博はく士し号ごう

also: はかせごう

は

く

し

ご

う

Meanings

noun

doctorate; PhD; doctoral degree

Refers to the academic degree itself, not the person. Commonly used in phrases like 博士号を取る (earn a doctorate) or 博士号を持つ (hold a doctorate).

彼かれは去きょ年ねん、物ぶつ理り学がくで博はく士し号ごうを取しゅ得とくした。
He earned a doctorate in physics last year.
博はく士し号ごうを持もっていると、研けん究きゅう職しょくに就つきやすい。
Having a PhD makes it easier to get a research position.

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Kanji

博Dr., command, esteem
士gentleman, scholar, samurai
号nickname, number, item

Related words

博はく士し
博士 refers to the person who holds a doctorate (or the title itself in some contexts), while 博士号 specifically means the degree.
修しゅう士し号ごう
修士号 is a master's degree, one level below a doctorate.

Word family

名めい誉よ博はく士し号ごう
honorary doctorate

Built from

博はく士し+号ごう

Written forms

博士号
- はくしごう
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading はくしごう is the most common modern pronunciation.
- はかせごう
  Older reading; still encountered in some contexts but はくしごう is preferred today.
はかせごう

Etymology

Compound of 博士 (doctor, from Chinese-derived terms for a learned scholar) and 号 (title, designation). The reading はくし is the standard modern on'yomi; はかせ is an older go-on reading still used in some traditional contexts.