Meaning of 精
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- essence
- extract
- vitality
- energy
- semen
- sperm
- mythical goblin spirit
- highly perfected
How to use 精
As an adjective, 精 means refined, precise, or skilled, and it often appears in compounds like 精彩 (jīngcǎi) and 精美 (jīngměi). As a noun it means essence or extract, as in 酒精 (jiǔjīng, alcohol). Example: 他对电脑很精。(Tā duì diànnǎo hěn jīng.) He is very skilled with computers.
精 combines 米 (mǐ, rice) on the left with 青 (qīng) on the right, which also hints at the sound jīng. Picture rice polished until only the finest, purest grain is left: that refined core is the essence.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 精 with 情 (qíng, feeling) and 请 (qǐng, please) because all three share 青. Remember that 精 has the rice radical 米, and it is pronounced in the first tone, jīng.
精 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
精 jīng · essence · 14 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 精.
| 精神 | jīngshén | spirit; mind |
| 精彩 | jīngcǎi | wonderful; marvelous |
| 精力 | jīnglì | energy (physical or mental) |
| 精美 | jīngměi | exquisite; elegant; fine |
| 精品 | jīngpǐn | quality goods; premium product |
| 精神病 | jīngshénbìng | mental disorder; psychosis |
| 酒精 | jiǔjīng | (coll.) ethanol; ethyl alcohol |
| 精确 | jīngquè | accurate; precise |
| 精英 | jīngyīng | cream; elite |
| 精细 | jīngxì | fine; meticulous |
| 精致 | jīngzhì | delicate; fine; exquisite; refined |
| 精明 | jīngmíng | astute; shrewd; smart |
Questions about 精
What does 精 mean?
精 (jīng) means "essence; extract" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 精?
精 is made of 1 character: 精 (14 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 精 an HSK word?
Yes. 精 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 精 mean in 妖精 or 狐狸精?
Here 精 means a spirit or goblin, a creature that has gathered magical essence. 妖精 (yāojing) is a demon or fairy, and 狐狸精 (húlijīng) is a fox spirit, also used as an insult for a seductive woman.
What is the difference between 精神 and 精力?
精神 (jīngshén) refers to spirit, mind, or mental state, and it can also mean lively when read jīngshen. 精力 (jīnglì) means physical or mental energy, the amount you have available to do things, as in 精力充沛 (full of energy).