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中世 (ちゅうせい, chuusei) Japanese meaning: Middle Ages | Kotomora

中ちゅう世せい

ちゅ

う

せ

い

Common word›JLPTN2›Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

Middle Ages; medieval times

historical term

Historical term. In Japanese contexts, typically refers to the Kamakura and Muromachi periods (approx. 12th–16th centuries).

中ちゅう世せいヨーロッパの城しろは観かん光こう客きゃくに人

にん

気き

が

ある

。

Medieval European castles are popular with tourists.

日本にほんの中ちゅう世せいは武ぶ士しの時じ代だいだった。

Japan's Middle Ages were the age of the samurai.

Usage patterns

中ちゅう世せいの〈物もの〉a medieval ~ (thing/place from the Middle Ages)
中ちゅう世せいの城しろが今いまも残のこっている。
A medieval castle still remains standing.
中ちゅう世せいに〈動どう詞し〉to (do something) during the Middle Ages
この教きょう会かいは中ちゅう世せいに建たてられた。
This church was built during the Middle Ages.

Kanji

中in, inside, middle
世generation, world, society

Related words

近きん世せいN1
中世 refers to Japan's medieval period (roughly Kamakura–Muromachi), while 近世 refers to the early modern period (Edo) that follows it.
古こ代だいN1
古代 refers to ancient/classical antiquity, which comes chronologically before 中世.
近きん代だいN3
近代 refers to the modern era (roughly Meiji onward), a later period than 中世.
中ちゅう古こN3
中世 is the general, widely used term for the medieval period, while 中古 is a specialized literary-history label that often refers specifically to the Heian period.

Don't confuse with

古こ代だいN1
中世 is the medieval period that comes right after 古代 in historical chronology, so learners often mix up which era each term names.
近きん世せいN1
中世 refers to the medieval period that comes before 近世 in Japanese historical periodization.

Word family

中ちゅう世せい史し
medieval history
中ちゅう世せい都と市し
medieval city (in Europe)
中ちゅう世せいラテン語ご
Medieval Latin

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 中世 (trjung syejH), literally 'middle age/generation'. The Japanese reading is the on'yomi of the characters.