noun
vicissitudes of the world; world's sudden changes
A rare, literary term for the unpredictable and drastic changes that occur in the world, often with a sense of impermanence. Not used in everyday conversation.
「桑海の変」という言葉は、世の中の激しい変化を表す。
The phrase '桑海の変' expresses the drastic changes of the world.
Abbreviation of the classical Chinese proverb 桑田変じて滄海となる (mulberry fields change into blue seas), symbolizing the impermanence and great changes of the world. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji 桑 (mulberry) and 海 (sea) are conventionally associated with this meaning.