疎外

• Reading: そがい
• Romaji: sogai
• Kanji breakdown: 疎 (so/uton) — sparse, to alienate; 外 (gai/soto) — outside, to exclude
• Pronunciation: /so.ɡa.i/

Meaning

Alienation; estrangement; exclusion. The experience of feeling isolated from society, community, or one's own work.

A key concept in sociology and philosophy, particularly Marxist theory (疎外論), where it describes the worker's separation from the products of their labour, the act of production, fellow workers, and human nature. In everyday Japanese, 疎外感 (feeling of alienation) is commonly used to describe social exclusion or loneliness. Also used in interpersonal contexts: 仲間外れ (being left out).

Examples

1. 都市化が進むにつれ、人々の疎外感は深まっている。 As urbanisation advances, people's sense of alienation is deepening.
2. マルクスは資本主義のもとで労働者が疎外されると論じた。 Marx argued that workers are alienated under capitalism.
3. 職場での疎外を感じた彼は、転職を決意した。 Feeling alienated at his workplace, he resolved to change jobs.

Usage Guide

Context: sociology, philosophy, psychology, social issues

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 疎 (sparse, to alienate, to distance) and 外 (outside, to exclude). The philosophical concept was introduced via German Entfremdung (alienation) through Marxist texts. In modern usage, 疎外 covers both theoretical alienation and everyday feelings of exclusion.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal