冶金(やきん)

やきん
noun
metallurgy
formalbusinessscience
1. metallurgy; metalworking; the science and technology of metals
The broad field encompassing the extraction of metals from ores, refining, alloying, shaping, and studying the properties of metals and alloys. An academic and industrial term.
冶金(やきん)学(がく)を学(まな)ぶ。
To study metallurgy.
冶金(やきん)技術(ぎじゅつ)の発展(はってん)が文明(ぶんめい)を変(か)えた。
Advances in metallurgy changed civilization.
日本(にほん)の冶金(やきん)は刀剣(とうけん)作(づく)りの伝統(でんとう)に根(ね)ざしている。
Japanese metallurgy is rooted in the tradition of swordmaking.
粉末(ふんまつ)冶金(やきん)は自動車(じどうしゃ)部品(ぶひん)の製造(せいぞう)に使(つか)われている。
Powder metallurgy is used in the manufacture of automotive parts.

Composed of 冶(や) (smelt, cast) and 金(きん) (metal). The character 冶(や) specifically refers to the heating and working of metals, giving the compound its specialized meaning.

Metallurgy has deep historical roots in Japan, particularly through 刀鍛冶(かたなかじ) (swordsmithing) and 鋳物(いもの) (casting) traditions. The academic discipline is studied in university engineering departments, often under names like 冶金(やきん)工学(こうがく) (metallurgical engineering) or the more modern 材料(ざいりょう)工学(こうがく) (materials engineering).

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 製錬(せいれん): smelting — the specific process of extracting metal from ore, a subset of metallurgy
  • 鍛冶(かじ): blacksmithing, forging — the traditional craft of shaping heated metal, a more hands-on term
  • 合金(ごうきん): alloy — a product of metallurgy, not the field itself

Related Words

Compare: 製錬(せいれん) (smelting)
Compare: 合金(ごうきん) (alloy)
Compare: 精錬(せいれん) (refining)
general
Added 2026.4.18 5:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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