Standard Lemma guide

isekai

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈiːsəkaɪ/
  • /iˈsɛkaɪ/ uncommon, imitating Japanese pronunciation
  • uncommon: /ˈɪsəkaɪ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A genre of Japanese fiction involving everyday people transported to alternative fantasy or virtual worlds.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Japanese, uncountable

Topics: fiction, literature, media, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any piece of media in this genre.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To transport (someone) into an alternative world, often by killing them.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang, transitive

Topics: lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 異世界 (isekai, literally “different world”).

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 異世界 /异世界 (yìshìjiè) — Genre
  • Dutch: isekai — Genre
  • French: isekai — Genre
  • German: Isekai — Genre
  • Japanese: 異世界 (isekai) — Genre
  • Japanese: 異世界ファンタジー (isekai fantajī) — Genre
  • Korean: 이세계 (isegye) — Genre
  • Ukranian: ісекай (isekaj) — Genre
  • Vietnamese: isekai — Genre
  • Vietnamese: dị thế giới — Genre
  • Vietnamese: dị giới — Genre
  • Dutch: isekai — Piece of media in genre
  • French: isekai — Piece of media in genre
  • Japanese: 異世界作品 (isekai sakuhin) — Piece of media in genre
  • Japanese: 異世界ファンタジー作品 (isekai fantajī sakuhin) — Piece of media in genre
  • Belarusian: ісекайнуцца (isjekajnucca) — To transport into an alternative world
  • French: isekaïser — To transport into an alternative world
  • Japanese: 異世界 — To transport into an alternative world
  • Marathi: इसेकाई करणे (isekāī karṇe) — To transport into an alternative world
  • Russian: исекайнуться (isekajnutʹsja) — To transport into an alternative world
  • Spanish: isekai — To transport into an alternative world
  • Ukrainian: ісекайнутися (isekajnutysja) — To transport into an alternative world