How to say "spirit" in Japanese

• 気きJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounCovers spirit in the sense of mood, energy or morale rather than a soul. It is the word behind talk of being in high or low spirits, not of ghosts or the afterlife.
  彼かれは年としはとっているが気きは若わかい。↗

  Though he is old, he has a youthful spirit.
• 心こころJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounFor spirit as a person's inner self — heart, feelings and will — this is the word you want. It suits English 'spirit' in senses like kindness of heart or a strong, unbroken spirit.
  あなたの親切しんせつな言葉ことばは大事だいじに心こころに刻きざみつけておきます。↗

  I'll treasure your kind words.
• 心しんCommon
  nounThis is the on-reading of 心, heard inside compounds rather than as an independent word. For 'spirit' spoken on its own, use the reading こころ; しん by itself is not how the word is said.
• 精神せいしんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe main word for spirit as the mind or mental side of a person, often contrasted with the body. It fits talk of mental strength, determination or attitude — a strong spirit, a fighting spirit.
  我々われわれは精神せいしんを養やしなわなければならない。↗

  We need to nourish our spirit.
• 魂たましいCommon
  nounSpirit in the sense of soul: the animating essence of a person, which may leave the body at death. It also fits the soul or essence of an artist's work, spirit with emotional depth.
  魂たましいの吐息といきを感かんじ始はじめた。↗

  I'm feeling the breath of life.

Use こころ for the inner heart and feelings, せいしん for mind or spirit contrasted with the body, たましい for the soul, 気 for mood or morale, and しん only as a compound reading.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 気きspirit
• 心こころmind
• 心しんheart
• 精神せいしんmind
• 魂たましいsoul
• 霊れいsoul
• 意気いきspirit
• 精せいspirit
• 心霊しんれいspirit (e.g. human spirit)
• スピリットspirit
• 霊魂れいこんsoul
• 神かみgod
• 覇気はきspirit
• 気迫きはくspirit
• エスプリspirit
• 心意気こころいきspirit
• 真髄しんずいessence
• 気骨きこつ(moral) backbone
• 精魂せいこんsoul
• 勢いいきおいforce
• 根性こんじょうwillpower
• 活気かっきenergy
• 気質きしつdisposition
• 生気せいきlife
• 気勢きせいfervour
• 神様かみさまGod
• 神しんspirit
• 魂こんYang energy
• 精霊せいれいspirit
• ガイストspirit
• 健祥けんしょうspirit
• 御心みこころ(another's) spirit
• まぶいspirit
• 背後霊はいごれいspirit (hiding behind one's back)
• 魂魄こんぱくsoul
• 霊体れいたいghost
• きっぷcharacter
• 魄はくYin energy
• 幽鬼ゆうきghost
• 精髄せいずいessence
• 亡き魂なきたまdeparted soul
• 亡魂ぼうこんdeparted soul
• 土性骨どしょうぼねone's innate character
• プネウマpneuma
• カムイgod
• 度肝どぎもguts
• グリットgrit
• 肝っ玉きもったまguts
• 気合きあい(fighting) spirit
• 精気せいき(mind and) spirit
• 肝きもcourage
• 情緒じょうちょatmosphere
• 心根こころねnature
• 景気けいきliveliness
• スピリッツspirit
• 神霊しんれいsoul (of a dead person)
• 張りはりwill power
• 骨っ節ほねっぷしbackbone
• 骨ほねbackbone
• はらわたheart
• のり(getting into the) mood