魂

Translingual

Han character

魂 (Kangxi radical 194, 鬼+4, 14 strokes, cangjie input 一戈竹戈 (MIHI), four-corner 1671₃, composition ⿰云鬼)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1461, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 45787
• Dae Jaweon: page 1994, character 20
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 7, page 4428, character 9
• Unihan data for U+9B42

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Chinese

trad.		魂
simp. #		魂
alternative forms		䰟

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 魂
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Small seal script

Characters in the same phonetic series (云) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
魂	*ɢuːn
沄	*ɢuːn, *ɢun
忶	*ɢuːn, *ɢuns
囩	*ɢun
夽	*ŋunʔ
雲	*ɢun
芸	*ɢun
耘	*ɢun
妘	*ɢun
紜	*ɢun
云	*ɢun
耺	*ɢun
蕓	*ɢun
澐	*ɢun
橒	*ɢun
抎	*ɢunʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɢuːn) : phonetic 云 (OC *ɢun) + semantic 鬼.

Definitions

(deprecated template usage) 魂

1. (religion, folklore) the hun, the soul which goes to heaven, as opposed to the 魄 (pò), which goes down to the earth with the body at death.
2. soul; spirit
3. mood
4. the lofty spirit of a nation or people

Synonyms

• 魄 (pò)
• 靈／灵 (líng)
• 幽靈／幽灵 (yōulíng)
• 鬼 (guǐ)

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Japanese

Kanji

魂

(Jōyō kanji)

1. soul, spirit
2. vigor/vigour, willpower

Readings

• Go-on: ごん (gon)
• Kan-on: こん (kon, Jōyō)
• Kun: たま (tama, 魂); たましい (tamashii, 魂, Jōyō)^{←たましひ (tamasifi, 魂, historical)}
• Nanori: こころ (kokoro); もと (moto)

Compounds

Compounds

• 魂胆(こんたん) (kontan)
• 魂柱(こんちゅう) (konchū)
• 魂魄(こんぱく) (konpaku)
• 英魂(えいこん) (eikon)
• 還魂(かんこん) (kankon)
• 気魂(きこん) (kikon)
• 吟魂(ぎんこん) (ginkon)
• 香魂(こうこん) (kōkon)
• 士魂(しこん) (shikon)
• 詩魂(しこん) (shikon)
• 入魂(じっこん) (jikkon)
• 商魂(しょうこん) (shōkon)
• 招魂(しょうこん) (shōkon)
• 消魂(しょうこん), 銷魂(しょうこん) (shōkon)
• 蜀魂(しょっこん) (shokkon)
• 入魂(じゅこん) (jukon)
• 入魂(じゅっこん) (jukkon)
• 心魂(しんこん), 神魂(しんこん) (shinkon)
• 身魂(しんこん) (shinkon)
• 精魂(せいこん) (seikon)
• 奪魂(だっこん) (dakkon)
• 脱魂(だっこん) (dakkon)
• 忠魂(ちゅうこん) (chūkon)
• 鎮魂(ちんこん) (chinkon)
• 闘魂(とうこん) (tōkon)
• 入魂(にゅうこん) (nyūkon)
• 反魂(はんごん) (hangon)
• 亡魂(ぼうこん) (bōkon)
• 芳魂(ほうこん) (hōkon)
• 夢魂(むこん) (mukon)
• 幽魂(ゆうこん) (yūkon)
• 遊離魂(ゆうりこん) (yūrikon)
• 離魂病(りこんびょう) (rikonbyō)
• 霊魂(れいこん) (reikon)
• 神(かみ)魂(むすびの)命(みこと) (Kamimusubi no Mikoto)
• 蜀魂(ホトトギス) (hototogisu)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
魂
たましい Grade: S
kun'yomi

⟨tamasipi₁⟩ → */tamasipʲi/ → /tamaɕifi/ → /tamaɕiwi/ → /tamaɕiː/

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *tamasipi.

Compound of 魂 (tama, “soul, spirit”, see below) and an uncertain shii, possibly 強ひ (shihi → shii), the 連用形 (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of classical verb 強ふ (shifu → shiu), modern 強いる (shiiru, “to force, compel”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Alternative forms

• 魄

Noun

魂(たましい) • (tamashii) ^{←たましひ (tamasifi)?}

1. (religion, folklore) a soul, spirit
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 15, poem 3767:
     , text here

     多麻之比(たましひ)波(は)安之多由布敝尓(あしたゆふへに)多麻布礼杼(たまふれど)安我牟祢伊多之(あがむねいたし)古非能之氣吉尓(こひのしげきに) [Man'yōgana]

     魂(たましひ)は朝(あした)夕(ゆふべ)にたまふれど我(あ)が胸(むね)痛(いた)し恋(こひ)の繁(しげ)きに [Modern spelling]

     tamashii wa ashita-yūbe ni tamafuredo aga mune itashi koi no shigeki ni

     (please add an English translation of this example)

   Synonyms: ゼーレ (zēre), ソウル (sōru), 霊魂 (reikon)

2. mind, spirit, vigor/vigour, willpower

   Synonyms: ガイスト (gaisuto), 気力 (kiryoku), 心 (kokoro), 心魂 (kokorodama), 精神 (seishin)

3. (figurative) spirit (manner or style of something, enthusiasm)
4. (figurative, by extension) attitude, readiness

   Synonym: 気構え (kigamae)

5. discretion, judgement, prudence

   Synonyms: 才略 (sairyaku), 思慮 (shiryo), 分別 (funbetsu)

6. character, genius, talent, wisdom

   Synonyms: 素質 (soshitsu), 天分 (tenbun), 才気 (saiki)

7. (from a warrior's "spirit") a katana (single-edged Japanese sword)

   Synonym: 刀 (katana)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 魂(たましい)の (tamashii no, pillow word)
• 男(おとこ)の魂(たましい) (otoko no tamashii)
• 女(おんな)の魂(たましい) (onna no tamashii)
• 国(くに)魂(だましい) (kuni-damashii)
• 心(こころ)魂(だましい) (kokoro-damashii)
• 面(つら)魂(だましい) (tsura-damashii)
• 負(ま)けじ魂(だましい) (makeji-damashii)
• 大和(やまと)魂(だましい) (Yamato-damashii)

Idioms

Idioms

• 魂(たましい)が抜(ぬ)ける (tamashii ga nukeru)
• 魂(たましい)を入(い)れ替(か)える (tamashii o irekaeru)
• 魂(たましい)を消(け)す (tamashii o kesu)
• 魂(たましい)を天外(てんがい)に飛(と)ばす (tamashii o tengai ni tobasu)
• 魂(たましい)を冷(ひ)やす (tamashii o hiyasu)
• 大小(だいしょう)は武士(ぶし)の魂(たましい) (daishō wa bushi no tamashii)
• 三(み)つ子(ご)の魂(たましい)百(ひゃく)まで (mitsugo no tamashii hyaku made)

Proverbs

• 一寸(いっすん)の虫(むし)にも五分(ごぶ)の魂(たましい) (issun no mushi ni mo gobu no tamashii)
• 仏(ほとけ)作(つく)って魂(たましい)入(い)れず (hotoke tsukutte tamashii irezu)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
魂
たま Grade: S
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *tama.

Thought to be cognate with 玉 (tama, “jewel”).

Alternative forms

• 魄, 霊

Noun

魂(たま) • (tama) ^{←たま (tama)?}

1. a soul, spirit
   • 905, Kokin Wakashū (book 10, poem 448)

     空蟬(うつせみ)のからは木(き)ごとにとどむれどたまのゆくへを見(み)ぬぞかなしき

     utsusemi no kara-wa-ki-goto ni todomuredo tama no yukue no minu zo kanashiki

     (please add an English translation of this example)

   Synonym: 霊魂 (reikon)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 魂(たま)合(あ)う (tamāu)
• 魂(たま)送(おく)り (tamaokuri)
• 魂(たま)緒(お)の星(ほし) (Tamao no Hoshi)
• 魂(たま)消(ぎ)る (tamagiru)
• 魂(たま)極(きわ)る (tama kiwaru, pillow word)
• 魂(たま)消(げ)る (tamageru)
• 魂(たま)離(さか)る (tamasakaru)
• 鎮(たま)魂(しずめ) (tamashizume)
• 魂(たま)棚(だな) (tamadana)
• 魂(たま)殿(どの) (tamadono)
• 魂(たま)振(ふ)り (tamafuri)
• 魂(たま)讃(ほめ)星(ぼし) (Tamahomeboshi)
• 魂(たま)祭(まつり) (tama-matsuri), 魂(たま)祭(まつ)り (tama-matsuri)
• 魂(たま)迎(むか)え (tamamukae)
• 魂(たま)結(むす)び (tamamusubi)
• 魂(たま)屋(や) (tamaya)
• 魂(たま)呼(よ)ばい (tamayobai), 魂(たま)呼(よ)び (tamayobi)
• 悪(あく)魂(だま) (akudama)
• 稲(いな)魂(たま) (inatama), 稲(いな)魂(だま) (inadama)
• 肝(きも)魂(だま) (kimodama), 肝(きも)魂(たま) (kimotama), 肝(きも)っ魂(たま) (kimottama)
• 国(くに)魂(たま) (kunitama)
• 心(こころ)魂(だま) (kokorodama)
• 木(こ)魂(だま) (kodama), 木(こ)魂(たま) (kotama)
• 根(こん)性(じょう)魂(だま) (konjō-dama)
• 亡(な)き魂(たま) (nakitama)
• 和(にき)魂(たま) (nikitama)
• 人(ひと)魂(だま) (hitodama)
• 船(ふな)魂(だま) (funadama)
• 御(み)魂(たま) (mitama)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
魂
こん Grade: S
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 魂 (MC hwon).

Compare modern Mandarin 魂 (hún)

Noun

魂(こん) • (kon) 

1. mind, spirit, will

   Synonyms: 心 (kokoro), 精神 (seishin)

2. a soul, spirit

   Synonym: 霊魂 (reikon)

3. hun: yang energy or spirit

   Antonym: 魄 (haku)

   Hypernym: 魂魄 (konpaku)

Derived terms

• 和(わ)魂(こん) (wakon)

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
魂
こころ Grade: S
irregular

From 心 (kokoro, “heart, mind, spirit”).

Proper noun

魂(こころ) • (Kokoro) 

1. a female given name

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Korean

Hanja

魂 • (hon) (hangeul 혼, revised hon, McCune–Reischauer hon, Yale hon)

1. soul, spirit

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Okinawan

Kanji

魂

(Jōyō kanji)

Readings

• Kun: たまし (tamashi, 魂); たましー (tamashī, 魂)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
魂
たまし Grade: S
kun'yomi

Noun

魂(たまし) (tamashi) 

1. soul, spirit, mind

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
魂
たましー Grade: S
kun'yomi

Noun

魂(たましー) (tamashī) 

1. (religion) soul of the dead

   Antonym: まぶい

References

• “タマシ” in Okinawa Center of Language Study, Shuri-Naha Dialect Dictionary (archived; reopens 2024).
• “タマシー” in Okinawa Center of Language Study, Shuri-Naha Dialect Dictionary (archived; reopens 2024).

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Vietnamese

Han character

(deprecated template usage) 魂 (hồn, hun, hùn)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

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Yonaguni

Kanji

魂

• Kun: たまち (tamachi)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 魂 (tamashī)

Noun

魂 (hiragana たまち, rōmaji tamachi)

1. (religion) soul; spirit

References

• “たまち【魂】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.