精 – JLPT N3 Kanji, Kanji for energy, excellence, fairy, ghost, purity

精

Strokes: 14

Meanings: energy, excellence, fairy, ghost, purity, refined, semen, skill, vitality
Onyomi: セイ
Kunyomi: くわ.しい, しら.げる
Name Readings: きよ
JLPT: N3
Grade: 5
Frequency: -
Kanji Writing Practice: Practice

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Story

The kanji 精 combines 米 (rice) on the left with 青 on the right. In ancient life, rice was not just food—it symbolized purity, value, and life’s essential energy. The character 青 represented clarity and purity, like a clear blue-green color or something refined. When these two parts were joined, the meaning became “the pure essence of something,” like rice that has been polished clean. Over time, this image expanded to mean spirit, energy, refinement, and the best or most essential part of anything. 精 represents something made pure, focused, and full of vital essence.

Short Story

Rice (米) combined with purity and clarity (青) creates the idea of something refined to its purest form—its essence or spirit.

Mnemonic

Think of polishing rice (米) until it becomes bright and pure (青). What’s left is the best, most essential part—that’s 精, the refined essence or spirit.

Vocabulary Examples

Word	Reading	Meaning	Meta
精	せい	spirit, sprite, nymph	common Noun
精神	せいしん	mind, spirit, soul, heart, ethos	common JLPT-N3 Noun
詳しい	くわしい	detailed, full, minute	common JLPT-N3 I-adjective (keiyoushi)
精々	せいぜい	at the most, at best	common JLPT-N3 Adverb (fukushi)
精巧	せいこう	elaborate, delicate, exquisite	common JLPT-N1 Na-adjective (keiyodoshi), Noun
精密	せいみつ	precise, exact, detailed, accurate, minute, close	common JLPT-N1 Na-adjective (keiyodoshi), Noun
精通	せいつう	being well versed (in), being well acquainted (with), being familiar (with), having a thorough knowledge (of), being an authority (on)	common Noun, Suru verb, Intransitive verb
精度	せいど	precision, accuracy	common Noun
精神科	せいしんか	psychiatry, psychiatric department	common Noun
精製	せいせい	refining, purification	common Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb

Showing up to 15 entries including the Kanji.

Example Sentences

Example #1

彼は仕事に精を出しています。

かれはしごとにせいをだしています

kare wa shigoto ni sei o dashite imasu

He is working very hard at his job.

Example #2

彼女は勉強に精一杯努力しています。

かのじょはべんきょうにせいいっぱいどりょくしています

kanojo wa benkyou ni seiippai doryoku shite imasu

She is doing her very best in her studies.

Example #3

日本人は細かいことにとても精密です。

にほんじんはこまかいことにとてもせいみつです

nihonjin wa komakai koto ni totemo seimitsu desu

Japanese people are very precise about details.

Example #4

彼はいつも精いっぱい走ります。

かれはいつもせいいっぱいはしります

kare wa itsumo seiippai hashirimasu

He always runs with all his effort.

Example #5

精一杯がんばったけど、負けてしまった。

せいいっぱいがんばったけど、まけてしまった

seiippai ganbatta kedo, makete shimatta

I did my best, but I lost.

Example #6

この機械はとても精密に作られています。

このきかいはとてもせいみつにつくられています

kono kikai wa totemo seimitsu ni tsukurarete imasu

This machine is made with great precision.

Example #7

彼の精力はすばらしい。

かれのせいりょくはすばらしい

kare no seiryoku wa subarashii

His energy is amazing.

Example #8

精米したばかりのお米はおいしいです。

せいまいしたばかりのおこめはおいしいです

seimai shita bakari no okome wa oishii desu

Freshly milled rice tastes delicious.

Example #9

彼女は精精神な人です。

かのじょはせいしんなひとです

kanojo wa seishin na hito desu

She is a very spiritual person.

Example #10

精一杯の笑顔でありがとうと言った。

せいいっぱいのえがおでありがとうといった

seiippai no egao de arigatou to itta

I said thank you with the biggest smile I could.

Example #11

彼は精力的に新しいプロジェクトを進めている。

かれはせいりょくてきにあたらしいプロジェクトをすすめている

kare wa seiryokuteki ni atarashii purojekuto o susumete iru

He is energetically pushing forward a new project.

Example #12

母は毎日精を出して家事をしています。

はははまいにちせいをだしてかじをしています

haha wa mainichi sei o dashite kaji o shite imasu

My mother works hard at housework every day.

Example #13

精一杯生きることが大切だと思います。

せいいっぱいいきることがたいせつだとおもいます

seiippai ikiru koto ga taisetsu da to omoimasu

I think living your life to the fullest is important.

Example #14

この時計は精密にできています。

このとけいはせいみつにできています

kono tokei wa seimitsu ni dekite imasu

This watch is made with precision.

Example #15

精精神を大切にすることが健康につながります。

せいしんをたいせつにすることがけんこうにつながります

seishin o taisetsu ni suru koto ga kenkou ni tsunagarimasu

Taking care of your mind leads to good health.

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Kanji Info

Kanji: 精

JLPT: n3

Strokes: 14

Grade: 5

Unicode: 7CBE

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