noun
afterlife; realm of the dead; hidden world
A traditional Japanese term for the world of the dead, spirits, or the afterlife, often contrasted with the visible world (現世). It carries a sense of being hidden or secluded. Rare in everyday speech; mainly encountered in mythology, folklore, and literary works.
See also: あの世
古事記には、幽世と現世の境についての記述がある。
In the Kojiki, there are descriptions of the boundary between the hidden world and the visible world.
彼女はまるで幽世から戻ってきたかのような顔をしていた。
She looked as if she had returned from the realm of the dead.
現世 refers to the visible, present world of the living, often used in direct contrast to 幽世.
Most common modern spelling for this term, using 幽 (secluded, hidden) and 世 (world).
Older spelling using 隠 (hide) with okurigana; less common but still encountered in literary or historical contexts.
Variant without okurigana; rare and mostly found in older texts.
Derived from 隠る (kakuru, 'to hide') + 世 (yo, 'world'), literally 'hidden world'. The kanji 幽 reinforces the sense of seclusion and mystery. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is deeply rooted in Shinto and folk beliefs about the spirit realm.