Expressions 世よ の 習なら い the way of the world; the lay of the land; the inescapable circumstances of life 浮うき 世よ の 習なら い the way of the world; the inescapable circumstances of life; just the way things are 六ろく 十じゅう の 手て 習なら い beginning to learn when old; it's never too late to learn Related words 習慣 is the everyday word for a personal or social habit, while 習い is more literary and usually appears in set phrases describing general truths about life.
慣習 refers specifically to established social customs or conventions, whereas 習い is broader and can describe any natural or expected pattern, personal or universal.
風習 denotes a regional or traditional custom practiced by a group, while 習い is a more abstract, literary term for the general way things tend to go.
Word family apprenticeship; probation; learning by observation · apprentice; trainee; probationer
lessons; classes; practice (of an art or skill)
calligraphy practice; brush writing practice · study; learning
ingrained habit; second nature
Written forms 習なら い Usage 71%
Standard kanji form; commonly used in set phrases like 世の習い .
ならい Usage 29%
Etymology Derived from the verb 習う (ならう , 'to learn'), originally meaning something learned and thus habitual. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the meaning shifted from 'learned behavior' to 'custom/habit'.
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