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精霊 (せいれい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

精せい霊れい

せ

い

れ

い

Meanings

1

noun

spirit; soul; ghost

Refers to a disembodied spirit, soul of the dead, or supernatural entity. Can be used in religious, folkloric, or metaphorical contexts.

森もりには精せい霊れいが住すんでいると言いわれている。
It is said that spirits live in the forest.
彼かの女じょは亡なき祖そ母ぼの精せい霊れいを感かんじた。
She felt the spirit of her late grandmother.

Kanji

精refined, ghost, fairy
霊spirits, soul

Similar words

霊れい
霊 is a broader term for spirit, ghost, or soul, often used in compounds. 精霊 specifically emphasizes a spirit as a distinct entity, often with a more animistic or folkloric nuance.
幽ゆう霊れい
幽霊 typically refers to a ghost or apparition of a dead person, often with a spooky or haunting connotation, while 精霊 can be a more neutral or even benevolent spirit.

Etymology

Compound of 精 (pure, refined, spirit) and 霊 (spirit, soul). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination has long been used to refer to spiritual entities.