1.
middle class
The social and economic class between the wealthy upper class and the lower class. In Japan, commonly used in sociological and political discussion to describe the broad group of moderately prosperous working and professional people.
中産階級の空洞化が進んでいる。
The hollowing out of the middle class is progressing.
彼は典型的な中産階級の家庭で育った。
He grew up in a typical middle-class household.
中産階級の生活水準を維持することが難しくなっている。
Maintaining a middle-class standard of living is becoming difficult.
SIMILAR WORDS AND RELATED TERMS:
- 上流階級: upper class
- 下流階級: lower class
- 労働階級: working class
- 中間層: middle stratum — a more neutral/sociological term sometimes used interchangeably
In Japan, a high proportion of the population has historically identified as 中産階級 (or 中流 ちゅうりゅう), which became a symbol of postwar prosperity.