What is the Kanji for "Section" and "Department"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Section" and "Department", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Section" and "Department" is "科".

This kanji has 1 reading:

Its onyomi reading is "Ka".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "斗" means "Ladle" and "Dipper" and can be read as "To". And The radical "禾" means "Cereal" .

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "科" mean in japanese?

"科" means "Section" and "Department".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N3 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

科学: "Science". The Japanese noun '科学 (かがく)' means 'science'. It refers to the systematic study of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the application of theories and laws. '科学' is a broad term that encompasses various fields of study, such as physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science. It is a fundamental part of modern society and plays a crucial role in advancements and discoveries. For example: I want to study science in university - (大学で科学を勉強したい). Science is important for understanding the world - (科学は世界を理解するために重要だ).

科: "Branch". The Japanese suffix '科 (か)' means 'branch' or 'division'. It is commonly used to indicate a specific branch or field of study, such as in the words '物理科 (ぶつりか)' (physics) or '心理科 (しんりか)' (psychology). This suffix can also be used to refer to a specific department, division or section within an organization. For example: Philosophy department - (哲学科). Botany branch - (植物科).

教科書: "Textbook". The Japanese noun '教科書 (きょうかしょ)' refers to a textbook or a book used for the purposes of formal education. Textbooks are an essential tool in schools and universities, containing the core curriculum content for a particular subject. For example: He opened his textbook - (彼は教科書を開いた). I need to buy a new textbook for my math class - (私は数学の新しい教科書を買う必要があります).

理科: "Science". The Japanese noun '理科 (りか)' means 'science'. This word refers to the study of the physical and natural world, including subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy. '理科' is commonly used in an educational context to refer to science classes or the science curriculum. For example: I enjoy studying science - (私は理科を勉強するのが好きです). The science lab - (理科室)

教科: "Subject". The Japanese noun '教科 (きょうか)' means 'subject'. This refers to the different areas of study or academic disciplines that are taught in schools, such as math, science, history, and language arts. For example: My favorite subject is math - (私の好きな教科は数学です). She takes many subjects in school - (彼女は学校で多くの教科を取っています).

科学者: "Scientist". The Japanese noun '科学者 (かがくしゃ)' refers to a person who is an expert in a particular field of science and who conducts research or experiments to further the understanding of that field. Scientists can work in a wide range of disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and many others. For example: She is a famous scientist - (彼女は有名な科学者です). The scientist conducted an important experiment - (科学者はその重要な実験を行いました).

学科: "Department". The Japanese noun '学科 (がっか)' refers to an academic department or division within a university or college. It represents a specific field of study or academic discipline, such as the biology department or the history department. '学科' is commonly used to describe the various specialized areas of study that students can major in at an educational institution. For example: I am in the literature department - (私は文学学科に所属しています). What is your department? - (あなたの学科は何ですか?)

歯科: "Dentistry". The noun '歯科 (しか)' refers to the field of dentistry, the branch of healthcare focused on the teeth, gums, and oral cavity. It encompasses the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of oral diseases and conditions. For example: I'm going to the dentist's office for my dentistry appointment - (私は歯科の予約に行きます).

自然科学: "Natural sciences". The Japanese word '自然科学 (しぜんかがく)' refers to the 'natural sciences', a branch of science that deals with the study of the physical world and its phenomena, such as physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy. This term is used to distinguish these fields from the social sciences or humanities. For example: She is majoring in the natural sciences - (彼女は自然科学を専攻しています).

人文科学: "Humanities". The Japanese noun '人文科学 (じんぶんかがく)' refers to the academic disciplines that study human culture, society, and aspects of human existence, such as history, philosophy, literature, art, and languages. These fields of study focus on understanding the human experience and the human condition from various perspectives. For example: The humanities department at the university offers courses in art history and classical literature - (大学の人文科学部には美術史と古典文学の講義がある).

社会科学: "Social science". The Japanese term '社会科学 (しゃかいかがく)' refers to the academic disciplines that study human society and social relationships. This includes fields such as economics, political science, sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Social sciences aim to understand how societies function and evolve, and to address social issues. For example: My major is social science - (私の専攻は社会科学です).

産婦人科: "Obstetrics" or "Gynecology". The Japanese word '産婦人科 (さんふじんか)' refers to the medical specialty that deals with both the care of pregnant women (obstetrics) and the health of the female reproductive system (gynecology). This field of medicine covers a wide range of services, including prenatal care, delivery, postpartum care, and the diagnosis and treatment of various gynecological conditions. It is a crucial branch of healthcare that ensures the well-being of women throughout their lives. For example: I made an appointment at the obstetrics and gynecology clinic - (産婦人科に予約を入れました).

耳鼻科: "Otolaryngology". The Japanese noun '耳鼻科 (じびか)' refers to the medical specialty of otolaryngology, which is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, and throat. Otolaryngologists are medical doctors who have specialized training in this field. For example: I need to see an otolaryngologist for my sinus issues - (鼻の問題で耳鼻科の先生に診てもらう必要がある).

小児科: "Pediatrics". The Japanese noun '小児科 (しょうにか)' refers to the branch of medicine that deals with the health and medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatrics covers a wide range of medical issues including growth and development, diseases, injuries, and behavioral/mental health. For example: The hospital has a well-equipped pediatric ward - (この病院には小児科の病棟があります).

眼科: "Ophthalmology". The Japanese noun '眼科 (がんか)' refers to the medical field of ophthalmology, which is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye-related conditions and diseases. This term is commonly used to refer to eye clinics, hospitals, or doctors that specialize in ophthalmology. For example: I need to go see the ophthalmologist at the eye clinic - (眼科に行って眼科医に診てもらう必要がある).

外科: "Surgery". The Japanese noun '外科 (げか)' refers to the medical field of surgery. It encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of injuries, diseases, and deformities through operative procedures. This field requires specialized training and expertise to perform complex procedures on the human body. For example: He is a doctor in the surgery department - (彼は外科の医師です). The surgeon performed a successful operation - (外科医は手術に成功した).

内科: "Internal medicine". 内科 (ないか)' is a noun that refers to the field of internal medicine, which is a branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions that affect the internal organs and systems of the body. It encompasses a wide range of specialties, including cardiology, gastroenterology, and endocrinology. This term is commonly used to refer to hospitals or clinics that specialize in the treatment of internal medical conditions. For example: He went to the internal medicine clinic - (彼は内科に行った).

科目: "Subject". The Japanese noun '科目 (かもく)' refers to an academic subject or course of study. It is commonly used in the context of education, such as when discussing the subjects that students take at school or university. For example: Math is my favorite subject - (数学がいちばん好きな科目です). What subjects are you taking this semester? - (今学期はどんな科目を取っていますか?).

百科事典: "Encyclopedia". The Japanese noun '百科事典 (ひゃっかじてん)' means 'encyclopedia'. An encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference work that provides detailed information on a wide range of subjects. In Japanese, '百科事典' is a common way to refer to an encyclopedia. For example: This encyclopedia has a lot of useful information - (この百科事典にはたくさんの有益な情報が掲載されている).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "か" is read as "ka"

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.