摂せつ理り

せ

つ

り

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

laws of nature; natural order

Refers to the fundamental principles or order governing the natural world. Often used in philosophical or scientific contexts.

自し然ぜんの摂せつ理りに従したがって生いきる。
Live in accordance with the laws of nature.

noun

divine providence

Christianity

Specifically Christian term for God's guiding and sustaining power over creation.

神かみの摂せつ理りを信しんじる。
Believe in divine providence.

Usage patterns

自し然ぜんの摂せつ理りthe laws of nature
人ひとはいつか死しぬのは自し然ぜんの摂せつ理りだ。
It is the law of nature that everyone dies eventually.
神かみの摂せつ理りGod's providence
彼かれはすべてを神かみの摂せつ理りだと信しんじている。
He believes everything is part of God's providence.
摂せつ理りに従したがうto follow the natural order/providence
私わたしたちは自し然ぜんの摂せつ理りに従したがって生いきるべきだ。
We should live in accordance with the laws of nature.
摂せつ理りに反はんするto go against the natural order/providence
その行こう為いは摂せつ理りに反はんしていると批ひ判はんされた。
The act was criticized as going against the natural order.

Kanji

摂vicarious, surrogate, act in addition to
理logic, arrangement, reason

Related words

法ほう則そくN2sense 1
法則 is the general word for a scientific or social 'law', while 摂理 refers to a deeper, often philosophical or religious sense of underlying order.
神しん意い sense 2
神意 means 'God's will' or divine intention, whereas 摂理 in its religious sense emphasizes the ongoing, sustaining order God imposes on creation rather than a single decision.
天てん理り sense 1
天理 is a literary term for 'heaven's principle' or natural law, close to 摂理 in its philosophical sense but without the specifically Christian usage.

Don't confuse with

節せつ理り
節理 is a geology term for the natural joints or cracks in rock, and though it is pronounced identically to 摂理, it has no connection to natural order or divine providence.

Etymology

From Chinese 攝理, composed of 攝 (take in, govern) and 理 (principle, order). The term entered Japanese with both philosophical and Christian theological meanings.