Translation guide
Describes something without a physical body or material form, often used in philosophical, legal, or supernatural contexts.
Describing spirits, ghosts, or beings that lack a physical form.
Ghosts are incorporeal beings.
Means 'immaterial' or 'non-physical'. Used in both spiritual and philosophical contexts.
The soul is considered to be incorporeal.
Phrase meaning 'without substance'. Often used to describe intangible or incorporeal things.
The voice sounded incorporeal.
Referring to ideas, rights, or assets that have no physical form.
Used in legal or formal contexts for 'incorporeal' property or rights (e.g., intellectual property).
Copyright is a type of incorporeal property right.
Also used for intangible assets or cultural properties, like 'intangible cultural heritage'.
A more technical term meaning 'insubstantial' or 'incorporeal', used in philosophy or academic writing.
Describing something that seems ghostly, ethereal, or not fully solid.
無形 (むけい) is the most general term for 'formless' or 'incorporeal', used for spirits, abstract concepts, and intangible assets. 無体 (むたい) is specifically used in legal contexts for incorporeal property rights. In everyday speech, 実体がない is more natural for describing something ghostly.
Directly translating 'incorporeal' as 非肉体的 (ひにくたいてき, 'non-carnal') is unnatural and not used. Stick to the options above depending on context.
無形文化財として登録された。
It was registered as an intangible (incorporeal) cultural property.
It's difficult to understand incorporeal concepts.
空気のように希薄な存在感。
An incorporeal presence, like air.