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世界
sekai
world
世界にはたくさんの国があります。
There are many countries in the world.
formal
The planet Earth; the Earth considered as a whole.
世界の人口は80億を超えました。
The world's population has exceeded 8 billion.
彼は世界中を旅しました。
He traveled around the world.
Often used in contexts like 'world peace', 'world economy', or 'world culture'.
formal
A particular field of human activity or knowledge; sphere.
芸術の世界では、新しい表現が常に求められます。
In the world of art, new expressions are always sought.
科学の世界で大きな発見がありました。
There was a major discovery in the world of science.
Used metaphorically to describe a domain or community, e.g., 'the world of business'.
formal
Human society or life; people in general.
世界は平和を求めています。
The world seeks peace.
Refers to humanity collectively.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common collocations
Remember '世界中' (sekai-juu) for 'all over the world' and '世界的' (sekai-teki) for 'worldwide' or 'global'.
Gold Rule
Literal vs. figurative
Use '世界' for Earth or humanity, but '世界' can also refer to a specific field (e.g., '科学の世界' = 'world of science').
Word Origin
From Middle Chinese 世界 (ɕiᴇk̚ kɛiᴇH, 'world'). The kanji 世 ('generation, world') and 界 ('boundary, world') combine to mean 'the realm of human life'.
Usage Notes
Used in both literal (Earth) and figurative (domain/community) senses. Common in formal writing and news reports.
Word Breakdown
世
generation, world, society
root界
boundary, realm, world
root和英辞典