1.
dissection, autopsy
The physical cutting open and examination of a body, organ, or organism for medical, scientific, or forensic purposes. Includes both autopsies on deceased humans and dissection of specimens in biology.
医学部で人体を解剖する。
To dissect a human body in medical school.
死因を調べるために司法解剖が行われた。
A forensic autopsy was conducted to investigate the cause of death.
高校の生物の授業でカエルを解剖した経験がある。
I have experience dissecting a frog in high school biology class.
2.
analysis, close examination
A detailed and thorough examination of a topic, issue, or structure, as if dissecting it. Used figuratively for in-depth analysis of ideas, systems, or problems.
問題を解剖する。
To dissect the problem.
社会構造を解剖する。
To analyze the social structure.
専門家がこの事件の背景を徹底的に解剖した。
Experts thoroughly analyzed the background of this case.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人体解剖: human dissection
- 司法解剖: forensic autopsy
- 病理解剖: pathological autopsy
- 解剖学: anatomy (as a field of study)
- 解剖台: dissection table
USAGE:
Sense 1 (physical dissection) is the primary meaning. Sense 2 (figurative analysis) is common in journalism and academic writing, borrowing the image of 'cutting open' to mean examining something thoroughly. The compound 解剖学 (anatomy) is one of the most frequently encountered forms.