世界

sekai
nounBeginner
formal

The entire planet Earth and all its inhabitants; the global community.

世界は広い。

The world is vast.

世界平和を願う。

I wish for world peace.

💡

Often used to refer to the entire planet or the global community in a broad sense.

informal

A particular domain or sphere of activity (e.g., the world of sports, the world of business).

スポーツの世界は厳しい。

The world of sports is tough.

芸術の世界に入る。

To enter the world of art.

💡

In this sense, it can refer to a specific field or area of interest.

Collocations

世界一number one in the world世界中all over the world世界史world history

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

世界一周phrase
a trip around the world
世界遺産phrase
World Heritage Site

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

'世界' is often used in formal contexts when referring to the planet or global community, but can also be used informally to describe specific fields or areas of interest.

Gold Rule

Literal vs. Figurative

Be mindful of the context to distinguish between the literal meaning (the planet) and the figurative meaning (a specific domain).

📖Word Origin

Composed of '世' (se, meaning 'generation' or 'age') and '界' (kai, meaning 'world' or 'realm').

📝Usage Notes

Can be used both literally (referring to the planet) and figuratively (referring to a specific domain).

Word Breakdown

generation, age
root
+
world, realm
root
Noted on May 31, 2026JAEN