Where does “この世” come from?

この世 (Japanese) comes from Japanese この, from Old Japanese の, from Middle Chinese 能 — talent, ability.

この世 (Japanese): the world of the living; this world

Definitions

  1. the world of the living; this world

Ancestry of “この世”, step by step

この世 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese この

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japaneseこのnine
2Old Japaneseのplain, field
3Middle Chinese能talent, ability

via Japanese 世

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese世world, society; this world, this life;...
2Middle Chinese世—
Every word from Middle Chinese 能 →Every word from Old Japanese の →Every word from Japanese この →