気 (Energy) - Meaning and history | Japanese Kanji

気 has numerous meanings and nuances in its various 熟語 (compound words), where the kanji is joined to others and forms a new term and also in the various expressions and idioms that contain this element.

Its 部(ぶ)首(しゅ) root is 气, which means vapor.

The kanji has 6 strokes, ６画(かく).

Common terms with the kanji 気

One of the first sentences you learn in the Japanese language is:

元(げん)気(き) means vigor, vitality, spirit.

気(き) is the life energy, prana in Indian culture, qi in Chinese.

There is a variant of the kanji, very harmonious to visualize and transcribe, and it is 氣.

The term that indicates Reiki, a holistic discipline born in Japan, is transcribed with 霊(れい)氣(き).

Words and expressions with the kanji 気

気(き)分(ぶん) indicates the mood of the person:

• 気(き)分(ぶん)が良(い)い I feel good

• 気(き)分(ぶん)が悪(わる)い I feel bad

運(うん)気(き) is one of the terms indicating destiny and the word has the kanji of the verb 運(はこ)ぶ carry, distribute, combined with 気(き).

気(き)象(しょい) represents all atmospheric phenomena.

We also find 気(き) when we want to ask for information on the economic situation of a country. The word is 景(き)気(き) situation, market trend.

Adjectives using the kanji 気

Many expressions that we translate as adjectives use the 気(き):

• 気(き)が短(みじか)い impatient

• 気(き)が長(なが)い patient, tolerant

Other uses combined with the verb are numerous. The advice is to learn them in the context of utility. Some expressions are very common in colloquial language and will be the first to be most easily memorized:

• 気(き)を配(くば)る pay attention to something or someone, take care of the other person's needs

• 気(き)をつける take care in doing something

• 気(き)にする pay attention to something, take something into account, get upset about something