世界（せかい、sekai）
- world

The word 世界 means "world," "universe," or "the earth." It generally refers to the entirety of existence, encompassing everything around us. It can also be used to refer to a specific domain or sphere of activity. ⚫︎ It can refer to the physical world, including countries, continents, and the environment. ⚫︎ It can also refer to the social or cultural world, like the entertainment [世界], or the business [世界]. ⚫︎ Finally, it can encompass the universe, including the stars, planets, and galaxies.

⚫︎ 世界旅行 Translation: World travel ⚫︎ 世界で一番高い山 Translation: The tallest mountain in the world ⚫︎ 彼の [世界] は小さい Translation: His world is small.

You can use 世界 in many contexts. ⚫︎ When talking about geographical locations, you use it to talk about global scales. ⚫︎ When describing fields of interest or expertise, you use it to define particular domains. ⚫︎ When talking figuratively, it represents personal experience or perspective.

⚫︎ The standard way to write 世界 is with the kanji 世界. ⚫︎ The reading is せかい in hiragana. ⚫︎ The okurigana does not change.

⚫︎ 宇宙 (uchuu) - universe, cosmos ⚫︎ 地球 (chikyuu) - the Earth ⚫︎ 世の中 (yononaka) - the world, society

There aren't direct antonyms for 世界 as the word encompasses everything. However, words that represent a specific part of 世界 could be considered opposites in a more limited context, like: ⚫︎ 国内 (kokunai) - domestic, within a country (opposite to a part of the world).

日本は [世界] で人気のある国の一つです。 ・Translation: Japan is one of the most popular countries in the world. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 世界 to refer to the entire globe and to specify the location of Japan within that.

彼は音楽の [世界] で成功を収めた。 ・Translation: He achieved success in the world of music. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 世界 to refer to the domain or realm of music, indicating his success in that specific area.

The kanji 世 (se) means "generation," "world," or "age," while the kanji 界 (kai) means "boundary," "world," or "sphere." Together, 世界 literally translates to "world boundary" or "world sphere," suggesting a defined area of existence or a realm.