Translation and Meaning of: 内科 - naika

The word 「内科」 (naika) refers to the medical specialty of general practice or internal medicine. This field of medicine focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases in adults, covering a wide spectrum of conditions that affect various systems of the human body. Professionals working in this area are known as internists or general practitioners, whose role is to provide comprehensive care and coordinate medical treatments that do not require surgical interventions.

From an etymological point of view, 「内科」 is composed of two kanji characters: 「内」 (nai), which means "internal" or "inside," and 「科」 (ka), which means "department" or "discipline." This combination of characters clearly conveys the idea of a medical specialty focused on the treatment of internal organs, distinguishing it from other medical practices such as surgery or pediatrics. The use of such characters in the formation of the word reflects the precision and practicality of the Japanese language in describing specialized functions and disciplines.

The historical origin of internal medicine dates back to ancient civilizations, but its formalization as a distinct medical specialty began to occur mainly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the development of modern medicine. In Japan, just as in the West, internal medicine emerged as a response to the need for a deeper and more specific understanding of non-surgical conditions, leveraging advancements in diagnostics and treatments. Today, 「内科」 continues to be a cornerstone of healthcare, essential for the initial diagnosis and management of a wide range of diseases.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 内科 (ないか) - Medicina interna

内科

Romaji: naika
Kana: ないか
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n2

Translation / Meaning: Internist Clinic; Internal medicine

Meaning in English: internist clinic;internal medicine

Definition: Branch of medicine that diagnoses and treats diseases and disorders of the body.

Example Sentences - (内科) naika

See below some example sentences:

私は内科に行きます。

Watashi wa naika ni ikimasu

I go to the department of internal medicine.

I go to internal medicine.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 内科 - noun that means "medical clinic"
• に - particle that indicates the destination of the action, in this case "to"
• 行きます - verb that means "to go", conjugated in the polite present