理学

理学

See also: 理學

Chinese

For pronunciation and definitions of 理学 – see 理學 (“Neo-Confucianism; natural sciences; science”). (This term, 理学, is the simplified form of 理學.)

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

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Japanese

Kanji in this term
理	学
り Grade: 2	がく Grade: 1
on’yomi

Alternative spelling
理學 (kyūjitai)

Etymology

From Chinese 理學. Used for the senses of “philosophy” and “natural science” in the early Meiji period.[1][2][3]

Pronunciation

• On’yomi
• (Tokyo) り​がく [ríꜜgàkù] (Atamadaka – [1])[3][4][5]
• IPA^(key): [ɾʲiɡa̠kɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

理(り)学(がく) • (rigaku) 

1. Short for 宋明理学 (Sō-Min rigaku, “Neo-Confucianism”).[1][2][3][4][6]
2. (obsolete) Synonym of 哲学 (tetsugaku, “philosophy”)[1][2][3]
3. Clipping of 物理学 (butsurigaku, “physics”).[2][6]
4. (obsolete, by extension) Synonym of 自然科学 (shizen kagaku, “natural science”)[1][2][3][4][6]
   • 2009 March 30 [Jan 23 2004], Takeuchi, Naoko, “Act(アクト) 30(サーティ)　無(む)限(げん)４(フォー)　SAILORURANUS(セーラー　ウラヌス)　天(てん)王(おう)はるか　SAILORNEPTUNE(セーラー　ネプチューン)　海(かい)王(おう)みちる [Act 30: Infinity 4: SAILOR URANUS Ten’ō Haruka and SAILOR NEPTUNE Kaiō Michiru]”, in 美少女戦士(Pretty Guardian)セーラームーン(SAILORMOON) [Pretty Guardian SAILOR MOON], volume 6 (fiction), 6th edition, Tokyo: Kodansha, →ISBN, page 235:

     理(り)学(がく)部(ぶ)一(いち)年(ねん)基(き)礎(そ)物(ぶつ)理(り)学(がっ)科(か)理(り)論(ろん)物(ぶつ)理(り)学(がく)専(せん)攻(こう)　冥(めい)王(おう)せつなです　よろしく

     Rigakubu ichinen kiso butsurigakka riron butsurigaku senkō Meiō Setsuna desu Yoroshiku

     I’m studying theoretical physics for my first year of basic physics at the Faculty of Natural Science. My name’s Meiō Setsuna. Nice to meet you.

References

1. 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 1998, 広辞苑 (Kōjien), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN
3. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
4. 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
5. 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN
6. 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN