世せ相そう

せ

そ

う

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

social conditions; state of society; sign of the times

Refers to the overall mood, trends, or conditions of society at a given time, often used in news or analytical contexts.

最さい近きんの世せ相そうを反はん映えいした記き事じが多おおい。
There are many articles reflecting recent social conditions.
世せ相そうが不ふ安あん定ていだと消しょう費ひも冷ひえ込こむ。
When the state of society is unstable, consumption also cools down.

See all 12 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉が世せ相そうを反はん映えいするfor something to reflect the mood of the times
この映えい画がは現げん代だいの世せ相そうを反はん映えいしている。
This movie reflects the social conditions of modern times.
世せ相そうを風ふう刺しするto satirize the state of society
そのコラムは世せ相そうを風ふう刺ししたユーモアで人にん気きがある。
That column is popular for its humor satirizing the state of society.
世せ相そうを映うつすto mirror the mood of society
ニュースの見み出だしは世せ相そうを映うつすものだ。
News headlines mirror the mood of society.
世せ相そうを象しょう徴ちょうするto symbolize the state of society
この事じ件けんは今いまの世せ相そうを象しょう徴ちょうしていると言いわれている。
This incident is said to symbolize the current state of society.

Kanji

世generation, world, society
相inter-, mutual, together

Related words

社しゃ会かい情じょう勢せい
社会情勢 refers to concrete political or economic conditions, while 世相 covers the broader mood and cultural trends of society.
時じ勢せい
時勢 highlights the direction or spirit of the times with a historical, forward-looking feel, while 世相 describes the present state of society.
風ふう潮ちょう
風潮 points to a specific social trend or current of opinion, whereas 世相 is a wider snapshot of society's overall condition.

Don't confuse with

世せ情じょう
世情 emphasizes public sentiment or the feelings of the populace, while 世相 refers more to the visible conditions and trends of society as a whole.

Etymology

Compound of 世 (world, society) and 相 (aspect, phase). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally yields the meaning 'aspect of society'.