精神
jīng shén/t͡ɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂən³⁵/
In Chinese, the word for spirit is 精神 (jīng shén).
精神 (jīng shén) is used to describe a person's spirit, essence or vitality. In many contexts, it refers to a person's mental state, energy levels or alertness rather than a literal ghost or soul.
Meaning: soul (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 精神 can mean 'spirit' in an abstract or psychological sense, the term 灵魂 (líng hún) is the specific term used for the 'soul' in a religious or metaphysical sense. If you are referring specifically to the soul or one's innermost being in a formal context, you might use 心灵 (xīn líng). In informal speech, the single character 神 (shén) can be used to describe a person with exceptional abilities or a genius.
How do you pronounce it?
jīng shén (/tɕiŋ⁵⁵ ʂən³⁵/)
Did you know?
- In modern slang, calling someone a 大神 (dà shén), literally 'great spirit' or 'great god', is a common way to describe a master or an expert in a specific field.
- When talking about the 'spirit' of a person's eyes, Chinese speakers use 精神 to describe how bright or lively the eyes appear.
- The term 精神病 (jīng shén bìng) literally translates to 'spirit illness' and is the standard term for psychiatric illness or mental disorder.
Examples in context
- 他做的这件事真是精神可嘉！What he did really shows the right spirit!This sentence shows how to praise someone's positive spirit.Tatoeba #1616517 by GlossaMatik, translation #1616520 by eastasiastudent
- 日本的武士道精神到底是什么？Just what is the Japanese Bushido spirit?This sentence asks about the essence of the Japanese Bushido spirit.Tatoeba #10058485 by slo_oth, translation #12176841 by mosi_ESPOIR
- 她觉得浑身不自在，尽管这个奇怪孩子的身体可能坐在桌子旁，但她的精神却在风尘云雾中遥不可及，高高地于想象力的翅膀上漂浮。She had an uncomfortable feeling that while this odd child's body might be there at the table her spirit was far away in some remote airy cloudland, borne aloft on the wings of imagination.This sentence uses the word to describe a person's spirit being far away in imagination.Tatoeba #9961284 by GlossaMatik, translation #5825065 by Hybrid
- 她拥有积极的精神，使得团队充满活力。She possesses a positive spirit that brings vitality to the team.
- 这幅画描绘了大自然的美，触动了我的心灵。This painting portrays the beauty of nature and touches my soul.
- 那首歌非常动听，它触动了我的灵魂。That song is very moving, it touches my soul.
- 呢有啲香燭係用黎祭拜返先人嘅魂魄。These candles are used to pay respects to the spirits of our ancestors.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the deep meaning of a philosophical book.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你觉得书里说的精神世界是什么？Nǐ juéde shū lǐ shuō de jīngshén shìjiè shì shénme?What do you think the spiritual world mentioned in the book is?
- 伟 Wei我觉得那是超越肉体的精神。Wǒ juéde nà shì chāoyuè ròutǐ de jīngshén.I think it is the spirit that transcends the physical body.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这种精神很难用语言来描述吧。Zhè zhǒng jīngshén hěn nán yòng yǔyán lái miáoshù ba.This kind of spirit is hard to describe with words, right?
- 伟 Wei是的，伟认为这就是灵魂的本质。Shì de, Wěi rènwéi zhè jiùshì línghún de běnzhì.Yes, Wei believes this is the essence of the soul.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 精神, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
