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Kotomora

霊

spirits, soul

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes15

Readings

On'yomi

  • レイ
  • リョウ

Kun'yomi

  • たま

Meaning

霊 centers on the non-physical essence of a being: the spirit or soul. It refers to the animating, intangible part of a person or entity.

Most common words using 霊

20 of 201
  • 霊れい

    soul; spirit; departed soul; ghost

  • 幽霊ゆうれい
    N1

    ghost; specter; spectre; apparition; phantom

  • 精霊しょうりょう

    spirit of the deceased

  • 心霊しんれい

    spirit (e.g. human spirit); soul

  • 亡霊ぼうれい

    departed spirit; soul of the dead

  • 悪霊あくりょう

    evil spirit

  • 木霊こだま

    echo; reverberation

  • 慰霊いれい

    consoling the spirits of the dead

  • 聖霊せいれい

    the Holy Ghost; the Holy Spirit

  • 英霊えいれい

    spirit of the dead (esp. of those killed in war); soul of a fallen soldier

  • 霊感れいかん

    inspiration; afflatus

  • 霊長れいちょう

    crown (of creation); apex; the best

  • 霊媒れいばい

    spirit medium

  • 死霊しりょう

    spirit of a dead person; ghost; departed soul

  • 霊魂れいこん

    soul; spirit

  • 霊場れいじょう

    sacred ground

  • 霊園れいえん

    (garden) cemetery; park-style cemetery; memorial park

  • 言霊ことだま

    mystical power inherent in words; spirit of language

  • 全身全霊ぜんしんぜんれい

    complete devotion; body and soul; one's best

  • 霊界れいかい

    the spiritual world

Explore all words using 霊 →

Study

Etymology

霊 is the modern simplified form of 靈. The older form combines 雨 (rain) with 巫 (shaman) and 霝, suggesting a shamanic ritual to call down spirits or rain. The modern form retains 雨 on top and simplifies the lower part to 亚.

Meaning mnemonic

Rain 雨 falls from the sky onto a sacred altar 亚, and from the mist a spirit or soul emerges. The rain connects heaven and earth, just as a spirit bridges the physical and non-physical.

Reading mnemonic

For レイ, imagine a ray of light piercing the rain clouds and illuminating the spirit below: ray -> レイ, and the spirit glows in the light.