path of life; the world
A literary, somewhat archaic term for the course of one's life or the ways of the world. Rare in modern conversation; found in classical or poetic writing.
世路の艱難を経て、彼は悟りを開いた。
Having passed through the hardships of life's path, he attained enlightenment.
He has walked a life's path full of hardship.
In classical texts, 世路 can refer to the journey of life.
若き日、彼は世路に迷ったこともあった。
In his youth, there were times he lost his way in life.
世の中 is the common, everyday word for 'the world' or 'society', whereas 世路 is a poetic, archaic term evoking the hardships and course of life itself.
Literary kanji compound; the reading せろ is also given but is less common.
Compound of 世 (world, life) and 路 (path, road). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning 'path of life'.