霊感（れいかん、reikan）
- spiritual sense

The Japanese word 霊感 (れいかん, reikan) generally translates to "intuition," "inspiration," "spiritual insight," or "sixth sense" in English. It refers to a sudden insight or understanding that seems to come from beyond the realm of ordinary reasoning or sensory perception. It can also imply a connection to the spiritual world or a heightened sensitivity to unseen forces. The word often carries connotations of creativity, artistry, and the ability to perceive things beyond the surface level. It’s important to note the scope can vary, from a simple gut feeling to a profound spiritual experience.

⚫︎彼には霊感があるようだ。 Translation: He seems to have intuition. ⚫︎芸術家は霊感を頼りに作品を創り出す。 Translation: Artists create their works relying on inspiration. ⚫︎彼女は霊感で危険を察知した。 Translation: She sensed danger with her sixth sense.

You can use 霊感 in situations where someone displays: ⚫︎ A sudden realization or understanding. ⚫︎ The ability to "feel" or perceive something without concrete evidence. ⚫︎ An artistic or creative spark that leads to brilliant ideas. ⚫︎ A connection to the spiritual world. You might use it to describe a person, their abilities, or the source of their insights. When talking about a person, you may say 霊感がある人 (a person with intuition or inspiration)

霊感 is typically written with the kanji 霊 (rei, spirit/soul) and 感 (kan, feeling/sense). The reading is always れいかん (reikan). There are no variations in the okurigana. The word is never written in katakana or hiragana.

⚫︎ 直感 (ちょっかん, chokkan): intuition, instinct ⚫︎ ひらめき (hirameki): inspiration, flash of insight ⚫︎ インスピレーション (insupireeshon): inspiration (borrowed from English) ⚫︎ 第六感 (だいろっかん, dairokkan): sixth sense ⚫︎ 洞察力 (どうさつりょく, dousatsuryoku): insight, perception

There aren't direct antonyms, but words that suggest a lack of 霊感 or its opposite could include: ⚫︎ 無感覚 (むかんかく, mukankaku): insensitivity ⚫︎ 鈍感 (どんかん, donkan): insensitive, dull ⚫︎ 現実主義 (げんじつしゅぎ, genjitsushugi): realism

彼女は小説を書くとき、常に霊感を大切にしている。 ・Translation: When she writes novels, she always values inspiration. ・Explanation: This sentence highlights how an author uses their inner sense or inspiration as a crucial part of the creative process.

彼は霊感が鋭く、すぐに問題の本質を見抜いた。 ・Translation: He has sharp intuition and quickly saw through the essence of the problem. ・Explanation: This example describes someone who quickly grasps a situation using their intuition.

The word 霊感 is a compound word. 霊 (rei) comes from the Chinese character meaning "spirit," "soul," or "supernatural." 感 (kan) means "feeling," "sensation," or "sense." Combined, the two kanji signify a "spiritual feeling" or a feeling derived from the spirit, hence "intuition" or "inspiration."