世話

• Reading: せわ
• Romaji: sewa
• Kanji breakdown: 世 (se/sei/yo) — world, generation; 話 (wa/hanashi) — talk, story
• Pronunciation: /se.wa/

Meaning

Care; looking after; assistance. The act of taking care of someone or something.

A noun commonly used with する (世話をする, to take care of) and なる (お世話になる, to be in someone's care). The polite expression お世話になっております is a standard business greeting. Also appears in 世話好き (someone who likes helping others).

Examples

1. 祖母が花の世話をするのが好きです。 My grandmother enjoys taking care of her flowers.
2. いつもお世話になっております。 Thank you for always looking after me.
3. 子供の世話は大変だけど楽しいです。 Taking care of children is tough but fun.

Usage Guide

Context: caregiving, business, daily life

Tone: warm

Origin & History

Compound of 世 (world, society) and 話 (talk, story). Originally meant worldly matters or gossip, but evolved to mean looking after others' affairs.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal