未来

• Reading: みらい
• Romaji: mirai
• Kanji breakdown: 未 (mi/ima) — not yet; 来 (rai/ku) — come
• Pronunciation: /mi.ɾa.i/

Meaning

Future; the time yet to come. Often implies the distant or grand-scale future.

A noun referring to the future, especially in an aspirational or visionary sense. Common in both everyday and formal contexts: 未来の夢 (mirai no yume, future dreams), 未来予測 (mirai yosoku, future prediction). In Buddhism, 未来 is one of the three temporal realms (past, present, future). Contrasts with the more immediate 将来 (shourai, personal/near future).

Examples

1. 子供たちの未来のために環境を守りたい。 I want to protect the environment for our children's future.
2. 未来の技術がどうなるか楽しみだ。 I'm excited to see what future technology will look like.
3. あの映画は未来の世界を描いている。 That movie depicts a world of the future.

Usage Guide

Context: aspirations, science, philosophy

Tone: hopeful

Origin & History

Compound of 未 (mi, not yet) and 来 (rai, come). Literally 'not yet come', describing what has not yet arrived — the future.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal