henki

Henki is a Finnish noun meaning spirit, soul, breath, or life force. Depending on context, it can refer to the non-material essence of a person, the breath of life, the air or wind, or a metaphorical mood or atmosphere in a place or situation. In everyday language, compounds such as henkinen (mental or spiritual) and phrases about vitality and well-being are common.

Linguistically, henki is related to other Finnic words for life force; cognates exist in Estonian hing-, reflecting shared Finno-Ugric roots for breath and spirit. In religious contexts, pyhä Henki is the Holy Spirit in Finnish, contrasting with words for God or angels.

In Finnish folklore and literature, henki can denote a non-physical presence—spirits of ancestors, guardian spirits, or elemental beings—though such uses are often highly context-dependent and overlapped with terms like haltija. It may also appear in descriptions of places or objects as having a certain henki or atmosphere, sometimes translated as “spirit of the place.”

In modern Finnish, henki remains common in discussions of well-being, culture, and spirituality. It appears in expressions about mental states (henkinen tila), life energy, or collective atmosphere, and is a frequent element in discussions of religion, philosophy, and folklore.