Sewa is the act of providing continuous care and support for someone or something.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Refers to caring for someone or something.
- Commonly used for children, pets, or elderly.
- Essential in polite business greetings.
Overview
- 1概要：世話は、対象となる人や動物、あるいは植物などが健やかに過ごせるように、日常的なサポートを行うことを意味します。単なる「助け」よりも、継続的で丁寧なケアというニュアンスが強いです。2) 使用パターン：主に「世話をする」「世話になる」という形で使われます。「世話をする」は自分が主体となってサポートする場合、「世話になる」は他者から助けてもらった際に使います。3) 一般的な文脈：家庭内での子供やペットの世話、高齢者の介護、または仕事で誰かのサポートをする際によく使われます。また、ビジネスシーンで「お世話になっております」と挨拶する際にも不可欠です。4) 類語との比較：「介護」は特に高齢者や病人のケアに特化しています。「管理」は対象をコントロールするというニュアンスが強く、人間に対して使うと冷たい印象を与える場合があります。「世話」は、より温かみのある人間的なサポートを表す言葉です。
Examples
毎日、ペットの世話をするのは楽しい。
everydayIt is fun to take care of my pet every day.
いつも大変お世話になっております。
formalThank you for your continued support.
子供の世話で忙しい。
informalI am busy taking care of my child.
高齢者の世話に関する研究を行う。
academicConducting research on the care of the elderly.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
世話が焼ける
To be a handful / requires a lot of care
世話好き
Helpful / meddlesome
お世話になりました
Thank you for everything you have done for me
Often Confused With
Refers specifically to nursing or medical care for the elderly or ill. Sewa is much broader and covers daily life tasks.
Focuses on management, control, or maintenance of things or systems. It lacks the emotional support aspect of Sewa.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
Sewa is a versatile word used in both casual and formal settings. In business, it is almost exclusively used in the polite phrase 'o-sewa ni natte orimasu'. It implies a sense of gratitude or responsibility toward the person being cared for.
Common Mistakes
Beginners often use 'sewa' for inanimate objects like computers or machines, which is incorrect. It should be reserved for living beings. Also, avoid using 'sewa' when talking about your own needs, as it sounds awkward.
Tips
Use with 'suru' verb
Always pair 'sewa' with 'suru' to create the verb phrase 'sewa wo suru'. This means 'to take care of'.
Avoid cold tone
Don't use 'sewa' when talking about managing objects or data; it sounds like you are treating them as pets.
Business etiquette
In Japan, saying 'o-sewa ni natte orimasu' is the standard way to acknowledge a professional relationship.
Word Origin
Derived from the verb 'sewasu', which originally meant to be busy or active. Over time, it evolved to refer to the act of being busy while attending to others.
Cultural Context
Caring for others is highly valued in Japanese culture, and 'sewa' reflects the communal importance of looking after one another. The phrase 'o-sewa ni natte orimasu' is the cornerstone of Japanese business politeness.
Memory Tip
Think of 'Sewa' as 'Save-a' life or 'Save-a' day by helping someone. If you are 'saving' someone through care, you are doing 'sewa'.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions「世話をする」は対象を問わず幅広く使われますが、「介護」は高齢者や病気の人に対して、専門的なケアを行う場合に限定されます。
相手の会社や個人から、日頃の協力やサポートを受けていることへの感謝を表す丁寧な挨拶です。日本のビジネスシーンでは必須のフレーズです。
「自分の世話をする」と言うことは可能ですが、日常的にはあまり使いません。通常は他者に対して使う言葉です。
「手間」は作業の複雑さや労力に焦点がありますが、「世話」は対象をケアするという人間的な関係性に焦点があります。
Test Yourself
私は毎日、犬の___をします。
動物の面倒を見る場合は「世話」を使うのが自然です。
ビジネスの挨拶として正しいのはどれですか？
ビジネスでの定番の挨拶フレーズです。
（祖母を / 世話を / しています / 私は）
主語、目的語、述語の順序が正しいです。
Score: /3
Summary
Sewa is the act of providing continuous care and support for someone or something.
- Refers to caring for someone or something.
- Commonly used for children, pets, or elderly.
- Essential in polite business greetings.
Use with 'suru' verb
Always pair 'sewa' with 'suru' to create the verb phrase 'sewa wo suru'. This means 'to take care of'.
Avoid cold tone
Don't use 'sewa' when talking about managing objects or data; it sounds like you are treating them as pets.
Business etiquette
In Japan, saying 'o-sewa ni natte orimasu' is the standard way to acknowledge a professional relationship.
Examples
4 of 4毎日、ペットの世話をするのは楽しい。
It is fun to take care of my pet every day.
いつも大変お世話になっております。
Thank you for your continued support.
子供の世話で忙しい。
I am busy taking care of my child.
高齢者の世話に関する研究を行う。
Conducting research on the care of the elderly.
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
More family words
還暦
B160th birthday (celebration of completing a 60-year cycle).
〜くらい
B1About; approximately; to the extent that.
認め合う
B1To recognize each other's worth; to acknowledge.
知人
B1Acquaintance.
顔見知り
A2Acquaintance; someone you know by sight.
活発な
B1Active; lively; vigorous.
甘える
B1To be spoiled, to fawn; to behave like a pampered child.
思春期
B1Adolescence; the period of transition from childhood to adulthood.
養子
B1Adopted child; a child taken into one's family by legal means.
養親
B2Adoptive parent.
