Meaning
灵魂伴侣
líng hún bàn lǚ
Soulmate
- 灵
- spirit
- 魂
- soul
- 伴
- companion
- 侣
- partner
The modern, word-for-word term for a soulmate.
Soulmate in Chinese
The Chinese word for soulmate is 灵魂伴侣 (líng hún bàn lǚ). The modern, word-for-word term for a soulmate. In traditional characters it is written 靈魂伴侶.
灵魂伴侣
líng hún bàn lǚ
Soulmate
What 灵魂伴侣 means.
灵魂伴侣 is a modern translation of “soulmate”. The older idea is 知己, “one who knows me”, from the story of Boya, who broke his zither when his friend Ziqi died: no one else could understand his music.
- 灵
- spirit
- 魂
- soul
- 伴
- companion
- 侣
- partner
Simplified and traditional
灵魂伴侣
靈魂伴侶
Both are correct and mean the same. Traditional 靈魂伴侶 keeps the older, fuller shape that calligraphy grew up with; simplified 灵魂伴侣 is what most Chinese readers use today. Our seal and clerical styles write it in the traditional form.
Pick the shade of meaning.
Chinese often has more than one word where English has one. Here is how they differ.
Meaning
知己
zhī jǐ
Kindred spirit
- 知
- to know
- 己
- oneself
A classical word: the one who truly knows you.
About soulmate in Chinese
How do you write soulmate in Chinese?
Soulmate is 灵魂伴侣 in Chinese, pronounced líng hún bàn lǚ. Soulmate 灵 means “spirit”, 魂 means “soul”, 伴 means “companion”, 侣 means “partner”.
How do you pronounce 灵魂伴侣?
Say líng (second tone, rising), hún (second tone, rising), bàn (fourth tone, falling), lǚ (third tone, dipping). Mandarin tones change meaning, so it is worth listening to a native speaker once.
Is 灵魂伴侣 different in traditional Chinese?
Yes. The traditional form is 靈魂伴侶, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and classical calligraphy; 灵魂伴侣 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore. Both are correct.
What other Chinese words mean soulmate?
知己 (zhī jǐ): Kindred spirit A classical word: the one who truly knows you.
Is 灵魂伴侣 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.