Japanese symbol for “spirit”
気
き
Romaji: ki
spirit; mind; heart
In Japanese, spirit is 気, read き (ki).
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 spirit; mind; heart
- n nature; disposition
- n intention; mind; will; motivation
- n mood; feelings
- n consciousness
- n care; attention; consideration; worry
Written forms: 気、氣. Readings: き.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “spirit”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 神 | かみ kami | god; deity; divinity |
| 精神 | せいしん seishin | mind; spirit; soul |
| 魂 | たましい tamashii | soul; spirit; mind |
| 勢い | いきおい ikioi | force; vigor; vigour |
| 精 | せい sei | spirit; sprite; nymph |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 気持ち | きもち kimochi | feeling; sensation; mood |
| 人気 | にんき ninki | popularity; public favor |
| 気分 | きぶん kibun | feeling; mood |
| 元気 | げんき genki | lively; full of spirit; energetic |
| 電気 | でんき denki | electricity |
| 雰囲気 | ふんいき fun'iki | atmosphere; mood; ambience |
See also: Chinese symbol for “spirit”.
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.
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