physical science; natural science
Broad term for the natural sciences, especially physics, chemistry, biology, and earth sciences. Often contrasted with 文学 (humanities).
He is majoring in physics in the Faculty of Science.
What is the difference between science and engineering?
Obsolete term for physics; modern Japanese uses 物理学.
See also: 物理学
In the early Meiji period, 理学 sometimes referred to physics.
Obsolete term for philosophy; modern Japanese uses 哲学.
See also: 哲学
In Edo-period texts, 理学 is sometimes used to mean philosophy.
Specifically refers to the Song-Ming school of neo-Confucianism (宋明理学). A historical philosophical term.
See also: 宋明理学
Song-Ming neo-Confucianism includes Zhu Xi's teachings and Wang Yangming's teachings.
He majored in science at university.
She earned a degree in science.
物理学 is the modern standard word for 'physics', whereas 理学 was used for this meaning in older Japanese but is now obsolete in that sense.
哲学 is the modern standard word for 'philosophy', while 理学 carried this meaning historically but is now considered obsolete for it.
理学 refers broadly to the natural sciences as a field of study, while 理学部 is the specific university faculty devoted to those fields.
理学 refers specifically to pure science (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.), while 理工 covers both science and engineering together.
From 理 (principle, reason) + 学 (study, learning). Originally a broad term for the study of principles, it was used in various historical contexts to refer to physics, philosophy, and neo-Confucianism. The modern sense is largely restricted to 'natural science' as an academic discipline.
natural scientist · philosopher
pathology
pharmacology