Japanese Conversation · Level 82
60 words
Japanese word
妖精
Pronunciation
Romajiyōsei
Meaning
- nounfairy
Example
妖精が森に住んでいます。yō sei ga mori ni su n de i ma su
A fairy lives in the forest.
More examples
森の奥で妖精を見たという話を、祖父から聞きました。mori no oku de yō sei o mi ta to i u hanashi o so fu ka ra ki ki ma shi ta
My grandfather told me a story about seeing a fairy deep in the woods.
Core concept
A human-like supernatural being associated with magic, nature, and the hidden world of folklore.
Common phrases
妖精を信じるyō sei o shin ji ru
believe in fairies
妖精の羽yō sei no hane
fairy wings
Similar words
精霊seirei: A nonhuman spirit believed to inhabit or influence a natural feature, place, or element.
Definition in Japanese
西洋の伝承や童話に登場する、人の姿をした超自然的な存在。sei yō no den shō ya dō wa ni tō jō su ru hito no sugata o shi ta chō shi zen teki na son zai
Word origin
妖精 (yōsei) combines 妖 (yō, "bewitching") and 精 (sei, "spirit or essence"), forming a word for a magical spirit.
Usage tips
- English folklore often portrays fairies as morally ambiguous, so fairy does not always mean a tiny winged helper.
Other meanings
- elfnoun
- spritenoun