社会・制度

少子化しょうしかが進すすみ、学校がっこうの数かずが減へっている。

As the birthrate falls, the number of schools is shrinking.

Usage 少子化 is the declining birthrate, one of Japan's defining social issues: 少子化対策 (measures against it), 少子高齢化 (a falling birthrate plus an aging population).

Remember it 少 (few) + 子 (children) + 化 (becoming) → becoming a society with few children.

日本にほんは世界せかいでも特とくに高齢化こうれいかが進すすんだ国くにだ。

Japan is one of the most aged societies in the world.

Usage 高齢化 = population aging: 高齢化社会 (an aging society), 高齢化が進む. 高齢者 (こうれいしゃ) is the polite word for elderly people.

Remember it 高齢 (old age) + 化 (becoming) → society becoming old.

都市としと地方ちほうの経済けいざい格差かくさが広ひろがっている。

The economic gap between cities and rural areas is widening.

Usage 格差 = disparity, a gap: 格差社会 (an unequal society), 所得格差 (income gap), 格差が広がる / 縮まる. 差 alone is a simple difference.

Remember it 格 (rank, status) + 差 (difference) → a difference in rank.

世界せかいから貧困ひんこんをなくすことが国際こくさい社会しゃかいの目標もくひょうです。

Eliminating poverty from the world is a goal of the international community.

Usage 貧困 is poverty as a social condition: 貧困問題, 子どもの貧困 (child poverty). 貧しい (まずしい) is the adjective for a poor person or family.

Remember it 貧 (poor) + 困 (troubled) → poor and in difficulty. The same 困 as 困る.

高齢者こうれいしゃの福祉ふくしを向上こうじょうさせるための政策せいさくが必要ひつようです。

Policies are needed to improve welfare for the elderly.

Usage 福祉 is social welfare as public provision: 社会福祉, 福祉施設 (care facility), 福祉国家 (welfare state). 向上させる = to improve something.

Remember it 福 (good fortune) + 祉 (blessing) → both mean blessing: welfare as shared good fortune.

年金ねんきんだけでは老後ろうごの生活せいかつが不安ふあんだ。

I'm worried that a pension alone won't be enough to live on in old age.

Usage 年金 = pension: 年金をもらう, 国民年金 (national pension), 年金制度. 老後 (ろうご) means one's life after retirement.

Remember it 年 (year) + 金 (money) → money paid year after year.

働はたらく親おやのために保育ほいく施設しせつを増ふやす必要ひつようがある。

We need more childcare facilities for working parents.

Usage 保育 = childcare: 保育園 (daycare, for working parents), 保育士 (childcare worker). 幼稚園 (ようちえん) is kindergarten, an educational institution.

Remember it 保 (to protect) + 育 (to raise) → protecting and raising children.

都市部としぶでは待機児童たいきじどうの問題もんだいが深刻しんこくだ。

In urban areas, the problem of children on nursery waiting lists is serious.

Usage 待機児童 are children who can't get a place in daycare, a big social issue in Japanese cities. 待機 means standing by: 自宅待機 (waiting at home).

Remember it 待機 (standing by) + 児童 (children) → children left waiting.

世論よろん調査ちょうさによると、国民こくみんの多おおくが増税ぞうぜいに反対はんたいしている。

According to opinion polls, many citizens oppose a tax increase.

Usage 世論 = public opinion: 世論調査 (opinion poll), 世論が高まる. It is read よろん, and also せろん, both correct.

Remember it 世 (society) + 論 (opinion) → society's opinion.

一人ひとり暮ぐらしの世帯せたいが増ふえている。

The number of single-person households is growing.

Usage 世帯 is a household as a statistical unit: 世帯数 (number of households), 世帯主 (head of household), 共働き世帯. 家庭 (かてい) is a family home.

Remember it 世 (the world) + 帯 (belt, to carry) → those who carry their share of the world together.

建設けんせつ計画けいかくに地元じもとの住民じゅうみんが反対はんたいしている。

Local residents are opposing the construction plan.

Usage 住民 = residents of an area: 地元住民 (local residents), 住民票 (residence certificate), 住民税 (resident tax).

Remember it 住 (to live) + 民 (people) → the people who live there.

図書館としょかんは市民しみんなら誰だれでも無料むりょうで利用りようできる。

Any resident of the city can use the library for free.

Usage 市民 = citizens, especially of a city: 市民の声 (the public's voice), 市民運動 (civic movement), 市民権 (citizenship).

Remember it 市 (city) + 民 (people) → the people of the city.

政府せいふは国民こくみんの生活せいかつを守まもる責任せきにんがある。

The government has a responsibility to protect people's livelihoods.

Usage 国民 = the people of a nation, its citizens: 国民の義務 (civic duty), 国民性 (national character), 国民健康保険 (national health insurance).

Remember it 国 (nation) + 民 (people) → the people of the nation.

十八歳じゅうはっさい以上いじょうの有権者ゆうけんしゃは選挙せんきょで投票とうひょうできる。

Eligible voters aged 18 and over can vote in elections.

Usage 有権者 = an eligible voter: 有権者数, 若い有権者. Japan lowered the voting age from 20 to 18 in 2016.

Remember it 有 (to have) + 権 (right) + 者 (person) → a person who has the right to vote.

今回こんかいの選挙せんきょは投票率とうひょうりつが低ひくかった。

Voter turnout in this election was low.

Usage 投票率 = voter turnout: 投票率が上がる / 下がる, 若者の投票率. 率 means rate: 合格率, 失業率.

Remember it 投票 (voting) + 率 (rate) → the voting rate.

行政ぎょうせいの手続てつづきをオンラインでできるようになった。

Administrative procedures can now be done online.

Usage 行政 is public administration: 行政サービス, 行政改革 (administrative reform). Government has three branches: 立法 (legislative), 行政 (executive), 司法 (judicial).

Remember it 行 (to carry out) + 政 (government) → carrying out government.

官僚かんりょうが政策せいさくを決きめる力ちからは大おおきい。

Bureaucrats have great power in deciding policy.

Usage 官僚 are senior government officials: 官僚的 (bureaucratic), 官僚主義 (bureaucracy), 元官僚 (a former bureaucrat). 公務員 covers all public servants.

Remember it 官 (government office) + 僚 (colleague) → colleagues in government office.

安定あんていしているので、公務員こうむいんを目指めざす学生がくせいが多おおい。

Because it's stable, many students aim to become civil servants.

Usage 公務員 = public servant: 国家公務員 (national), 地方公務員 (local), 公務員試験 (civil service exam). It's a popular career for its security.

Remember it 公務 (public duty) + 員 (member) → a member doing public duty.

市しの議会ぎかいで新あたらしい予算よさんが話はなし合あわれた。

The new budget was discussed in the city assembly.

Usage 議会 is an assembly or parliament: 市議会 (city council), 議会制民主主義 (parliamentary democracy). Japan's national parliament is 国会.

Remember it 議 (to deliberate) + 会 (assembly) → an assembly that deliberates.

多おおくの自治体じちたいが移住者いじゅうしゃへの支援しえんを行おこなっている。

Many local governments offer support to people who move there.

Usage 自治体 is a local government body: a prefecture, city, town or village. 地方自治体 is the full term. 自治 means self-government.

Remember it 自治 (self-government) + 体 (body) → a self-governing body.

国くにの財政ざいせいが厳きびしい状況じょうきょうにある。

The nation's finances are in a difficult state.

Usage 財政 = public finance: 財政赤字 (budget deficit), 財政難 (financial difficulties), 財政再建 (fiscal reconstruction). 経済 is the economy as a whole.

Remember it 財 (wealth) + 政 (government) → the government's wealth.

被災地ひさいちへの支援しえん活動かつどうに参加さんかしました。

I took part in support activities for the disaster-hit area.

Usage 支援 is organized support: 支援する, 支援金 (relief funds), 就職支援 (job-hunting support). 手伝う is lending a hand with something small.

Remember it 支 (to support) + 援 (to aid) → both halves mean lending strength.

地震じしんの後あと、各国かっこくから救援きゅうえん物資ぶっしが届とどいた。

After the earthquake, relief supplies arrived from many countries.

Usage 救援 is relief for people in danger or disaster: 救援物資 (relief supplies), 救援活動. 救助 (きゅうじょ) is rescuing people directly.

Remember it 救 (to rescue) + 援 (to aid) → rescue and aid.

収入しゅうにゅうの一部いちぶを病院びょういんに寄付きふした。

I donated part of my income to a hospital.

Usage 寄付 = a donation: 寄付する, 寄付金, 寄付を集める. 募金 is collecting donations from the public.

Remember it 寄 (to bring near) + 付 (to give) → bringing near and giving.

週末しゅうまつは海岸かいがんの清掃せいそうボランティアに参加さんかしている。

At weekends, I volunteer for beach clean-ups.

Usage ボランティア means both volunteer work and the volunteer: ボランティアをする, ボランティア活動. In Japan it took off after the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

Remember it From English 'volunteer'.

有名ゆうめいな歌手かしゅが慈善じぜんコンサートを開ひらいた。

A famous singer held a charity concert.

Usage 慈善 = charity: 慈善事業 (charitable work), 慈善団体 (charity organization), 慈善活動. チャリティー is the common loanword.

Remember it 慈 (compassion) + 善 (good) → compassionate good deeds.

この地域ちいきは治安ちあんがよく、夜よるも安心あんしんして歩あるける。

This area is safe, so you can walk around at night without worry.

Usage 治安 is public safety, law and order: 治安がいい / 悪い, 治安維持 (maintaining order). Japan is known for its good 治安.

Remember it 治 (to govern) + 安 (peace) → governing so that there's peace.

社会しゃかいの秩序ちつじょを守まもるためにルールがある。

Rules exist to maintain social order.

Usage 秩序 = order: 秩序を守る, 秩序が乱れる (order breaks down), 無秩序 (chaos). 順序 is sequence.

Remember it 秩 (orderly rank) + 序 (order) → everything in its orderly rank.

社会しゃかいの規範きはんは時代じだいとともに変かわる。

Social norms change with the times.

Usage 規範 = a norm or standard of behavior: 社会規範, 行動規範 (code of conduct), 規範意識. 規則 is a specific written rule.

Remember it 規 (rule) + 範 (model) → a model rule to follow.

地域ちいきによって結婚式けっこんしきの慣習かんしゅうは違ちがう。

Wedding customs differ from region to region.

Usage 慣習 is an established custom or convention: 慣習に従う, 古い慣習. 習慣 (reversed kanji) is a personal habit; 慣習 is a social custom.

Remember it 慣 (to be used to) + 習 (practice) → practices people have grown used to.

最近さいきんは結婚けっこんしない生いき方かたを認みとめる風潮ふうちょうがある。

These days there's a growing acceptance of choosing not to marry.

Usage 風潮 is a prevailing trend or tide of opinion, often with a hint of criticism: 〜という風潮, 社会の風潮. 傾向 is a neutral tendency.

Remember it 風 (wind) + 潮 (tide) → which way the wind and tide are flowing.

最近さいきん、若者わかものが結婚けっこんを遅おくらせる傾向けいこうがある。

Recently there's been a tendency for young people to delay marriage.

Usage 傾向がある = there is a tendency, a standard phrase in reports and reading passages: 増加傾向 (upward trend). 遅らせる is the causative of 遅れる.

Remember it 傾 (to lean) + 向 (direction) → which way things are leaning.

最近さいきん、異常いじょう気象きしょうという現象げんしょうがよく起おきている。

Recently, abnormal weather has been happening a lot.

Usage 現象 = a phenomenon: 自然現象 (natural phenomenon), 社会現象 (social phenomenon, as when something becomes a craze), 不思議な現象.

Remember it 現 (to appear) + 象 (image, shape) → the shape something appears in.

少子化しょうしか対策たいさくは日本にほんの大おおきな課題かだいだ。

Tackling the falling birthrate is a major challenge for Japan.

Usage 課題 is an issue to be tackled, or a set assignment: 課題を解決する, 今後の課題 (things to work on), 夏休みの課題. 問題 is a problem in general.

Remember it 課 (lesson, assign) + 題 (topic) → the topic you've been set.

台風たいふうに備そなえて、早はやめに対策たいさくを立たてよう。

Let's prepare early for the typhoon.

Usage 対策 = a countermeasure: 対策を立てる / 取る, 地震対策, テスト対策 (exam prep). 政策 is a government policy.

Remember it 対 (to face, counter) + 策 (plan) → a plan to counter something.

市しは子育こそだて世代せだいを支援しえんする施策しさくを打うち出だした。

The city rolled out measures to support families raising children.

Usage 施策 is a concrete policy measure put into practice, especially by governments: 施策を打ち出す, 施策を講じる (take measures).

Remember it 施 (to carry out) + 策 (plan) → a plan carried out.

国連こくれんはその国くにに経済けいざい制裁せいさいを科かした。

The UN imposed economic sanctions on that country.

Usage 制裁 = sanctions or punishment: 経済制裁, 制裁を科す (impose sanctions), 制裁を解除する (lift sanctions).

Remember it 制 (to control) + 裁 (to judge) → judging and controlling.

工場こうじょう建設けんせつに住民じゅうみんが抗議こうぎした。

Residents protested against the factory being built.

Usage 抗議 = a protest: 〜に抗議する, 抗議デモ (protest rally), 抗議の声 (voices of protest). 反対 is simply opposing.

Remember it 抗 (to resist) + 議 (to argue) → arguing in resistance.

駅前えきまえで戦争せんそうに反対はんたいするデモが行おこなわれた。

An anti-war rally was held in front of the station.

Usage デモ is a demonstration or rally: デモをする, 抗議デモ. It's short for デモンストレーション, which can also mean a product demo.

Remember it From 'demo(nstration)'.

契約書けいやくしょに署名しょめいして、はんこを押おした。

I signed the contract and stamped it with my seal.

Usage 署名 = a signature: 署名する, 署名活動 (a petition drive), 電子署名 (e-signature). A celebrity's autograph is サイン. In Japan, a seal (はんこ) is often used instead.

Remember it 署 (to sign, set down) + 名 (name) → setting down your name.