魂 — “Soul / Spirit” in Japanese

Master (高手)こん, たましい, たま

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“Soul / Spirit” in Japanese is 魂, read kon, tamashii, tama (こん, たましい, たま). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 魂 (soul).

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What does 魂 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	魂
Meaning	Soul / Spirit
Readings	こん, たましい, たま
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	魂 (soul)

How to read 魂

魂 is read kon (こん) or tamashii (たましい) or tama (たま) depending on the word.

Words with 魂

霊魂

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Kanji read the same way as 魂

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28