noun-modifying (irregular)
tertiary; third-level
Used in classification terms where English often says 'tertiary,' especially in established compounds such as 三次産業. More technical than simply saying 'the third one.'
Tourism is included in the tertiary sector.
noun-modifying (irregular)
cubic; third-order; third-degree
Mathematical use for degree or order three, as in 三次方程式 'cubic equation' and 三次関数 'cubic function.'
Please solve this cubic equation.
In class, we drew the graph of a cubic function.
Standard kanji spelling for 'third,' 'tertiary,' and mathematical 'cubic/third-order' uses.
Attested form, but in ordinary Japanese 3時 is normally understood as '3 o'clock,' a different meaning not covered by the senses below; 三次 is the clear spelling for this word.
A Sino-Japanese compound of 三 'three' and 次 'order, sequence, next,' giving the sense of 'third' or 'third order.' This is a component explanation, not a claim about the deeper historical origin of the characters.