民 俗 学(みんぞくがく)

みんぞくがく

noun

folklore studies; folkloristics

1. folklore studies; folkloristics

The academic study of the customs, beliefs, stories, songs, and practices of common people as transmitted through oral tradition and everyday life.

大学(だいがく)で民俗学(みんぞくがく)を専攻(せんこう)した。

I majored in folklore studies at university.

柳田國男(やなぎだくにお)は日本(にほん)民俗学(みんぞくがく)の父(ちち)と呼(よ)ばれている。

Yanagida Kunio is called the father of Japanese folklore studies.

民俗学(みんぞくがく)の調査(ちょうさ)で地方(ちほう)の伝統(でんとう)行事(ぎょうじ)を記録(きろく)している。

Through folkloristic research, we are documenting local traditional events.

Usage

Distinguish from 民族学(みんぞくがく) (ethnology), which studies ethnic groups and cultures comparatively. 民俗学(みんぞくがく) focuses on the folk customs and traditions of one's own culture. The two words are homophones but written with different kanji (俗(ぞく) vs 族(ぞく)).

Common collocations

民俗学(みんぞくがく)者(しゃ) (folklorist)
民俗学(みんぞくがく)の研究(けんきゅう) (folklore research)
比較(ひかく)民俗学(みんぞくがく) (comparative folkloristics)

general

Added 2026.3.14 10:36 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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