世 shì — life; age; generation; era; world; lifetime
这是世界上最高的山。Zhè shì shì jiè shàng zuì gāo de shān.This is the tallest mountain in the world.
Common words: 世界 (shì jiè)、世纪 (shì jì)、去世 (qù shì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "world"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "world", including 世 (shì), 舆 (yú). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "world" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 世 (shì), 舆 (yú) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span shì, yú — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 世 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 世 shìlife; age; generation; era; world; lifetimeUseful words: 世界, 世纪
- 舆 yúcarriage; sedan chair; worldUseful words: 舆论, 舆地
Common words for these 2 "world" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 世 (shì) — so "world" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "world".
舆 yú — carriage; sedan chair; world
这件事引起了社会舆论的广泛关注。Zhè jiàn shì yǐn qǐ le shè huì yú lùn de guǎng fàn guān zhù.This matter drew wide public attention.
Common words: 舆论 (yú lùn)、舆地 (yú dì)、舆情 (yú qíng)
All 2 characters
Open 世、舆 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.