Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

社会科学 (shakaikagaku) Japanese meaning: social science | Kotomora

社しゃ会かい科か学がく

しゃ

か

い

か

が

く

Common word›JLPTN2›

Meanings

1

social science

Refers to the academic field encompassing sociology, economics, political science, etc.

彼かれは大だい学がくで社しゃ会かい科か学がくを専せん攻こうしている。

He is majoring in social science at university.

社しゃ会かい科か学がくの研けん究きゅうは社しゃ会かい問もん題だいの解かい決けつに役やく立だつ。

Social science research helps solve social problems.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が社しゃ会かい科か学がくを専せん攻こうするto major in social science
彼かれは大だい学がくで社しゃ会かい科か学がくを専せん攻こうしている。
He is majoring in social science at university.
社しゃ会かい科か学がくの分ぶん野やthe field of social science
社しゃ会かい科か学がくの分ぶん野やには経けい済ざい学がくや政せい治じ学がくが含ふくまれる。

Kanji

社company, firm, office
会meeting, meet, party
科department, course, section
学study, learning, science

Opposites

人じん文ぶん科か学がくN2
人文科学 focuses on the humanities (literature, philosophy, history), while 社会科学 focuses on the social sciences (economics, sociology, political science).
自し然ぜん科か学がくN2
自然科学 covers physics, chemistry, and biology, while 社会科学 covers economics, sociology, and political science.

Don't confuse with

自し然ぜん科か学がくN2
社会科学 covers fields like sociology and economics, while 自然科学 covers physics, chemistry, and biology.
人じん文ぶん科か学がくN2
社会科学 studies society through empirical methods, while 人文科学 covers humanities like literature and philosophy.
社しゃ会かい学がく
社会科学 is the broad umbrella of social sciences (economics, political science, etc.), while 社会学 names the specific discipline of sociology.

Built from

社しゃ会かい+科か学がく

Etymology

Compound of 社会 (society) and 科学 (science), a calque from Western academic terminology.

The field of social science includes economics and political science.