法学(ほうがく)

ほうがく
noun
law (academic study); jurisprudence
1. law (as an academic subject); jurisprudence
The academic study of law — statutes, legal principles, court decisions, and their theory. Refers to the field as a discipline, not to law itself.
大学(だいがく)で法学(ほうがく)を学(まな)ぶ。
Study law at university.
法学(ほうがく)の授業(じゅぎょう)は難(むずか)しい。
The law class is difficult.
法学(ほうがく)を専門(せんもん)にしている学生(がくせい)は、将来(しょうらい)弁護士(べんごし)を目指(めざ)している。
Students who specialize in law aim to become lawyers in the future.

Compound of 法(ほう) (law) + 学(がく) (study, -ology). Refers to the academic field, not the body of laws themselves.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 法学(ほうがく)部(ぶ): faculty of law
  • 法学(ほうがく)者(しゃ): legal scholar
  • 法学(ほうがく)概論(がいろん): introduction to law
  • 法学(ほうがく)を学(まな)ぶ: study law
  • 法学(ほうがく)を専攻(せんこう)する: major in law

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 法律(ほうりつ): law — refers to the actual body of laws, not the study of them
  • 法律学(ほうりつがく): jurisprudence — close synonym of 法学(ほうがく); somewhat more formal
  • 法(ほう): law — broadest term; covers both statutes and principles
general
Added 2026.5.30 13:08
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