来世(らいせ)

A Buddhist term that has entered everyday Japanese. A compound of 来(らい) (coming, next) 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, 来世(らいせ) is often used lightheartedly to express a wish for a different existence, without serious religious meaning.

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

Similar words

• あの世(よ) means 'the other world' / afterlife (not reincarnation-focused)
• 天国(てんごく) means heaven

Common collocations

• 来世(らいせ)を信(しん)じる (to believe in an afterlife)
• 来世(らいせ)に生(う)まれ変(か)わる (to be reborn in the next life)
• 来世(らいせ)でも (even in the next life)