The kanji 霊 primarily conveys the concept of "spirit," "soul," "ghost," or "spiritual essence." It refers to the non-physical part of a being, often associated with life after death, supernatural phenomena, or things that are sacred and beyond the realm of the physical world. It implies something that is ethereal, intangible, and often linked to beliefs about the afterlife or the unseen.

・On-yomi (音読み): レイ (rei) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): たま (tama)

⚫︎ 霊魂 Translation: Soul, spirit ⚫︎ 霊界 Translation: Spirit world, the other world ⚫︎ 霊感 Translation: Inspiration, spiritual intuition

The kanji 霊 is a phono-semantic compound. The phonetic component is 雨 (ame - rain), which suggests the sound and possibly the atmosphere of supernatural events. The semantic component on the bottom is 巫 (miko - a shaman or spiritual medium). This combination suggests the idea of a spiritual or mystical power, connecting the ideas of the unseen world and those who can interact with it. The form has evolved over time, but the core elements have remained consistent in expressing the concept of the spirit.