Japanese School Subjects - Japanese Vocabulary

Have you ever asked what school subjects there are in Japan? What subjects are covered at a university in Japan? The Japanese have a freedom when it comes to studying, they can choose which subjects to learn, of course there are mandatory ones. In this article, we are going to see a list of school subjects in Japanese.

Japanese subjects include Japanese language, social studies, mathematics, science, music, arts, health and physical education, as well as different classes such as domestic and industrial work, moral education and citizenship. It is worth mentioning the kanji Gaku [学] means to learn and study, it will be present in many of the subjects and words in this article.

Unlike school subjects in Brazil, academic subjects in Japan are divided into 4 categories that we will see throughout this article.

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人文学 / Hito bungaku / Human Sciences

Humanities does not refer to science as we know it, but to the study and human behavior.

KanjiKanaRōmajiPortugues
哲学て つ が くphilosophyPhilosophy
歴 史れ き しrekishiHistory
文学ぶ ん が くBungakuLiterature
語 学ご が くGogakuThe study of language
  • Gogaku is not to be confused with 言語学 (gengogaku) "linguistics" (study of language in general);
Matérias escolares do japão - vocabulário em japonês

社会科学 / Shakai kagaku / Social Sciences

As the name suggests, this science studies the social aspects of the human world.

KanjiKanaRōmajiPortugues
心理学し ん り が く shinrigakuPsychology
社会学し ゃ か い が く shakaigakuSociology
1言語 学げ ん ご が く gengogakuLinguistics
2人類学じ ん る い が く jinruigakuAnthropology
地理 (学)ち り (が く) chiri (gaku)Geography
3経 済 (学)け い ざ い (が く) Keizai (gaku)Economy
4政治 学せ い じ が く seijigakupolitical science
  1. Not to be confused with gogaku (語学) "the study of language" (learning a language such as Japanese or English);
  2. Humanity;
  3. 経済 (Keizai) = Economy;
  4. 政治 (seiji) = Government / politics;
Matérias escolares do japão - vocabulário em japonês

自然科学 / Shizen kagaku / Natural Sciences

KanjiKanaRōmajiPortuguese
1生物 (学)せ い ぶ つ (が く)seibutsu (gaku)Biology
2化学か が くkagakuChemistry
物理 (学)ぶ つ り (が く)butsuri (gaku)Physical
天文 (学)て ん も ん (が く)tenmon (gaku)Astronomy
地質 (学)ち し つ (が く)chishitsu (gaku)Geology
3環境 科学か ん き ょ う か が くKankyou kagakuenvironmental science
  1. 生物 (seibutsu) = Living beings;
  2. 科学 = Science kagaku, means "science";
  3. Ambiente;
Matérias escolares do japão - vocabulário em japonês

The article is still halfway through, but we recommend also reading:

Other Japanese school subjects

KanjiKanaRōmajiPortuguese
数学す う が くsuugakuMath
統計 (学)と う け い (が く)toukei (gaku)Statistics
工 学こ う が くkougakuEngineering
医学い が くIgakumedical science
コンピューター・サイエンスKonpyūtā SaiensuComputer science
英語え い ごegoEnglish
音楽おんがくongakuMusic
雪氷 学せ っ ぴ ょ う が くseppyougakuglaciology
史学し が くshigakuHistory
家庭 科か て い かkateikaDomestic economy
国語こ く ごkokugoJapanese
日本語に ほ ん ごnihongoJapanese
体育た い い くtaikuPE
宗教し ゅ う き ょ うShuukyouReligion

Unfortunately, some subjects may have been left off the list, such as optional subjects or school clubs. Thank you for visiting our site, we appreciate the comments and shares. xD

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