the reading for "魂"


I came across a N1 vocab list and came across 魂 with the reading as こん, and I
had known that as たましい. I know is one is 'on' and one is 'kun', but if it's
just by itself I was under the impression that it's read たましい.

Does anyone know definitively?




It can be either, and if there are no furigana, there is no way to be 100%
certain. However, certain tendencies can be identified.

If 魂 is used on its own with no special context, it will usually be たましい. But
there are many situations where 魂 is used as "jargon" with a specific meaning.
In these cases, using the pronunciation こん helps to distinguish the author's
special use of 魂 from the general concept of たましい.

For example, if you Google around a bit you will see people discussing the
duality of 霊 (れい) and 魂 (こん) [cf the word 霊魂, "soul"]. Or you can find 魂 (こん)
vs 魄 (はく), a similar duality with Taoist overtones (this is the one cypher
mentions in comments).




It can be either, and if there are no furigana, there is no way to be 100%
certain. However, certain tendencies can be identified.

If 魂 is used on its own with no special context, it will usually be たましい. But
there are many situations where 魂 is used as "jargon" with a specific meaning.
In these cases, using the pronunciation こん helps to distinguish the author's
special use of 魂 from the general concept of たましい.

For example, if you Google around a bit you will see people discussing the
duality of 霊 (れい) and 魂 (こん) [cf the word 霊魂, "soul"]. Or you can find 魂 (こん)
vs 魄 (はく), a similar duality with Taoist overtones (this is the one cypher
mentions in comments).

