Translation and Meaning of: 人文科学 - jinbunkagaku

Explanation and Etymology - (人文科学) jinbunkagaku

人文科学 (jimbunkagaku) ​​is a Japanese word composed of three Kanji characters: 人 (jin) which means "person", 文 (bun) which means "culture" and 科学 (kagaku) ​​which means "science". Therefore, the word can be translated literally as "science of human culture." The etymology of the word dates back to the Meiji period (1868-1912), when Japan opened into the world and began to adopt western ideas and concepts. The word jimbunkagaku was created to describe the study of social and human sciences, which were considered new and foreign at the time. Nowadays, the word is used to refer to a wide variety of academic disciplines, including history, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, literature, art and linguistics. The study area is considered important to understand Japanese culture and society, as well as to promote intercultural understanding.