霊 (líng) - Spirit, soul, supernatural being & divine, efficacious

霊Tone 2

líng ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

林伦

霊 · líng

Spirit, soul, supernatural being;

divine, efficacious;

clever, quick-witted;

remains, effects (in Japanese usage).

Spirit, soul, supernatural beingdivine, efficaciousclever, quick-witted

Usage highlights

Spirit/soulSpiritual worldDivine efficacyClever mindAncestral spiritGhost

Synonyms

  • 魂— soul, spirit
  • 神— god, deity
  • 精— spirit, essence

Antonyms

  • 肉— flesh, body (as opposed to spirit)
  • 物— physical object, matter

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mountain is said to be inhabited by spirits (山の霊).
  • She has a clever mind (霊的な頭脳).
  • This is a sacred object (霊的な物).
  • He visited his ancestral spirits (先祖の霊).

Collocations

  • Spirit/soul(霊魂)
  • Spiritual world(霊界)
  • Divine efficacy(霊験)
  • Clever mind(霊機)
  • Ancestral spirit(祖霊)
  • Ghost(幽霊)

Idioms

  • Divine efficacy that responds to prayers(霊験あらたか)
  • The spiritual and the phenomenal(霊妙不可思議)
  • The workings of a clever mind(霊機一動)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Japanese Shinto and Buddhist contexts, 霊 refers to spirits, deities, and ancestral beings that inhabit the natural world.
  • The character embodies concepts of the supernatural, divine power, and the non-physical essence of beings.
  • It is used in both religious and secular contexts to denote intelligence, quick-wittedness, or supernatural efficacy.

FAQ