世帯

• Reading: せたい
• Romaji: setai
• Kanji breakdown: 世 (se/sei) — generation, world; 帯 (tai/obi) — belt, zone, carry
• Pronunciation: /se.ta.i/

Meaning

Household; family unit. A group of people living together and sharing living expenses under one roof.

A noun used in administrative, statistical, and official contexts. The Japanese census and resident registration system counts population by 世帯. Common compounds include 世帯主 (setainushi, head of household), 世帯数 (setaisuu, number of households), and 世帯年収 (setai nenshuu, household annual income). More formal and precise than 家庭 (katei, home/family).

Examples

1. この地域の世帯数は年々増加している。 The number of households in this area is increasing year by year.
2. 一人暮らしの世帯が全体の三割を占めている。 Single-person households make up about 30 percent of the total.
3. 世帯の平均年収は地域によって大きく異なる。 Average household annual income varies greatly by region.

Usage Guide

Context: administration, statistics, housing

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 世 (se, generation/world) + 帯 (tai, belt/zone). Originally meant 'what one carries through life' — evolved to mean the unit of people living and managing life together.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal