精神

• Pinyin: jīng shén
• Hanzi breakdown: 精 = 米 (rice) + 青 (pure), meaning essence; 神 = 礻(spirit radical) + 申 (to state/extend), meaning god or spirit

Meaning

Spirit; mind; vitality. The inner energy, consciousness, or mental state of a person.

Has several related uses: (1) mental state or alertness, as in 精神好 (in good spirits); (2) the essence or spirit of something, as in 奥运精神 (Olympic spirit); (3) adjective meaning alert and energetic. Can be contrasted with 身体 (physical body) when distinguishing mental from physical.

Examples

1. 他今天精神很好，看起来很开心。 He's in great spirits today and looks very happy.
2. 我们要学习这种团队精神。 We should learn this kind of team spirit.
3. 睡了一觉以后，精神好多了。 After a nap, I feel much more alert.

Usage Guide

Context: health, motivation, philosophy

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 你今天精神不太好，是不是没睡好？(You don't look very alert today — did you not sleep well?)
• 运动员的拼搏精神让人感动。(The athletes' fighting spirit is moving.)

Don't Say

• 我的精神很疼。(Don't use 精神 with 疼 — 精神 is intangible. For mental suffering, say 精神上很痛苦 or 心里很难受.)

Origin & History

Compound of 精 (essence, refined) and 神 (spirit, god). Together: 'refined spirit' — the essential energy of the mind.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal