Soul in Chinese
The Chinese word for soul is 灵魂 (líng hún). The everyday word for the soul. In traditional characters it is written 靈魂.
líng hún
Soul
What 灵魂 means.
灵 is spirit and 魂 is the soul. Traditional belief held that a person has several souls: the 魂, which rises to heaven, and the 魄, which stays with the body.
- 灵
- spirit, spiritual
- 魂
- soul
Simplified and traditional
灵魂
靈魂
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 靈魂 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 灵魂 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
About soul in Chinese
How do you write soul in Chinese?
Soul is 灵魂 in Chinese, pronounced líng hún. Soul 灵 means “spirit, spiritual”, 魂 means “soul”.
How do you pronounce 灵魂?
Say líng (second tone, rising), hún (second tone, rising). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 灵魂 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 靈魂, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 灵魂 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
Is 灵魂 a good Chinese tattoo?
Yes, it is a real, everyday Chinese word rather than a machine translation, so Chinese readers will understand it. Keep the characters in their order, top to bottom or left to right, and never mirrored. Choose a readable style such as Kaishu, bring a clean reference to your artist, and show it to a fluent reader before your appointment.