妖よう精せい

よ

う

せ

い

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

General term for small supernatural beings in Western folklore and fantasy; also used in Japanese contexts for similar nature spirits.

森もりの中なかで妖よう精せいを見みたと言いう人ひとがいる。
Some people say they saw a fairy in the forest.
彼かの女じょは妖よう精せいのような声こえで歌うたった。
She sang with a fairy-like voice.

See all 33 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に妖よう精せいが現あらわれるa fairy appears (in a place)
森もりの奥おくに妖よう精せいが現あらわれたという伝でん説せつがある。
There is a legend that a fairy appeared deep in the forest.
妖よう精せいを信しんじるto believe in fairies
子こ供どもの頃ころは妖よう精せいを信しんじていた。
When I was a child, I believed in fairies.
妖よう精せいのように〈形けい容よう詞し〉as ... as a fairy (used to describe delicate beauty)
彼かの女じょは妖よう精せいのように美うつくしいと言いわれている。
She is said to be as beautiful as a fairy.

Expressions

歯はの妖よう精せいtooth fairy

Kanji

妖attractive, bewitching, calamity
精refined, ghost, fairy

Related words

精せい霊れい
精霊 is a broader, more solemn term for spirits or elemental beings, while 妖精 specifically evokes small, whimsical Western-style fairies.
精せい
妖精 specifically means a fairy or elf, whereas 精 alone can refer more broadly to any nature spirit, as in 森の精.
フェアリー
妖精 is the native Japanese word for a fairy or sprite rooted in traditional folklore, while フェアリー is a direct English loanword typically used for Western-style fantasy fairies.
小こ人びと
妖精 is the broader word for fairy or sprite in general, while 小人 specifically implies a small humanoid figure like a dwarf or gnome.

Don't confuse with

妖よう怪かい
妖怪 shares the kanji 妖 with 妖精 but refers to Japanese folkloric monsters, often grotesque, whereas 妖精 refers to small, delicate, usually benevolent fairies.

Word family

小しょう妖よう精せい
elf; pixie; sprite; small fairy
樹じゅ妖よう精せい
wood fairy; dryad
妖よう精せいさん
older employee with little actual work; office fairy

Written forms

妖よう精せいUsage99%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news and common vocabulary.
ようせいUsage1%

Etymology

From Chinese 妖精 (yāojing), originally meaning a seductive spirit or demon. In modern Japanese, the meaning shifted to Western-style fairies and sprites under European influence.