研究
Meaning in Englishresearch, study, investigation
Animated kanji stroke order
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Word context
What it means
What does 研究 mean? It denotes the systematic pursuit of new knowledge through careful inquiry and analysis; in Japanese it's used for both the act of researching and the body of research produced by scholars, and it commonly appears in phrases with する to form 'to research'.
Main meanings
- Primary meaning as a noun: the activity of researching and the field of inquiry
- Expanded usage in academic and scientific contexts
- Common compounds: 研究者, 研究所, 研究費
How to use it
Used in formal academic writing, institutional reports, and research settings; common in phrases with する to mean conducting research; in everyday discourse it appears in conversations about studies, projects, and academic work. Examples: 新しい治療法の研究を進める。研究成果を発表する。
Variants and close terms
- 学術研究 (がくじゅつけんきゅう, gakujutsu kenkyū) – formal scholarly research
- 科学研究 (かがくけんきゅう, kagaku kenkyū) – scientific research
- 調査 (ちょうさ, chōsa) – investigation
Composition
- 研: to sharpen, refine; implies improving knowledge through careful effort
- 究: to investigate, seek, and determine; conveys the search for a definitive answer
Etymology
Phonology kenkyū is the standard on'yomi reading of 研究; the kanji 研 and 究 have on'yomi readings ケン and キュウ, which combine in the compound to express refined inquiry; historically the characters contribute semantic hints of sharpening and investigation to the overall meaning.
Origin
Origin in Japanese scholarship traces back to the introduction of Chinese characters and scholarly tradition; mentions appear in classical writings and Buddhist and Confucian learning, with modern Meiji-era usage establishing 研究 as a formal term for organized inquiry and scientific study.
Word class
Noun (名詞); Suru-verb (サ変動詞)