- rigaku physical science, natural science; physics; lixue (Song-era Chinese philosophy)
理学 refers to the academic field of natural sciences, especially in university names or formal contexts; everyday speech uses 科学 more broadly.
彼は理学部で物理学を専攻している。
Kare wa rigakubu de butsurigaku o senkou shite iru.
He majors in physics in the Faculty of Science.
理学の研究には実験が欠かせない。
Rigaku no kenkyuu ni wa jikken ga kakasenai.
Experiments are essential for research in the natural sciences.
⚖️ Often confused with 科学 (kagaku), which means science in general, while 理学 specifically refers to natural sciences, especially in academic contexts.
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