B1 noun Neutral #5,500 most common 1 min read

生物学

seibutsugaku /seːbutsɯɡaku/
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Overview

The Japanese word for 'biology' is '生物学' (seibutsu-gaku). This term is a compound word derived from three kanji characters:

  • 生 (sei): This character means 'life' or 'living.' It's often seen in words related to existence, birth, and vitality.
  • 物 (butsu): This character means 'thing,' 'object,' or 'matter.' When combined with '生,' it forms '生物' (seibutsu), which collectively refers to 'living things' or 'organisms.'
  • 学 (gaku): This character signifies 'study,' 'learning,' or 'science.' It's a common suffix for academic disciplines in Japanese, much like '-ology' in English.

Therefore, '生物学' literally translates to 'the study of living things' or 'the science of living organisms,' perfectly encapsulating the meaning of biology. In Japanese academic and scientific contexts, '生物学' is the standard and widely understood term for the field. It encompasses all the various branches of biology, including botany (植物学 - shokubutsu-gaku), zoology (動物学 - dōbutsu-gaku), genetics (遺伝学 - iden-gaku), ecology (生態学 - seitaigaku), microbiology (微生物学 - biseibutsu-gaku), and many others. Understanding the etymology of '生物学' provides a clear insight into how the Japanese language constructs scientific terms by combining meaningful characters to form precise and descriptive concepts.

Examples

1

生物学は生命の多様性と複雑さを研究する学問です。

General scientific discussion.

Biology is the study of the diversity and complexity of life.

2

彼女は大学で生物学を専攻している。

Talking about academic studies.

She is majoring in biology at university.

3

この生物学の教科書は非常に分かりやすい。

Discussing educational materials.

This biology textbook is very easy to understand.

4

海洋生物学は、海の生態系に焦点を当てています。

Mentioning a sub-discipline of biology.

Marine biology focuses on marine ecosystems.

5

生物学的なアプローチで問題を解決しようとしました。

Discussing problem-solving methods.

We tried to solve the problem using a biological approach.

Common Collocations

生物学研究
生物学分野
生物学専攻
生物学的

Often Confused With

生物学 vs 生理学

Physiology; the study of how living organisms function.

生物学 vs 生態学

Ecology; the study of the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

Grammar Patterns

生物学を学ぶ (learn biology) 生物学の研究 (research in biology) 生物学の知識 (knowledge of biology)

How to Use It

Usage Notes

The Japanese term '生物学' (seibutsu-gaku) directly translates to 'biology' and is used in precisely the same contexts as its English counterpart. It refers to the natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. When discussing academic subjects, '生物学' is the standard term for the field of study. For instance, '生物学を専攻する' (seibutsu-gaku o senkō suru) means 'to major in biology.' In everyday conversation, one might refer to a '生物学の先生' (seibutsu-gaku no sensei, biology teacher) or '生物学の研究' (seibutsu-gaku no kenkyū, biology research). While '生命科学' (seimei kagaku, life science) is a broader term encompassing biology, biochemistry, genetics, etc., '生物学' specifically denotes the core discipline. It is a formal and scientific term, not typically used metaphorically or casually outside of its scientific meaning.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake for learners is to confuse '生物学' (seibutsugaku - biology) with '科学' (kagaku - science in general) or '医学' (igaku - medicine). While biology is a science and foundational to medicine, it's important to differentiate the specific scope. Another mistake can be mispronouncing '物' as 'mono' instead of 'butsu' in this context, leading to 'seimono-gaku' which is incorrect. Also, ensure proper pitch accent if speaking, as '生物学' has a distinct accent pattern. Another pitfall is translating 'living organism' directly into separate words when '生物' already encompasses this meaning, and '学' is then added for 'study of'. Avoid literal word-for-word translation like 'ikiteiru-mono-no-gaku'. The given word '生物学' is the standard and correct term.

Tips

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Fun Fact

The word 'biology' comes from the Greek words 'bios' (life) and 'logos' (study). So, 'biology' literally means 'the study of life'!

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Common Pitfall

While '生物学' (seibutsu-gaku) specifically refers to the academic discipline of biology, be careful not to confuse it with '生物' (seibutsu) alone, which simply means 'living creature' or 'organism'.

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Usage Tip

When talking about studying biology, you can use phrases like '生物学を学ぶ' (seibutsu-gaku o manabu - to study biology) or '生物学を研究する' (seibutsu-gaku o kenkyū suru - to research biology).

Word Origin

The word '生物学' (seibutsu-gaku) in Japanese for 'biology' is a direct translation and a Wasei-kango (a Japanese-made Chinese compound word) that emerged during the Meiji era (1868-1912) when Japan rapidly adopted Western scientific concepts and terminology. It's formed from three morphemes: 1. 生 (sei): This kanji means 'life,' 'living,' 'birth,' or 'grow.' It's a fundamental character in many biological terms. 2. 物 (butsu): This kanji means 'thing,' 'object,' or 'matter.' When combined with '生,' '生物' (seibutsu) collectively refers to 'living things' or 'organisms.' 3. 学 (gaku): This kanji means 'study,' 'learning,' 'science,' or 'ology.' It's a common suffix for academic disciplines. Therefore, '生物学' literally translates to 'the study of living things' or 'the science of living organisms,' perfectly mirroring the meaning of the Western term 'biology.' Before the Meiji era, traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine and natural history had their own systems of classifying and understanding living beings, but there wasn't a single overarching term equivalent to 'biology' as a distinct scientific discipline. The introduction of Western science necessitated the creation of new terminology to accurately convey these concepts. The adoption of '生物学' was part of a broader effort during the Meiji Restoration to modernize Japan and integrate Western scientific knowledge. Many scientific terms were either directly transliterated or, as in this case, newly coined using existing kanji to create precise and understandable equivalents. This process allowed for the rapid assimilation of Western scientific thought into the Japanese academic and educational systems, establishing biology as a formal field of study in Japan.

Cultural Context

The concept of 'biology' as a distinct scientific discipline emerged in Japan during the Meiji Restoration (late 19th century) as the country rapidly modernized and adopted Western scientific knowledge. Before this, traditional Japanese thought encompassed a deep appreciation for nature and living things, often intertwined with spiritual and aesthetic perspectives, as seen in practices like ikebana (flower arranging) and bonsai. However, the systematic, analytical study of life as understood in the Western scientific tradition was new. The term '生物学' (seibutsu-gaku) itself is a direct translation from Western languages, combining '生物' (seibutsu, living things/organisms) and '学' (gaku, study/science). This reflects Japan's efforts to integrate global scientific discourse while maintaining its cultural identity. Today, biology is a thriving field in Japan, with significant contributions to areas like regenerative medicine, marine biology due to Japan's island geography, and environmental science, often drawing on both traditional reverence for nature and cutting-edge scientific methodology.

Memory Tip

The first kanji, '生' (sei), means 'life' or 'to live,' and is also seen in words like '先生' (sensei, 'teacher,' lit. 'one who was born before'). The second kanji, '物' (butsu), means 'thing' or 'object,' as in '食べ物' (tabemono, 'food'). The third kanji, '学' (gaku), means 'study' or 'learning,' often found in academic subjects like '科学' (kagaku, 'science') or '数学' (sugaku, 'mathematics'). So, '生物学' literally translates to 'life-thing-study,' which clearly points to the study of living things or biology. To remember this, you can imagine a 'life' (生) that is a 'thing' (物) that you 'study' (学). For pronunciation, '生物' (seibutsu) is 'living thing' or 'creature,' and adding '学' (gaku) makes it 'seibutsugaku.'

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

Biology is the natural science that studies life and living organisms, encompassing their physical structure, chemical processes, molecular interactions, physiological mechanisms, development, and evolution. It seeks to understand the complex systems that define life, from the smallest cells to entire ecosystems. Biologists investigate how organisms grow, reproduce, adapt to their environment, and interact with each other, contributing to our understanding of human health, agriculture, and environmental conservation.

Biology is a vast field with many specialized branches. Some of the main branches include: Botany, the study of plants; Zoology, the study of animals; Microbiology, the study of microscopic organisms; Genetics, the study of heredity and genes; Ecology, the study of interactions between organisms and their environment; Physiology, the study of the functions of living organisms and their parts; and Evolutionary Biology, which examines the evolutionary processes that have led to the diversity of life on Earth.

The study of Biology is incredibly important for numerous reasons. It provides foundational knowledge for medicine, helping us understand diseases, develop treatments, and improve human health. It's crucial for agriculture, enabling us to enhance crop yields and livestock production to feed a growing population. Biology also plays a vital role in environmental conservation, informing efforts to protect biodiversity, manage ecosystems, and address climate change. Furthermore, it expands our general understanding of the natural world and our place within it.

Some key concepts in Biology include: the cell as the fundamental unit of life; evolution by natural selection as the driving force of biological diversity; genetics as the mechanism of inheritance; homeostasis, the maintenance of a stable internal environment; and ecosystems, which represent the complex interactions between living organisms and their non-living surroundings. These concepts provide a framework for understanding all biological phenomena and are interconnected, illustrating the holistic nature of life.

Test Yourself

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生物学は（　　　）を研究する学問です。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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（　　　）は、生命現象や生物を研究する自然科学の一分野です。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:
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細胞、遺伝子、進化などは（　　　）の主要な研究テーマです。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer:

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