Japanese symbol for “soul”
魂
たましい
Romaji: tamashii
soul; spirit; mind
In Japanese, soul is 魂, read たましい (tamashii).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n soul; spirit; mind
- n willpower; vitality
- n something as important as one's own life; something invaluable
- n, suf inherent spirit of something; state of mind
Written forms: 魂、霊、魄. Readings: たましい、たま.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “soul”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 精神 | せいしん seishin | mind; spirit; soul |
| 霊 | れい rei | soul; spirit; departed soul |
| 神 | み mi | soul; spirit; divine spirit |
| 霊魂 | れいこん reikon | soul; spirit |
| 真髄 | しんずい shinzui | essence; quintessence; spirit |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 魂胆 | こんたん kontan | ulterior motive; plot; scheme |
| 鎮魂 | ちんこん chinkon | repose of a soul |
| 商魂 | しょうこん shoukon | commercial spirit |
| 霊魂 | れいこん reikon | soul; spirit |
| 入魂 | にゅうこん nyuukon | putting one's heart and soul (into); giving one's all |
| 精魂 | せいこん seikon | soul; spirit |
See also: Chinese symbol for “soul”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.