精 (jīng) · essence; refined; precise

Meanings

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

Characters

精

jīng

essence; refined; spirit; skilled

Examples

HSK 5

他的精神很好。

Tā de jīngshén hěn hǎo.

He is in good spirits.

HSK 6

这个手工很精致。

Zhège shǒugōng hěn jīngzhì.

This handicraft is very exquisite.

HSK 7-9

这台仪器很精，误差非常小。

Zhè tái yíqì hěn jīng, wùchā fēicháng xiǎo.

This instrument is very precise; its margin of error is tiny.

Tips

usage

精 is very productive: 精神 (spirit/energy), 精彩 (wonderful/brilliant), 精致 (exquisite), 精确 (precise), 精力 (energy/vigor), 酒精 (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.