# 靈

| 靈 | U+9748, &#38728; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-9748 |
| ← 靇 [U+9747] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 靉 → [U+9749] |
| 靈 | U+F9B3, &#63923; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F9B3 |
| ← 零 [U+F9B2] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs | 領 → [U+F9B4] |

## Translingual

| Traditional | 靈 |
| Shinjitai | 霊 |
| Simplified | 灵 |

### Han character

靈 (Kangxi radical 173, 雨+16, 24 strokes, cangjie input 一月口口人 (MBRRO) or 一月口口一 (MBRRM), four-corner 1010$_8$, composition ⿱霝巫)

#### Derived characters

* 㦭 𢺰 𤅷 𤣤 𨽲 𣌟 欞 爧 𤖦 𤜙 𤫩 䄥 𤿅 𥘃 𥤞 𧟙 𥾂 𦫊 𧖜 𧯙 䡿 𨤍 𩑊 𩟽
* 𠠱 𨟯 𤮹 䚖 䰱 䴒 𧢱 𡿡 䖅 𥩔 䉹 𢌔 𠣋 𭩗

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 1380, character 24
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 42532
* Dae Jaweon: page 1889, character 34
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4082, character 12
* Unihan data for U+9748
* Unihan data for U+F9B3

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

* Historical forms of the character 靈
* Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
* Small seal script
| | Old Chinese |
| 靈 | *reːŋ |
| 霛 | *reːŋ |
| 麢 | *reːŋ |
| 霝 | *reːŋ |
| 醽 | *reːŋ |
| 櫺 | *reːŋ |
| 蘦 | *reːŋ |
| 孁 | *reːŋ |
| 龗 | *reːŋ |
| 酃 | *reːŋ |
| 爧 | *reːŋ |
| 欞 | *reːŋ |
Found as 𩆜 in Shuowen: Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *reːŋ): phonetic 霝 (OC *reːŋ) + semantic 玉 (“jade”).
The semantic component 玉 (“jade”) may be replaced with 巫 (“witch”), as in the current form, or with 心 (“heart”) or 示 (“memorial tablet”) in the ancient bronze inscription forms.

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): líng (ling$^2$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄥˊ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): nin$^2$
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ling$^4$ / leng$^4$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): len$^3$ / liang$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): lìn
    (Meixian, Guangdong): lin$^2$
* Jin (Wiktionary): ling$^1$
* Northern Min (KCR): lěng
* Eastern Min (BUC): lìng
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): lêng
    (Teochew, Peng'im): lêng$^5$
* Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): $^6$lin
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: líng
*** Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄥˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: líng
*** Wade–Giles: ling$^2$
*** Yale: líng
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ling
*** Palladius: лин (lin)
*** Sinological IPA : /liŋ³⁵/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: nin$^2$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: lin
*** Sinological IPA : /nin²¹/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: ling$^4$ / leng$^4$
*** Yale: lìhng / lèhng
*** Cantonese Pinyin: ling$^4$ / leng$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: ling$^4$ / léng$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /lɪŋ²¹/, /lɛːŋ²¹/
* ling4 - literary;
* leng4 - vernacular.
* Middle Chinese: leng
Rime :
| Character | 靈 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 來 (37) |
| Final (韻) | 青 (125) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | IV |
| Fanqie | 郎丁切 |
| Baxter | leng |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /leŋ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /leŋ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /lɛŋ/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /lɛjŋ/ |
| Li Rong | /leŋ/ |
| Wang Li | /lieŋ/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /lieŋ/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | líng |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ling$^4$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[r]ˤeŋ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*reːŋ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 靈 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | líng |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ leng › |
| Old Chinese | /*[r]ˁeŋ/ |
| English | supernatural |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 靈 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 8259 |
| Phonetic component | 霝 |
| Rime group | 耕 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 靈 |
| Old Chinese | /*reːŋ/ |

### Definitions

靈
* god; deity
* soul; spirit
* effective; efficacious
       ne$^1$ zek$^3$ joek$^6$ dou$^1$ gei$^2$ leng$^4$. [Jyutping]
       This medicine is quite effective.
* keen; quick
* nimble
* (Northern Wu) apt; suitable; high-quality; good
    味道靈／味道灵 [Shanghainese] ― $^6$mi-dau $^6$lin [Wugniu] ― tasty (lit. taste good)
       $^8$geq $^8$meq-zy $^6$lau $^6$lin-gheq [Wugniu]
       This thing is really good quality.
* (Northern Wu) appropriately working; appropriately functioning
* a surname, Ling

#### Synonyms

* (effective):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 靈 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 靈驗, 靈 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 靈驗 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 靈 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 靈, 靈應 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 靈, 靈光 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 靈擎 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 靈, 靈擎 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 靈 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 靈擎 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 靈 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 靈 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 靈擎, 靈驗 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 靈, 靈光 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 靈感, 靈 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 靈, 靈影 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 靈聖 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 靈聖 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 靈聖 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 靈聖 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 靈 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 靈驗, 靈 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 靈 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 靈 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 靈, 靈光, 靈泛 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 靈 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 靈 |
| Wu | Danyang | 靈光 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 靈 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 靈 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 靈, 靈光 |
* (keen):
* 乖巧 (guāiqiǎo)
* 了了 (liǎoliǎo) (literary)
* 伶俐 (línglì)
* 儇 (Wu, of a child)
* 奢遮 (Wu, of a child)
* 宿鬼 (Hokkien)
* 性靈 / 性灵 (xìnglíng) (literary)
* 敏慧 (mǐnhuì)
* 明慧 (mínghuì)
* 明智 (míngzhì)
* 機敏 / 机敏 (jīmǐn)
* 機智 / 机智 (jīzhì)
* 機穎 / 机颖 (literary)
* 機警 / 机警 (jījǐng)
* 機靈 / 机灵
* 活絡 / 活络 (Wu)
* 睿智 (ruìzhì)
* 穎異 / 颖异 (yǐngyì) (formal)
* 精濟 / 精济 (Hokkien, of a child)
* 精靈 / 精灵 (jīnglíng)
* 精齊 / 精齐 (Hokkien, of a child)
* 聰慧 / 聪慧 (cōnghuì)
* 聰敏 / 聪敏 (cōngmǐn)
* 聰明 / 聪明 (cōngmíng)
* 聰穎 / 聪颖 (cōngyǐng) (formal)
* 英明 (yīngmíng)
* 調皮 / 调皮 (tiáopí)
* 靈光 / 灵光 ($^6$lin-kuaon) (Wu)
* 鬼 (guǐ) (informal)

### Compounds

* 一機靈 / 一机灵
* 一點靈犀 / 一点灵犀
* 七代先靈 / 七代先灵
* 丁靈 / 丁灵 (dīnglíng)
* 三靈 / 三灵
* 不靈 / 不灵
* 不靈光 / 不灵光
* 不靈驗 / 不灵验
* 丕靈 / 丕灵
* 丟靈 / 丢灵
* 乞靈 / 乞灵
* 亡靈 / 亡灵 (wánglíng)
* 人傑地靈 / 人杰地灵 (rénjiédìlíng)
* 伯靈 / 伯灵
* 停靈 / 停灵 (tínglíng)
* 光靈 / 光灵
* 冥靈 / 冥灵
* 冥頑不靈 / 冥顽不灵 (míngwánbùlíng)
* 參靈 / 参灵
* 古怪機靈 / 古怪机灵
* 古怪精靈 / 古怪精灵
* 古靈精怪 / 古灵精怪 (gǔlíngjīngguài)
* 周轉不靈 / 周转不灵
* 哭靈 / 哭灵 (kūlíng)
* 善靈 / 善灵 (shànlíng)
* 四靈 / 四灵
* 圓靈 / 圆灵
* 在天之靈 / 在天之灵 (zàitiānzhīlíng)
* 地靈 / 地灵
* 地靈人傑 / 地灵人杰
* 坤靈 / 坤灵
* 報事靈童 / 报事灵童
* 塗炭生靈 / 涂炭生灵 (tútànshēnglíng)
* 大愚不靈 / 大愚不灵
* 天靈 / 天灵 (tiānlíng)
* 天靈蓋 / 天灵盖 (tiānlínggài)
* 失靈 / 失灵 (shīlíng)
* 妙畫通靈 / 妙画通灵
* 妙發靈機 / 妙发灵机
* 威靈 / 威灵
* 威靈頓 / 威灵顿 (Wēilíngdùn)
* 安靈 / 安灵 (ānlíng)
* 守靈 / 守灵 (shǒulíng)
* 尊靈 / 尊灵
* 小精靈 / 小精灵
* 屍靈 / 尸灵
* 幽靈 / 幽灵 (yōulíng, “ghost”)
* 幽靈人口 / 幽灵人口
* 幽靈車 / 幽灵车
* 心有靈犀 / 心有灵犀 (xīnyǒulíngxī)
* 心靈 / 心灵 (xīnlíng)
* 心靈手巧 / 心灵手巧
* 心靈福至 / 心灵福至
* 心靈音樂 / 心灵音乐
* 性靈 / 性灵 (xìnglíng)
* 性靈派 / 性灵派
* 扶靈 / 扶灵 (fúlíng)
* 接靈 / 接灵
* 揚靈 / 扬灵
* 明靈 / 明灵 (mínglíng)
* 曜靈 / 曜灵 (yàolíng)
* 有靈觀 / 有灵观
* 枕邊靈 / 枕边灵
* 機靈 / 机灵
* 死靈 / 死灵 (sǐlíng)
* 水靈 / 水灵 (shuǐlíng)
* 泛靈信仰 / 泛灵信仰
* 活靈活現 / 活灵活现 (huólínghuóxiàn)
* 海靈 / 海灵 (hǎilíng)
* 湘靈 / 湘灵
* 漢靈帝 / 汉灵帝
* 激靈 / 激灵 (jīling)
* 炳靈寺 / 炳灵寺
* 獨抒性靈 / 独抒性灵 (dúshūxìnglíng)
* 生靈 / 生灵 (shēnglíng)
* 生靈塗地 / 生灵涂地
* 生靈塗炭 / 生灵涂炭 (shēnglíngtútàn)
* 百靈 / 百灵 (bǎilíng)
* 百靈廟 / 百灵庙 (Bǎilíngmiào)
* 百靈百驗 / 百灵百验
* 百靈舌 / 百灵舌
* 百靈鳥 / 百灵鸟 (bǎilíngniǎo)
* 皇靈 / 皇灵
* 矮靈祭 / 矮灵祭
* 神靈 / 神灵 (shénlíng)
* 福至心靈 / 福至心灵
* 萬物之靈 / 万物之灵 (wànwùzhīlíng)
* 萬靈丹 / 万灵丹 (wànlíngdān)
* 移靈 / 移灵 (yílíng)
* 空靈 / 空灵 (kōnglíng)
* 穹靈 / 穹灵
* 窮靈盡妙 / 穷灵尽妙
* 精靈 / 精灵 (jīnglíng)
* 精靈古怪 / 精灵古怪
* 精靈論 / 精灵论
* 精靈鬼 / 精灵鬼
* 耀靈 / 耀灵 (yàolíng)
* 聖靈 / 圣灵 (Shènglíng)
* 聰靈 / 聪灵
* 至靈 / 至灵
* 芻靈 / 刍灵
* 英靈 / 英灵 (yīnglíng)
* 荼毒生靈 / 荼毒生灵
* 衛靈公 / 卫灵公
* 言靈 / 言灵
* 設靈 / 设灵
* 誓彼襟靈 / 誓彼襟灵
* 起靈 / 起灵
* 趙武靈王 / 赵武灵王
* 輕靈 / 轻灵
* 辭靈 / 辞灵
* 迎靈 / 迎灵
* 通靈 / 通灵 (tōnglíng)
* 通靈寶玉 / 通灵宝玉
* 邪靈 / 邪灵 (xiélíng)
* 鍾靈毓秀 / 钟灵毓秀 (zhōnglíngyùxiù)
* 阿斯匹靈 / 阿斯匹灵 (āsīpǐlíng)
* 除靈 / 除灵
* 陰靈兒 / 阴灵儿
* 靈丹 / 灵丹 (língdān)
* 靈人 / 灵人
* 靈位 / 灵位 (língwèi)
* 靈便 / 灵便 (língbiàn)
* 靈信 / 灵信
* 靈保 / 灵保
* 靈修 / 灵修 (língxiū)
* 靈光 / 灵光 (língguāng)
* 靈光一閃 / 灵光一闪
* 靈利 / 灵利 (línglì)
* 靈力 / 灵力 (línglì)
* 靈動 / 灵动 (língdòng)
* 靈堂 / 灵堂 (língtáng)
* 靈境 / 灵境
* 靈妃 / 灵妃
* 靈媒 / 灵媒 (língméi)
* 靈安社 / 灵安社
* 靈官 / 灵官
* 靈寢 / 灵寝 (língqǐn)
* 靈山 / 灵山 (Língshān)
* 靈山秀水 / 灵山秀水
* 靈巖 / 灵岩
* 靈川 / 灵川 (Língchuān)
* 靈州 / 灵州
* 靈巧 / 灵巧 (língqiǎo)
* 靈幔 / 灵幔
* 靈床 / 灵床
* 靈府 / 灵府
* 靈座 / 灵座
* 靈性 / 灵性 (língxìng)
* 靈怪 / 灵怪
* 靈感 / 灵感 (línggǎn)
* 靈慧 / 灵慧
* 靈憲 / 灵宪
* 靈應 / 灵应
* 靈效 / 灵效
* 靈敏 / 灵敏 (língmǐn)
* 靈敏度 / 灵敏度
* 靈旛 / 灵旛
* 靈景 / 灵景 (língyǐng)
* 靈柩 / 灵柩 (língjiù)
* 靈桌 / 灵桌
* 靈棋經 / 灵棋经 (Língqíjīng)
* 靈樁 / 灵桩
* 靈機 / 灵机 (língjī)
* 靈機一動 / 灵机一动 (língjīyīdòng)
* 靈櫬 / 灵榇
* 靈歌 / 灵歌
* 靈武 / 灵武 (Língwǔ)
* 靈氛 / 灵氛
* 靈氣 / 灵气 (língqì)
* 靈活 / 灵活 (línghuó)
* 靈液 / 灵液
* 靈渠 / 灵渠 (Líng Qú)
* 靈漢 / 灵汉 (línghàn)
* 靈牌 / 灵牌 (língpái)
* 靈物 / 灵物 (língwù)
* 靈物學 / 灵物学
* 靈犀 / 灵犀 (língxī)
* 靈犀相通 / 灵犀相通
* 靈獸 / 灵兽 (língshòu)
* 靈界 / 灵界 (língjiè)
* 靈異 / 灵异 (língyì)
* 靈療 / 灵疗
* 靈祇 / 灵祇
* 靈祐 / 灵祐
* 靈秀 / 灵秀
* 靈童 / 灵童 (língtóng)
* 靈符 / 灵符
* 靈聖 / 灵圣 (língshèng)
* 靈肉 / 灵肉 (língròu)
* 靈脩 / 灵脩 (língxiū)
* 靈臺 / 灵台 (língtái)
* 靈芝 / 灵芝 (língzhī)
* 靈蓋 / 灵盖
* 靈藥 / 灵药 (língyào)
* 靈蛇之珠 / 灵蛇之珠
* 靈蛇髻 / 灵蛇髻
* 靈蛛 / 灵蛛 (língzhū)
* 靈蠵 / 灵蠵
* 靈術 / 灵术
* 靈變 / 灵变
* 靈貓 / 灵猫 (língmāo)
* 靈車 / 灵车 (língchē)
* 靈通 / 灵通 (língtōng)
* 靈透 / 灵透
* 靈鑒 / 灵鉴
* 靈長目 / 灵长目 (Língzhǎngmù)
* 靈長類 / 灵长类
* 靈隱山 / 灵隐山
* 靈雨 / 灵雨
* 靈霄寶殿 / 灵霄宝殿 (Língxiāobǎodiàn)
* 靈頭幡 / 灵头幡
* 靈顯 / 灵显
* 靈飆 / 灵飙
* 靈驗 / 灵验 (língyàn)
* 靈骨塔 / 灵骨塔
* 靈體 / 灵体 (língtǐ)
* 靈魂 / 灵魂 (línghún)
* 靈魂之窗 / 灵魂之窗
* 靈魂人物 / 灵魂人物 (línghún rénwù)
* 靈鷲山 / 灵鹫山 (Língjiùshān)
* 頂喪駕靈 / 顶丧驾灵
* 顯靈 / 显灵 (xiǎnlíng)
* 飛靈 / 飞灵 (fēilíng)
* 駕靈 / 驾灵
* 鬼精靈 / 鬼精灵
* 鬼靈 / 鬼灵
* 鬼靈信仰 / 鬼灵信仰
* 鬼靈精 / 鬼灵精
* 鬼靈精兒 / 鬼灵精儿
* 魂靈 / 魂灵 (húnlíng)
* 魯殿靈光 / 鲁殿灵光
* 黑人靈歌 / 黑人灵歌

### References

* “靈”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

## Japanese

| Shinjitai | 霊 |
| Kyūjitai | 靈 |

### Kanji

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 霊)
* Kyūjitai form of 霊: soul, spirit; ghost; mystery

#### Readings

* Go-on: りょう (ryō)
* Kan-on: れい (rei)
* Tō-on: りん (rin)
* Kun: すだま (sudama, 靈)、たま (tama, 靈)、ち (chi, 靈)、み (mi, 靈)

## Korean
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

### Hanja

Wikisource 靈 (eumhun 신령 령 (sillyeong ryeong), word-initial (South Korea) 신령 영 (sillyeong yeong))
* hanja form of 령/영 (“spirit, soul, deity”)

#### Compounds

* 공령 (空靈, gongnyeong)
* 망령 (亡靈, mangnyeong, “spirit, soul”)
* 선령 (善靈, seollyeong)
* 신령 (神靈, sillyeong, “god, deity”)
* 악령 (惡靈, angnyeong, “evil spirit”)
* 유령 (幽靈, yuryeong, “apparition, ghost”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

靈: Hán Nôm readings: linh, lanh, lẻng, leng, lênh, liêng, lình
* spirit, soul