Definition
世道 refers to the general state or moral character of society at a given time — something like 'the way of the world' or 'social conditions'. It carries a strong evaluative tone in Chinese culture: people use it to comment on whether society is fair, honest, or just. It's not just 'morals' (which is 道德); 世道 covers the overall social environment, including how people treat each other and what values prevail.
n.
the general state of societysocial conditionsthe way of the worldthe moral climate or ethos of a particular time
Examples
- 世道。Xiànzài de shì dào gēn yǐqián dà bù xiāngtóng le.The state of society now is very different from before.
- ，。Zài zhè luàn shì dào lǐ, néng huózhe jiù bú cuò le.In these chaotic times, it's good enough to just stay alive.
- 世道，。Tā chángcháng gǎntàn shì dào bù gōng, hǎorén méi hǎo bào.He often laments that the way of the world is unjust and good people get no reward.
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