Details
Description
Soul/Spirit - the essence of being, the eternal part of a person.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of cloud and ghost. Spirit drifting like clouds.
Symbolism
Soul, spirit, essence. Represents core of existence beyond physical body.
Spiritual Meaning
Represents human spiritual essence, central to Japanese soul concept as eternal existence after death. Deeply connected to ancestor worship.
Component Breakdown
Cloud + ghost
Words & Expressions
Words written with 魂
Four-Character Compounds
和魂洋才
わこんようさい
Japanese spirit with Western learning
和魂漢才
わこんかんさい
the Japanese spirit imbued with Chinese learning
霊魂不滅
れいこんふめつ
immortality of the soul
士魂商才
しこんしょうさい
having a samurai's spirit and a merchant's business sense
一球入魂
いっきゅうにゅうこん
putting one's heart and soul into each pitch
Proverbs & Idioms
一寸の虫にも五分の魂
いっすんのむしにもごぶのたましい
Even an inch-long worm has half an inch of soul
Even the weakest creature has pride and spirit
Anime & Manga
銀魂
Gintama
Popular comedy-action manga with 'soul' in the title
ソウルイーター
Soul Eater
Dark fantasy about weapons that eat souls
BLEACH
Bleach
Depicts shinigami and spirit world. Thousand-Year Blood War arc animated 2022
メイドインアビス 深き魂の黎明
Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul
A well-known work with 魂 in its Japanese title.
銀魂゜
Gintama Season 3
A well-known work with 魂 in its Japanese title.
Games
ダークソウル
Dark Souls(2011)
Action RPG featuring soul collection and enhancement system
View on Amazon →Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 魂 mean in Japanese?
魂 means soul, spirit. Soul/Spirit - the essence of being, the eternal part of a person.
How do you read 魂?
On'yomi: コン (KON). Kun'yomi: たましい、たま (tamashii, tama).
How many strokes does 魂 have?
魂 has 14 strokes. Its radical is 鬼 (ghost).
Is 魂 a good kanji for a tattoo?
魂 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means soul, spirit. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.