Sekaiteki

Sekaiteki is a Japanese adjective commonly written with the kanji 世界的, meaning global, worldwide, or universal. The standard reading is sekai-teki; in romanization you may see "sekai-teki," while nonkanji renderings such as "sekaiteki" can appear in some texts, though the preferred form is 世界的 (sekai-teki).

Etymology and sense of scope: The word combines 世界 (sekai, world) with the adjectival suffix -teki, which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "-like" or "-al." As a result, sekai-teki describes phenomena, standards, or trends that span national borders or are characteristic of the world as a whole. It is distinct from local or regional qualifiers and signals broad, international relevance.

Usage and nuances: Sekaiteki is widely used in journalism, academia, and business to describe global trends, influences, or scales. Common phrases include 世界的なトレンド (sekai-teki na torendo; global trend), 世界的な問題 (sekai-teki na mondai; global issue), and 世界的企業 (sekai-teki kigyō; a global company). The term can convey a cosmopolitan or internationally oriented perspective.

Related terms: 世界的 is closely related to グローバル (global) and 普遍的 (fuhenteki; universal). Antonyms include 地方的 (chihō-teki; local) and 局地的 (kyokuchi-teki; regional).

See also: 世界 (world); グローバル; 普遍的; 世界規模.

In summary, sekaiteki denotes global significance or presence across the world, and is a common, neutral descriptor in Japanese for processes, phenomena, and entities with international reach.