学部

• Reading: がくぶ
• Romaji: gakubu
• Kanji breakdown: 学 (gaku/mana) — study, learning; 部 (bu) — department, section
• Pronunciation: /ɡa.kɯ.bɯ/

Meaning

A department or faculty of a university. The organizational division within a university for a field of study.

Refers to the undergraduate department or faculty within a Japanese university, such as 文学部 (Faculty of Literature) or 工学部 (Faculty of Engineering). Also used to distinguish undergraduate studies (学部生) from graduate studies (大学院). An essential word for discussing higher education in Japan.

Examples

1. 私は経済学部の学生です。 I'm a student in the economics department.
2. この大学にはいくつの学部がありますか。 How many departments does this university have?
3. 兄は法学部を卒業しました。 My older brother graduated from the law department.

Usage Guide

Context: university, education, academic life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 学 (gaku, study/learning) and 部 (bu, division/department). Both kanji are fundamental to academic vocabulary in Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Young adults

Social background: Universal