前世(ぜんせ)

ぜんせ
noun
previous life; past life
1. previous life; past life; former existence
The life one is believed to have lived before the current one, according to Buddhist concepts of reincarnation. Also used loosely in everyday speech to talk about fate or deep connections.
前世(ぜんせ)では何(なに)だったのだろう。
I wonder what I was in a previous life.
前世(ぜんせ)からの縁(えん)で出会(であ)えたのかもしれない。
Maybe we were able to meet because of a connection from a past life.
前世(ぜんせ)の記憶(きおく)があると主張(しゅちょう)する子供(こども)の話(はなし)がテレビで紹介(しょうかい)された。
A story about a child who claims to have memories of a past life was featured on TV.

A Buddhist term that has entered everyday Japanese. A compound of 前(ぜん) (before) and 世(せ) (world, life). Part of a set of three:

  • 前世(ぜんせ) (previous life)
  • 現世(げんせ) (this life, present world)
  • 来世(らいせ) (next life, afterlife)

In casual conversation, often used lightheartedly rather than as a serious religious statement: 前世(ぜんせ)は猫(ねこ)だったかも ('Maybe I was a cat in a past life').

Also read as ぜんせい in some Buddhist texts, but ぜんせ is the standard modern reading.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 前世(ぜんせ)の因縁(いんねん) (karma from a past life)
  • 前世(ぜんせ)の記憶(きおく) (memories of a past life)
  • 前世(ぜんせ)からの縁(えん) (connection from a previous life)
general
Added 2026.3.4 17:09
14500/14987_zense