de zhìlì.This game is really challenging my mind.
- 俊杰 Junjie确实，这需要很强的逻辑思维。Quèshí, zhè xūyào hěn qiáng de luójí sīwéi.Indeed, it requires very strong logical thinking.
- 梓涵 Zihan你觉得你的智力能解开这个关卡吗？Nǐ juéde nǐ de zhìlì néng jiěkāi zhège guānkǎ ma?Do you think your mind can solve this level?
- 俊杰 Junjie我想我可以试着解决它。Wǒ xiǎng wǒ kěyǐ shìzhe jiějué tā.I think I can try to solve it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mind” translations and entries 智力, 悟性, 精神, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
