How to say "public" in Japanese

• 社会しゃかいJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounCovers 'public' in the sense of society or the community at large, as in public opinion or public life. It really means 'society', so choose it when the English emphasizes people collectively rather than institutions.
  彼かれの一生いっしょうは社会しゃかいの下積したづみで終おわった。↗

  He lived and died in obscurity.
• 世よJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounMeans the world or society, often with the nuance of 'the public' as people around you or the world at large. It appears mainly in set expressions and is seldom the everyday word you want for 'public'.
  光ひかりが世よにやって来きた。↗

  Light has come into the world.
• 公共こうきょうJLPT N2approx.Common
  no-adjectiveThe word for 'public' as an adjective describing facilities, services, and spaces intended for communal use, such as public transportation or public buildings. This is the default choice for that sense.
  公共こうきょうの場所ばしょをきれいにしておこう。↗

  Let's keep public places clean.
• 公的こうてきCommon
  na-adjectiveCovers 'public' in the sense of official or governmental, as in public funds or public institutions. It carries a formal, administrative nuance, contrasting private matters with those of public bodies.
• パブリックCommon
  na-adjective, nounA loanword meaning simply 'public'. It appears in borrowed expressions and stylistically Westernized contexts, but native words like 公共 or 公的 are usually the natural choice in ordinary sentences.

Use 公共 for public facilities and services, 公的 for public or official matters, 社会 for society at large, 世 for the world or public in set expressions, and 「パブリック」 as a loanword for public.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 社会しゃかいsociety
• 世よworld
• 公共こうきょうpublic (facilities, service, etc.)
• 公的こうてきpublic
• パブリックpublic
• 公立こうりつpublic (institution)
• 表向きおもてむきoutward appearance
• 公然こうぜんopen
• 公設こうせつpublic (institution)
• おおっぴらopen
• 表立ったおもてだったpublic
• 世間的せけんてきpublic (attention, recognition, etc.)
• おっぴらopen
• 対外的たいがいてきexternal
• おおびらopen
• 人前ひとまえpresence of other people
• 傍聴人ぼうちょうにんobserver
• 公の場おおやけのばpublic space
• 公共の場こうきょうのばpublic space
• 傍聴者ぼうちょうしゃobserver
• 晴れはれformal
• 公おおやけpublic (use, matter, forum, etc.)
• 露あらわpublic
• 表おもてpublic