Where does “あの世” come from?
あの世 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 世, from Middle Chinese 世.
あの世 (Japanese): the world of the dead; the otherworld
Definitions
- the world of the dead; the otherworld
Ancestry of “あの世”, step by step
あの世 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Japanese 世
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 世 | world, society; this world, this life;... |
| 2 | Middle Chinese | 世 | — |
via Japanese あの
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | あの | similar to English er or umm, said when hesitating in speech |