How to Read “A woman has no home in the three worlds”
Onna wa sangai ni ie nashi
Meaning of “A woman has no home in the three worlds”
This proverb expresses an old value system where women were placed in dependent positions throughout their lives.
Specifically, it means that as a daughter, a woman belonged to her father’s house. After marriage, she entered her husband’s house. When her husband died, she relied on her son.
At no stage could she have a home or place of her own.
Under the feudal family system, women were always under male protection. Economic and social independence was extremely difficult for them.
This proverb clearly expressed women’s unstable position in society.
Today, gender equality has advanced. Women can achieve economic and social independence. However, this proverb remains important for understanding women’s historical position.
As an expression showing outdated values, this phrase should be avoided in modern society.
Origin and Etymology
The “three worlds” in this proverb comes from Buddhist terminology. It refers to three realms: the world of desire, the world of form, and the formless world.
By extension, it means “everywhere in this world.” So the phrase means “a woman has no home of her own anywhere in the world.”
The exact literary origin of this proverb is unclear. However, it likely emerged from a fusion of Buddhist and Confucian thought.
Buddhism teaches that “the three worlds offer no peace.” This world is filled with suffering. Meanwhile, Confucianism prescribed women’s way of life through the “three obediences.”
A girl obeys her father. A wife obeys her husband. A widow obeys her son.
The leading theory suggests this Confucian concept of “three obediences” combined with the Buddhist term “three worlds.” This created a proverb meaning women have no permanent place throughout their lives.
The saying became widely known during the Edo period. Under the patriarchal system of that time, it established itself as a phrase describing women’s position.
It has been passed down through generations as a phrase clearly expressing women’s low social status in feudal society.
Usage Examples
- Women in old times were said to have no home in the three worlds, unable to have their own place throughout their lives
- There is a proverb “a woman has no home in the three worlds” that describes women’s position in the Edo period
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down through generations because it deeply relates to the issues of “belonging” and “identity” in human society.
Everyone seeks “their own place.” This means more than just physical space. It means a place where you are recognized as yourself and can exist with peace of mind.
This proverb shows the historical fact that certain groups of people lacked such a place. But it also raises a universal question.
That question is: “How do people obtain their own place?” Through blood relations? Through marriage? Or through their own power?
Looking back at history, many societies have seen specific groups suffer from “placelessness.” The reasons varied beyond gender: social class, ethnicity, beliefs, and more.
This proverb reveals a cruel reality. Social systems created by humans sometimes rob certain people of their place to belong.
Yet at the same time, the very existence of this proverb proves that people noticed this injustice. They left it behind in words.
Putting a problem into language is the first step toward recognizing it and eventually changing it. Perhaps our ancestors tried to convey society’s contradictions to future generations through these words.
When AI Hears This
When I view this proverb as a topological space in mathematics, a striking structure emerges.
Consider the three places a woman moves through: her birth home, her husband’s home, and her child’s home. Label these as points A, B, and C.
None of these points has the property of “staying there permanently.” A person at point A must move to point B. A person at point B must move to point C.
In mathematical terms, there are zero “fixed points”—places where you return to yourself.
There’s a famous theorem called Brouwer’s fixed point theorem. When you stir a cup of coffee, at least one particle of liquid must return to its original position.
But the space this proverb describes has no such “returnable point.” This means the topological space is not closed. Either the boundary is open, or the space itself is not connected.
Even more interesting is that residence at each location has the property of an “open set.” An open set is a region that doesn’t include its boundary.
Even at her birth home, she’s not completely a person of that home. Even at her husband’s home, she’s not completely a person of that home either.
At every location, she stands on the boundary line, never fully included in the interior. This mathematical structure shows that topology can precisely describe the social phenomenon of ambiguous belonging.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us the importance of “creating your own place by yourself.” Historically, certain people couldn’t have their own place. But that was never the way things should be.
We live in an era where everyone, regardless of gender, can carve out their own life through their own power.
Economic independence, mental independence, and social independence—these aren’t given by someone else. We build them ourselves.
At the same time, this proverb asks us a question. Are there people around you who still feel “placeless”?
Are there people whose potential is limited by social systems or fixed ideas?
What each of us can do is first stand firmly on our own feet. Then work to create a society where everyone can live as themselves with peace of mind.
Knowing past injustices becomes wisdom for making the future better. Let’s build together a society where everyone can feel “this is my place.”
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