Chinese word

魂

Pronunciation

Pinyinhún

Meaning

  • nounsoul

Example

那个故事把我的魂都吓走了。nà ge gù shì bǎ wǒ de hún dōu xià zǒu le

That story scared the soul out of me.

Illustration for 魂 (soul)

More examples

祭祀的时候，人们祈求祖先的魂保佑家人。jì sì de shí hòu rén men qí qiú zǔ xiān de hún bǎo yòu jiā rén

During the ceremony, people prayed for their ancestors' souls to protect their families.

Core concept

An unseen inner force that gives a person identity, vitality, and the power to feel or act.

Common phrases

  • 灵魂出窍líng hún chū qiào

    soul leaving the body

  • 灵魂深处líng hún shēn chù

    the depths of one's soul

  • 失魂落魄shī hún luò pò

    utterly distraught

Similar words

精神jīng shén: The overall activity and condition of the mind, including ideas, emotions, and determination.
心情xīn qíng: The emotional state or mood a person has at a particular moment.
灵魂líng hún: The immaterial part of a living being believed to contain its consciousness and personality.
心灵xīn líng: The inner side of a person, especially its sensitivity, gentleness, and spiritual qualities.

Definition in Chinese

指人的精神状态、意志或精气神，泛指影响行为和情感的非物质力量，有时带有宗教或文学色彩。zhǐ rén de jīng shén zhuàng tài yì zhì huò jīng qì shén fàn zhǐ yíng xiǎng xíng wéi hé qíng gǎn de fēi wù zhì lì liàng yǒu shí dài yǒu zōng jiào huò wén xué sè cǎi

Word origin

魂 (hún, "soul") uses 鬼 (guǐ, "spirit") as its meaning-bearing part and 云 (yún, "cloud") as its sound-bearing part, linking the word to a person's spiritual presence.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this word often adds a vivid, dramatic, or literary tone, so it is stronger than a plain statement about a person's feelings or mental state.

Opposites

Related words

  • 灵魂líng húnsoulnoun
  • 魂魄hún pòsoulnoun
  • 亡魂wáng húndeparted spiritnoun

Word lists with this word