jīngshén: 精神 - Spirit, Mind, Vigor, Mental

• Keywords: jingshen, 精神, Chinese spirit, Chinese mind, mental energy in Chinese, jingshen meaning, team spirit in Chinese, mental health in Chinese, Chinese vitality
• Summary: Learn the deep meaning of 精神 (jīngshén), a fundamental Chinese word for spirit, mind, and vigor. This page explores how jīngshén describes everything from your daily mental energy and psychological well-being to the abstract 'team spirit' in a company. Understand its cultural roots and how to use it correctly to talk about mental health, concentration, and vitality in modern Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jīngshén
• Part of Speech: Noun, Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: Spirit, mind, consciousness; vigor, vitality; mental, psychological.
• In a Nutshell: 精神 (jīngshén) is a core concept that describes a person's inner state of being—their alertness, energy, and psychological health. It's not a religious “soul,” but rather the practical, observable vitality that powers your mind and body. If you've had a good night's sleep and feel sharp and focused, you have good 精神. If you're tired, listless, and can't concentrate, you have bad 精神.

• 精 (jīng): This character originally depicted “refined” or “polished” rice (米). It has come to mean essence, extract, or the finest part of something. Think of it as the refined, core energy.
• 神 (shén): This character combines the “altar” radical (示) with a phonetic component (申) that once depicted lightning. It relates to the divine, gods, or the spirit. It represents the ethereal, conscious part of a being.
• Together, 精神 (jīngshén) literally means “essence-spirit.” It's the fusion of your core vitality (精) and your consciousness (神), creating the overall state of your mental and physical energy.

精神 (jīngshén) is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, particularly in concepts of health and well-being. It's one of the “Three Treasures” (三宝, sānbǎo) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), along with 精 (jīng - essence) and 气 (qì - vital energy). A healthy person is one where these three elements are abundant and in harmony. A key difference for Western learners is that 精神 is almost always secular. While the English word “spirit” can refer to a religious soul, 精神 refers to your psyche, consciousness, and vigor in this life. You use it to talk about mental health (精神健康, jīngshén jiànkāng) or mental stress (精神压力, jīngshén yālì) in a way that feels very modern and psychological. Think of it like this: the American concept of “mindset” or “being in the zone” touches upon one aspect of 精神. When a team has great “morale” or “team spirit,” that's another aspect. When you feel energetic and “full of life,” that's yet another. 精神 is the umbrella term that powerfully combines all these ideas of mental energy, psychological state, and abstract ethos.

精神 is an extremely common and versatile word used in many contexts.

This is the most frequent use. It describes how energetic, alert, and focused someone appears. It's often modified by “good” (好), “bad” (不好), or “lacking” (没).

• Connotation: Neutral description of one's state.
• Formality: Used in all settings, from casual conversation to doctor's appointments.

Here, it modifies other nouns to mean “mental” or “psychological.” This usage is common in discussions about health, law, and society.

• Connotation: Neutral, often technical or formal.
• Formality: Ranges from everyday conversation (mental stress) to formal terminology (mental illness).

This usage describes the “spirit” of a group, an idea, or an era. It's similar to the English “team spirit” or “the spirit of the law.”

• Connotation: Positive, often inspirational.
• Formality: Often used in formal speeches, company slogans, and written articles.

• Example 1:
  • 他今天精神很好，看起来很有活力。
  • Pinyin: Tā jīntiān jīngshén hěn hǎo, kànqǐlái hěn yǒu huólì.
  • English: He's in great spirits today; he looks very energetic.
  • Analysis: This is the most common usage, describing a person's observable state of energy and alertness. 精神很好 (jīngshén hěn hǎo) is a standard compliment.
• Example 2:
  • 我昨晚没睡好，今天上班一点儿精神都没有。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuówǎn méi shuì hǎo, jīntiān shàngbān yīdiǎnr jīngshén dōu méiyǒu.
  • English: I didn't sleep well last night, so I have absolutely no energy at work today.
  • Analysis: The phrase 没精神 (méi jīngshén) is the direct opposite of the first example. It means “to be listless, lethargic, or lacking energy.”
• Example 3:
  • 上课的时候，你必须集中精神。
  • Pinyin: Shàngkè de shíhou, nǐ bìxū jízhōng jīngshén.
  • English: You must concentrate (literally: “focus your spirit/mind”) during class.
  • Analysis: Here, 精神 refers to one's focus or mental faculties. 集中精神 (jízhōng jīngshén) is a set phrase for “to concentrate.”
• Example 4:
  • 现代人的精神压力越来越大。
  • Pinyin: Xiàndài rén de jīngshén yālì yuèláiyuè dà.
  • English: Modern people's mental stress is getting bigger and bigger.
  • Analysis: This shows 精神 used as a “mental” or “psychological” adjective. It's directly modifying 压力 (yālì - pressure/stress).
• Example 5:
  • 我们的团队需要有合作精神。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de tuánduì xūyào yǒu hézuò jīngshén.
  • English: Our team needs to have a spirit of cooperation.
  • Analysis: This is the abstract “ethos” usage. It describes the core value or principle of a group. Other examples include 团队精神 (tuánduì jīngshén - team spirit).
• Example 6:
  • 医生说他的病主要是精神层面的问题。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng shuō tā de bìng zhǔyào shì jīngshén céngmiàn de wèntí.
  • English: The doctor said his illness is mainly a psychological (lit: “mental level”) issue.
  • Analysis: This is a formal, medical usage. 精神层面 (jīngshén céngmiàn) means “on a psychological/mental level.”
• Example 7:
  • 打起精神来！我们快要成功了！
  • Pinyin: Dǎqǐ jīngshén lái! Wǒmen kuàiyào chénggōng le!
  • English: Cheer up! / Pull yourself together! We're about to succeed!
  • Analysis: 打起精神 (dǎqǐ jīngshén) is a very common idiom used for encouragement, telling someone to muster their energy and focus.
• Example 8:
  • 这部电影体现了永不放弃的精神。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng tǐxiàn le yǒng bù fàngqì de jīngshén.
  • English: This movie embodies the spirit of never giving up.
  • Analysis: Another example of the abstract “ethos” meaning, applied to a principle or idea.
• Example 9:
  • 这次事故给他造成了严重的精神创伤。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì shìgù gěi tā zàochéng le yánzhòng de jīngshén chuāngshāng.
  • English: The accident caused him severe psychological trauma.
  • Analysis: A formal and serious usage. 精神创伤 (jīngshén chuāngshāng) is the specific term for “psychological trauma.”
• Example 10:
  • 睡了一觉后，我感觉精神多了。
  • Pinyin: Shuìle yī jiào hòu, wǒ gǎnjué jīngshén duō le.
  • English: After getting some sleep, I feel much more refreshed/energetic.
  • Analysis: This highlights the connection between rest and 精神. 精神多了 (jīngshén duō le) means one's vitality has been replenished.

• “Spirit” vs. 精神 (jīngshén): This is the biggest pitfall. Do not use 精神 to talk about religious beliefs, ghosts, or the soul. It's secular. For a religious “spirit” or “soul,” the word 灵魂 (línghún) is more appropriate.
  • Incorrect: 我的精神相信上帝。 (Wǒ de jīngshén xiāngxìn Shàngdì.)
  • Correct: 我相信上帝。 (Wǒ xiāngxìn Shàngdì.) OR 我的灵魂属于上帝。(Wǒ de línghún shǔyú Shàngdì.) - (This second one is very literary/poetic).
• 精神 (jīngshén) vs. 心情 (xīnqíng - mood): This is a crucial distinction. 精神 is your energy level and alertness. 心情 is your emotional state (happy, sad, angry). They are independent.
  • You can have good 精神 but bad 心情:
    • “我睡得很好，所以精神不错，但是我考试考砸了，所以心情很差。”
    • (Wǒ shuì de hěn hǎo, suǒyǐ jīngshén bùcuò, dànshì wǒ kǎoshì kǎo zá le, suǒyǐ xīnqíng hěn chà.)
    • “I slept well, so my energy (jīngshén) is good, but I failed my exam, so my mood (xīnqíng) is terrible.”

• 心情 (xīnqíng) - Mood; your emotional feeling at a particular moment (happy, sad, etc.).
• 精力 (jīnglì) - Energy/stamina; the physical and mental power you have to perform tasks. More about endurance than alertness.
• 心理 (xīnlǐ) - Psychology/mental; the scientific or academic term for the mind.
• 灵魂 (línghún) - Soul/spirit; the metaphysical or religious concept of a person's eternal essence.
• 气色 (qìsè) - Complexion/glow; the healthy look on someone's face, seen as a physical reflection of their inner 精神 and health.
• 元气 (yuánqì) - Vital energy/life force; a concept from TCM, often used when talking about recovering one's core energy after being sick or exhausted.
• 心态 (xīntài) - Mentality/mindset; a person's general attitude or way of thinking about things.
• 意识 (yìshí) - Consciousness/awareness; the state of being awake and aware of one's surroundings.