1.
middle class; middle-income group
The social and economic class between the wealthy and the poor. In Japanese discourse, often refers to the broad middle segment of society that characterized postwar Japan.
中間層が減っている。
The middle class is shrinking.
中間層の所得が伸び悩んでいる。
Middle-class incomes are stagnating.
新興国では中間層の拡大が経済成長を支えている。
In emerging countries, the expansion of the middle class is supporting economic growth.
Composed of 中間 (middle, intermediate) + 層 (stratum, layer). In Japan, the concept of a broad middle class was central to postwar national identity — the phrase 一億総中流 ("100 million all middle class") captured this self-image.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 中間層の拡大 — expansion of the middle class
- 中間層の縮小 — shrinking of the middle class
- 中間層向け — aimed at the middle class
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 中流 — middle class (less formal)
- 中産階級 — middle class (more formal/academic)
- 富裕層 — wealthy class
- 低所得層 — low-income group