Translation guide
The English word "universe" can refer to the cosmos, a particular world or domain, or be used metaphorically. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
Referring to the physical universe, the totality of existence.
The most common and direct translation for 'universe' in the cosmic sense. Used in both scientific and everyday contexts.
宇宙は広大だ。
The universe is vast.
宇宙の起源について研究している。
I'm researching the origin of the universe.
Literally 'great universe', often used in philosophical or poetic contexts to emphasize the grandeur of the cosmos.
大宇宙の神秘に思いを馳せる。
I ponder the mysteries of the great universe.
Referring to a self-contained world, such as in fiction, or someone's personal sphere of experience.
While '世界' usually means 'world', it is often used for 'universe' in the sense of a fictional or conceptual realm.
スター・ウォーズの世界は多くのファンを魅了する。
The Star Wars universe captivates many fans.
彼は自分だけの世界に閉じこもっている。
He is shut away in his own little universe.
Loanword from English, often used in entertainment contexts (e.g., 'Marvel Universe').
Sometimes used metaphorically for a personal or conceptual universe, but less common than 世界.
Referring to the total set of entities under consideration in a study or analysis.
Technical term in statistics for the entire group from which a sample is drawn. Direct equivalent of 'universe' in this sense.
この調査の母集団は全国の成人です。
The universe of this survey is all adults nationwide.
A more descriptive phrase meaning 'entire survey target', used when avoiding technical jargon.
調査対象全体から無作為に抽出した。
We randomly sampled from the universe of survey subjects.
宇宙 (uchuu) refers to the physical cosmos, while 世界 (sekai) refers to a world or realm, often human-centered. For fictional universes, 世界 is more natural unless emphasizing the cosmic scale.
Saying '私の宇宙' (my universe) sounds odd in Japanese. Use '私の世界' (my world) or rephrase to convey the idea of a personal sphere.
Movies in the Marvel Universe are popular.
The universe within his mind is infinite.