世紀末

• Reading: せいきまつ
• Romaji: seikimatsu
• Kanji breakdown: 世 (sei/yo) — world, generation; 紀 (ki) — era, century; 末 (matsu/sue) — end, tip
• Pronunciation: /seː.ki.ma.tsɯ/

Meaning

End of a century; fin de siècle. Used both literally for the close of a century and figuratively for a mood of decadence, pessimism, or cultural exhaustion.

A noun with both literal and cultural-aesthetic uses. Literally it denotes the period at a century's close, especially the late 19th century in Europe. Figuratively, 世紀末的 (fin-de-siècle) describes art or attitudes marked by decadence, ennui, or existential anxiety. The term carries rich connotations from European Symbolism and Decadent movements, and from Japanese literary circles of the Meiji and Taishō eras that engaged with these currents.

Examples

1. 世紀末の雰囲気が漂う、退廃的な芸術作品が多く生まれた。 Many decadent works of art were produced in an atmosphere pervaded by fin de siècle sentiment.
2. 19世紀の世紀末には、ヨーロッパ各地で文化的な変動があった。 At the end of the 19th century, cultural upheavals occurred throughout Europe.
3. 彼の小説には世紀末的な絶望感が色濃く反映されている。 His novels strongly reflect a fin de siècle sense of despair.

Usage Guide

Context: art history, literature, philosophy, cultural commentary

Tone: literary

Origin & History

Compound of 世紀 (century) and 末 (end, tip). A calque of the French fin de siècle, adopted into Japanese intellectual discourse during the Meiji and Taishō periods as European aestheticism gained influence among writers and artists.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern (late 19th century)

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated