Translation and Meaning of: 物理 - butsuri

Etymology of the Word

The word 「物理」 (butsuri) is composed of two kanji: 「物」 and 「理」. The kanji 「物」 (mono) means "thing" or "object," while 「理」 (ri) refers to "reason," "principle," or "logic." Together, these characters form the concept of "the logic of things" or "the reason of objects," which corresponds to the study of the principles and laws that govern matter and energy in the universe. The combination of these two kanji encapsulates the idea of exploring and understanding natural phenomena.

Definition and Usage

The expression 「物理」 (butsuri) is used in the Japanese language to refer to "physics," one of the natural sciences that seeks to understand the movement, behavior, and properties of matter through fundamental concepts such as force, energy, space, and time. This area of study allows for impressive discoveries that impact contemporary technologies and the ongoing understanding of the universe. Within the educational context, 「物理学」 (butsuri-gaku) means "physical science" or "study of physics," highlighting its academic application.

Historical Origin

The incorporation of the word 「物理」 into the Japanese academic vocabulary can be traced back to the Meiji period, when Japan was modernizing and seeking to align its educational system with the Western one. The motivation for this alignment included the need to integrate and adapt foreign scientific terms into Japanese culture and language, creating lexicons that preserved scientific accuracy while reflecting the Japanese sociocultural perspective. The term 「物理」 was therefore an adaptation of these translation efforts aimed at catalyzing the industrial and technological progress of the nation.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 物理学 (butsurigaku) - Study of physics, the science that deals with the properties of matter, energy, and their interactions.
• 物理学者 (butsurigakusha) - Scientist specialized in physics.
• 物理的 (butsuriteki) - Relative to physics; physical aspects.
• 物理現象 (butsuri genshō) - Phenomena that can be studied through physics.
• 物理化学 (butsuri kagaku) - Branch of science that combines the principles of physics and chemistry to understand chemical phenomena.
• 物理学的 (butsurigakuteki) - Relative to theories and principles of physics; conceptually physical.
• 物理学教育 (butsurigaku kyōiku) - Education in physics; methods and practices of teaching physics.
• 物理学者たち (butsurigakusha-tachi) - Group of physicists or scientists who study physics.

物理

Romaji: butsuri
Kana: ぶつり
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: física

Meaning in English: physics

Definition: Physics is the study of natural phenomena such as matter, energy, and force.

Example Sentences - (物理) butsuri

See below some example sentences:

物理学は興味深い分野です。

Butsurigaku wa kyoumi fukai bunya desu

Physics is an interesting field.

Physics is an interesting field.

• 物理学 - Science of physics
• は - Topic particle
• 興味深い - Interessante
• 分野 - Campo
• です - is