Japanese Conversation · Level 94
60 words
Japanese word
近代
Pronunciation
Romajikindai
Meaning
- nounmodern times
Example
近代の日本は大きく変わりました。kin dai no nihon wa ō ki ku ka wa ri ma shi ta
Japan changed greatly in modern times.
More examples
近代に入ると、人々の暮らしは大きく変わりました。kin dai ni hai ru to hito bito no ku ra shi wa ō ki ku ka wa ri ma shi ta
When the modern era began, people's lives changed greatly.
Core concept
Marks a relatively recent historical period viewed as a bridge from premodern society to the present.
Common phrases
近代社会kin dai sha kai
modern society
近代史kin dai fumi
modern history
近代文学kin dai bun gaku
modern literature
Similar words
現代gendai: The time in which people now live, including its society and culture.
Definition in Japanese
現代に近い時代、特に封建時代以後から現代に至るまでの時代。gen dai ni chika i ji dai toku ni hō ken ji dai i go ka ra gen dai ni ita ru ma de no ji dai
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese compound 近代 (kindai, "modern times") combines 近 (kin, "near") and 代 (dai, "age"), expressing an age close to the present.
Usage tips
- In Japanese history, 近代 (kindai) often begins with the Meiji Restoration, but its exact boundaries vary by field.
Opposites
- 前近代zenkindaipremodern timesnoun
Related words
- 近代化kindaikamodernizationnoun
- 近代的kindaitekimodernna-adjective