精 (jīng): essence; refined; precise

Meanings

1 essence; refined; precise
2 spirit; energy; vitality

Characters

精

jīng

essence; refined; spirit; skilled

Examples

这个手工很精致。

Zhège shǒugōng hěn jīngzhì.

This handicraft is very exquisite.

他的精神很好。

Tā de jīngshén hěn hǎo.

He is in good spirits.

Tips

usage

精 is very productive: 精神 (jīngshén, spirit/energy), 精彩 (jīngcǎi, wonderful/brilliant), 精致 (jīngzhì, exquisite), 精确 (jīngquè, precise), 精力 (jīnglì, energy/vigor), 酒精 (jiǔjīng, alcohol).

Components

radical

米 mǐ

rice; uncooked grain

Left rice radical — the indexing component. 精 originally meant carefully husked, polished rice — grain refined down to its purest white core. From there the meaning generalised: anything refined to its essence. Same radical anchors 粉 (powder), 粒 (grain), 糖 (sugar).

phonetic

青 qīng

green-blue; pure

Right 青 supplies the sound (qīng → jīng, j/q labial drift) and a fitting flavor of pure/clear. Phonetic family: 清 (clear water), 情 (feeling), 请 (please), 晴 (sunny), 静 (quiet) — all carrying jīng/qīng readings and a sense of clarity or purity.