Science, Technology & Knowledge

Introduction

Science vocabulary at N1 supports a more analytical style of Japanese. This chapter includes words connected to method, evidence, invention, structure, and the way knowledge is organised and explained in technical or educational contexts.

It is useful not only for specialised reading, but also for the broader habit of following precise explanatory Japanese with confidence.

Themes

All JLPT N1 Vocabulary in This Chapter (100)

1. 暗黒物質 あんこくぶっしつ Dark matter; hypothetical matter that does not interact with electromagnetic force but whose gravitational effects are observed throughou...
2. 暗黒エネルギー あんこくエネルギー Dark energy; the hypothetical energy permeating all of space that is thought to be driving the accelerating expansion of the universe.
3. 暗号 あんごう Code; cipher; cryptography; secret signal or password. A system of symbols or transformations used to conceal meaning.
4. 演繹 えんえき Deduction; deductive reasoning. Drawing specific conclusions from general premises or principles.
5. 回帰 かいき Regression; return; recurrence. In statistics, the process of finding the relationship between variables; more broadly, a return to a for...
6. 解析 かいせき Analysis; analytical study; parsing. Breaking down complex data, structures, or phenomena into component parts to understand them.
7. 核酸 かくさん Nucleic acid; the class of biological molecules including DNA and RNA, which carry genetic information and direct protein synthesis.
8. 核分裂 かくぶんれつ Nuclear fission; the splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus into lighter nuclei, releasing large amounts of energy.
9. 核融合 かくゆうごう Nuclear fusion; the merging of light atomic nuclei to form heavier ones, releasing enormous amounts of energy. The process powering stars.
10. 確率 かくりつ Probability; likelihood. A numerical measure of the likelihood that a given event will occur, expressed as a value between 0 and 1.
11. 加速度 かそくど Acceleration; the rate of change of velocity with respect to time. A fundamental quantity in classical mechanics.
12. 可塑性 かそせい Plasticity; malleability. The ability of a material or system to undergo permanent deformation in response to stress, retaining the new s...
13. 還元反応 かんげんはんのう Reduction reaction; a chemical reaction in which a substance gains electrons (or loses oxygen or gains hydrogen). The counterpart of oxid...
14. 観測 かんそく Observation; measurement; monitoring. The act of systematically watching, measuring, or recording natural phenomena for scientific purposes.
15. 揮発 きはつ Volatilisation; evaporation. The process by which a substance changes from liquid or solid phase to vapour at relatively low temperatures.
16. 吸着 きゅうちゃく Adsorption; the adhesion of atoms, ions, or molecules from a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid to a surface, forming a thin film.
17. 極性 きょくせい Polarity; the separation of electric charge, leading to a molecule or bond having a positive and a negative end.
18. 近似 きんじ Approximation; an estimate or representation that is close to, but not exactly equal to, the true value or form.
19. 凝固 ぎょうこ Solidification; coagulation; the process of a liquid changing to a solid state, or of a substance clotting or hardening.
20. 屈折 くっせつ Refraction; the bending of a wave (light, sound) as it passes from one medium to another of different density. Also used figuratively for...
21. 系統樹 けいとうじゅ Phylogenetic tree; evolutionary tree. A branching diagram representing the inferred evolutionary relationships among species or other bio...
22. 系統的 けいとうてき Systematic; methodical; organised according to a clear plan or system. Done in a thorough, well-organised manner.
23. 検証 けんしょう Verification; validation; testing; inspection. The process of confirming that something is true, accurate, or meets specified requirements.
24. 膠質 こうしつ Colloid; a colloidal substance. A mixture in which microscopically dispersed insoluble particles are suspended throughout another substance.
25. 光年 こうねん Light year; the distance that light travels in one year in a vacuum, approximately 9.461 × 10¹⁵ metres. Used as a unit of astronomical di...
26. 再現性 さいげんせい Reproducibility; replicability. The ability of an experiment or result to be reproduced under the same conditions.
27. 酸塩基 さんえんき Acid-base; acid and base as a paired concept in chemistry. Refers to the system of acids and bases and their reactions.
28. 算出 さんしゅつ Calculation; computation; working out a value. The act of deriving a numerical result through mathematical operations.
29. 座標 ざひょう Coordinates; a coordinate system. Numbers that specify the position of a point in a geometric space.
30. 恣意的 しいてき Arbitrary; subjective; based on personal whim rather than reasoned principle. Describes a choice or categorisation lacking objective basis.
31. 閾値 しきいち Threshold; threshold value. The minimum level a stimulus or variable must reach to trigger a specific response or effect.
32. 脂質 ししつ Lipid; fat. A class of organic molecules including fats, oils, and waxes that are insoluble in water.
33. 質量 しつりょう Mass; the amount of matter in an object (physics). Distinguished from weight, which varies with gravitational force.
34. 収斂 しゅうれん Convergence; the process of coming together toward a single point or value. Also: contraction of tissue; astringency.
35. 触媒 しょくばい Catalyst; a substance that accelerates a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.
36. 触覚 しょっかく The sense of touch; tactile sense. Also: antenna or feeler of an insect or crustacean.
37. 真空 しんくう Vacuum; a space devoid of matter. A state in which gas pressure is significantly lower than atmospheric pressure.
38. 浸食 しんしょく Erosion; the gradual wearing away of rock, soil, or materials by wind, water, or chemical action. Also: corrosion; encroachment.
39. 浸透圧 しんとうあつ Osmotic pressure; the pressure required to prevent the flow of solvent across a semipermeable membrane separating solutions of different ...
40. 浸透膜 しんとうまく Semipermeable membrane; osmotic membrane. A thin barrier that allows certain molecules to pass through while blocking others.
41. 振動 しんどう Vibration; oscillation; tremor. A rapid back-and-forth movement around a central point.
42. 磁場 じば Magnetic field; the region of space around a magnet or electric current where magnetic forces are exerted.
43. 自律 じりつ Autonomy; self-regulation; the capacity to govern oneself or operate independently without external control.
44. 整合性 せいごうせい Consistency; coherence; integrity. The property of being internally consistent and free of contradictions.
45. 生成 せいせい Generation; creation; formation; production. The process by which something comes into being.
46. 積分 せきぶん Integration; integral calculus. The mathematical operation of finding the integral of a function, used to calculate areas, volumes, and a...
47. 絶縁体 ぜつえんたい Insulator; non-conductor. A material that does not readily conduct electric current, heat, or sound.
48. 相関 そうかん Correlation; interrelation. A statistical or logical relationship between two variables where changes in one correspond to changes in the...
49. 相対性 そうたいせい Relativity; the property of being relative rather than absolute. Most famously associated with Einstein's theory of relativity.
50. 相同 そうどう Homologous; corresponding in structure or evolutionary origin, even if function differs. Describes organs or genes sharing a common ances...
51. 束縛状態 そくばくじょうたい Bound state; a physical state in which a particle or system is confined by a potential well and cannot escape to infinity. Used predomina...
52. 代謝 たいしゃ Metabolism; the set of biochemical reactions that sustain life in an organism. Also used figuratively to mean renewal or turnover within ...
53. 帯電 たいでん Electrification; the acquisition of an electric charge by an object, typically through friction or induction. Refers to both static charg...
54. 炭水化物 たんすいかぶつ Carbohydrate; a class of organic compounds including sugars, starches, and fibre that serve as a primary energy source in living organisms.
55. 潮汐 ちょうせき Tide; the periodic rise and fall of sea levels caused primarily by the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun acting on Earth's oceans.
56. 超伝導 ちょうでんどう Superconductivity; the phenomenon in which certain materials exhibit zero electrical resistance and expel magnetic fields when cooled bel...
57. 沈殿 ちんでん Precipitation; sedimentation; the process by which a solid forms in a solution and settles to the bottom, or the solid deposit itself.
58. 定数 ていすう Constant; a fixed numerical value that does not change within a given context, mathematical expression, or physical law.
59. 定性的 ていせいてき Qualitative; relating to or based on the quality, nature, or character of something rather than its quantity or numerical measurement.
60. 定量的 ていりょうてき Quantitative; relating to or expressible in terms of numerical quantities or measurable amounts.
61. 透過 とうか Transmission; permeation; the passage of light, radiation, or particles through a medium or barrier without being absorbed or reflected.
62. 淘汰圧 とうたあつ Selection pressure; the environmental or ecological force that influences the survival and reproduction of organisms with certain traits,...
63. 同位体 どういたい Isotope; one of two or more atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting i...
64. 導体 どうたい Conductor; a material that allows the flow of electric current with little resistance. Commonly refers to metals such as copper, silver, ...
65. 熱伝導 ねつでんどう Thermal conduction; the transfer of heat through a material from a region of higher temperature to one of lower temperature by direct par...
66. 熱力学 ねつりきがく Thermodynamics; the branch of physics that deals with the relationships between heat, work, temperature, and energy, and the laws governi...
67. 粘性 ねんせい Viscosity; the property of a fluid that resists flow due to internal friction between its molecules; also used figuratively to mean stick...
68. 波長 はちょう Wavelength; the distance between successive crests or troughs in a wave. Informally, also used to mean being on the same wavelength, i.e....
69. 発散 はっさん Divergence; the spreading outward or dispersal of something, such as rays, energy, or a mathematical sequence that increases without boun...
70. 反証 はんしょう Counter-evidence; disproof; evidence or argument that contradicts or refutes a claim, hypothesis, or proposition.
71. 半導体 はんどうたい Semiconductor; a material whose electrical conductivity lies between that of a conductor and an insulator, and which can be controlled by...
72. 媒体 ばいたい Medium; carrier; a substance or channel through which something is transmitted, conveyed, or communicated. Includes physical media, biolo...
73. 培養 ばいよう Cultivation; culture; the process of growing microorganisms, cells, or tissues in a controlled artificial environment. Also used figurati...
74. 被験者 ひけんしゃ Research participant; test subject; a person who takes part in a scientific experiment or clinical trial and undergoes tests or procedure...
75. 標本 ひょうほん Specimen; sample; a representative example of a species, material, or population selected for examination, display, or statistical analysis.
76. 微分 びぶん Differentiation; differential calculus. The mathematical operation of finding the derivative of a function, expressing the instantaneous ...
77. 不確定性 ふかくていせい Uncertainty; indeterminacy. The quality of being fundamentally unpredictable or imprecisely defined, especially as formalised in quantum ...
78. 輻射 ふくしゃ Radiation; radiant heat; electromagnetic emission. The process of transmitting energy outward as electromagnetic waves, especially therma...
79. 腐敗する ふはいする To decay; to decompose; to rot; to putrefy. Describes the biological breakdown of organic matter, and figuratively the moral decline of i...
80. 普遍性 ふへんせい Universality; generality. The quality of applying across all cases, contexts, or conditions without exception.
81. 平衡 へいこう Equilibrium; balance. A state in which opposing forces or influences are equal and stable, used across chemistry, physics, biology, and e...
82. 変異 へんい Variation; mutation; anomaly. In biology, a heritable change in genetic material; more broadly, any deviation from the normal or expected...
83. 偏差 へんさ Deviation; the amount by which a value differs from a standard or average. Used in statistics, meteorology, and quality control.
84. 変数 へんすう Variable; parameter. A mathematical symbol representing a value that can change within a given context, formula, or programme.
85. 崩壊系列 ほうかいけいれつ Decay chain; radioactive series. A sequence of radioactive decays by which an unstable nuclide passes through successive transformations ...
86. 胞子 ほうし Spore. A reproductive unit in fungi, plants, and certain bacteria, capable of developing into a new organism without fusion with another ...
87. 方程式 ほうていしき Equation; mathematical formula. A statement asserting the equality of two expressions, typically used to find unknown values.
88. 飽和状態 ほうわじょうたい Saturated state; saturation. A condition in which a substance has absorbed or dissolved to its maximum capacity at a given temperature an...
89. 飽和点 ほうわてん Saturation point. The precise threshold at which a system reaches its maximum capacity and can accept no more of a given substance or input.
90. 母集団 ぼしゅうだん Population; parent group. In statistics, the complete set of individuals, objects, or measurements about which conclusions are to be drawn.
91. 摩擦 まさつ Friction; rubbing; resistance between surfaces in contact. Also used figuratively for conflict, tension, or discord between people or gro...
92. 有意 ゆうい Significant; meaningful. In statistics, indicates that a result is unlikely to have occurred by chance, typically at a specified signific...
93. 溶解 ようかい Dissolution; melting; the process by which a substance is dissolved into a solvent to form a solution, or more broadly, something being b...
94. 葉緑体 ようりょくたい Chloroplast. The membrane-bound organelle found in plant and algal cells responsible for converting light energy into chemical energy thr...
95. 力学 りきがく Mechanics; dynamics. The branch of physics dealing with the motion of objects and the forces that cause or affect motion.
96. 立証 りっしょう Proof; demonstration; substantiation. The act of establishing a claim through evidence, experimentation, or logical argument.
97. 量子 りょうし Quantum. The smallest discrete unit of a physical quantity, especially electromagnetic energy, as described by quantum theory.
98. 臨床 りんしょう Clinical; bedside; clinical practice. Relating to the direct observation and treatment of patients, as distinguished from theoretical or ...
99. 励起 れいき Excitation; stimulation. In physics and chemistry, the process of raising an atom, molecule, or nucleus from its ground state to a higher...
100. 論証 ろんしょう Proof; demonstration; argument; logical reasoning. The process of establishing the truth of a proposition through structured, evidence-ba...