世間

• Reading: せけん
• Romaji: seken
• Kanji breakdown: 世 (se) — world, generation; 間 (ken) — between, space
• Pronunciation: /se.keɴ/

Meaning

World; society; the public; people around you. The community of people whose opinions and judgements one is aware of.

A noun with strong cultural weight in Japan. Unlike 社会 (society as a system), 世間 refers to the informal social world of shared norms and expectations — the people who know you and whose opinions matter. Common collocations include 世間体 (public appearances), 世間話 (small talk), and 世間が狭い (what a small world).

Examples

1. 世間の目を気にしすぎないほうがいい。 You shouldn't worry too much about what other people think.
2. 久しぶりに会って世間話をした。 We met after a long time and made small talk.
3. 世間は意外と狭いものだ。 It really is a small world.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, culture, conversation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 世 (world, generation) and 間 (between, space). Together they mean the space between people in the world — society as a lived social reality.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal