noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Refers to the human spirit or soul, often in philosophical, psychological, or spiritual contexts. Can be used attributively with の.
She believes in spirits.
Some people believe in the existence of the soul.
He talked about a spiritual experience.
Refers to supernatural entities such as ghosts or spirits, often in occult or paranormal contexts. Common in compounds like 心霊写真 (spirit photography).
I'm interested in psychic phenomena.
They say ghosts appear in that ruin.
It's said that this house is possessed by a spirit.
There's a rumor that a ghost appears in this tunnel.
幽霊 specifically means a visible ghost or apparition, whereas 心霊 is a broader term covering ghostly or psychic phenomena in general.
心霊 focuses specifically on ghosts and spirits, whereas オカルト covers a broader range of occult topics like magic, UFOs, and prophecy.
神霊 (same reading as 心霊) refers to a divine or kami spirit, while 心霊 refers to the human spirit or ghostly phenomena, not deities.
Compound of 心 (heart, mind, spirit) and 霊 (spirit, soul). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally conveys the concept of the spiritual or psychic aspect of a being.
haunted place; ghost spot