Key Facts
- 과학 (gwahak) means science as a field and a school subject.
- Part of speech: noun; origin: Sino-Korean.
- Register: neutral, everyday word used in speech and writing.
- Hanja: 科學 (科 branch + 學 study).
- Level: A1.
Science in Korean: What Does 과학 Mean?
과학 is a Sino-Korean noun, from 科 branch and 學 study, a branch of study. The register is neutral. It works as a school subject, as in 과학 시간, and as the general word for the field.
How Do You Pronounce 과학?
The Revised Romanization is gwahak. The first syllable glides from g into wa, so say gwa and not ga. The word ends in hak; before a vowel the ㄱ carries over, so 과학을 sounds like gwa-ha-geul.
How Do You Use 과학 in a Sentence?
저는 과학을 좋아해요.
I like science.
Jeoneun gwahageul joahaeyo. 좋아해요 means like. 저는 is the topic, which makes this the natural answer to a question about subjects you like.
과학 시간에 실험을 했어요.
We did an experiment in science class.
Gwahak sigane silheomeul haesseoyo. 시간 is time and, in a school timetable, class. 실험을 했어요 is did an experiment, so the line comes from a lab lesson.
과학 숙제가 많아요.
There is a lot of science homework.
Gwahak sukjega manayo. 숙제가 많아요 means there is a lot of homework. Putting 과학 before 숙제 names the subject without any extra particle.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 과학 시간 | science class |
| 과학자 | scientist |
| 과학 실험 | science experiment |
과학 시간 is science class and 과학 실험 is a science experiment. 과학자 is a scientist, formed by adding 자 to the field word.
Common Mistake
Learners mix up the field and the person.
- Wrong: 과학 to mean a scientist.
- Correct: 과학자. Add 자 (person) for the person; 과학 is the subject.
How Does 과학 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 과학 |
|---|---|---|
| 화학 | chemistry | 화학 is chemistry, one branch of 과학. |
| 기술 | technology | 기술 is skill or technology, applied know-how rather than the study of nature. |
Checking the Plan for Science Class
Two classmates are getting ready for a lesson. One checks the subject and the activity, then asks whether they need to bring anything.
Alex
오늘 과학 수업 있어요?
Oneul gwahak sueop isseoyo?
Do we have science class today?
Jisu
네. 과학 시간에 실험을 해요.
Ne. Gwahak sigane silheomeul haeyo.
Yes. We are doing an experiment in science class.
Alex
뭘 준비해야 해요?
Mwol junbihaeya haeyo?
What do we need to prepare?
Jisu
과학 교과서를 가져오세요.
Gwahak gyogwaseoreul gajyeooseyo.
Please bring your science textbook.
과학 수업 names the lesson, while 과학 시간 places the activity in the science period. The noun 과학 can modify both without an extra word meaning “of”. 뭘 is a contraction of 무엇을, “what” with the object marker. The final request supplies a specific object to bring, the science textbook, rather than saying only to prepare for science.
Which Science Expressions Appear beyond the Classroom?
과학적 means scientific. It often appears as 과학적인 before a noun, as in 과학적인 설명, “a scientific explanation”. The ending changes the field name into a description. 과학 names the subject; 과학적인 tells you what kind of explanation someone is offering.
과학적 근거 means scientific evidence or grounds. You may meet this phrase in news reports and discussions of claims. 근거 is the support offered for a statement. Recognising the phrase helps you identify what the discussion concerns, but the label alone does not establish that a claim has strong evidence.
과학 기술 means science and technology, a pairing common in public institutions and news headlines. The two nouns are closely associated, but they still contribute different meanings. 과학 concerns scientific study; 기술 can mean technology, technique or practical skill. A story may discuss both research and the tools built from it.
과학자 means scientist, while 연구원 means researcher or research staff. A researcher may work in science, but the job word by itself does not name a particular field. Adding 과학자 makes the person's connection with science explicit. In a school exercise about future jobs, it is the person word rather than the subject name that fits.
Where Will You Hear or See 과학?
A school timetable may simply label a period 과학. In conversation, 과학 시간 identifies that period, and 과학 수업 identifies the lesson or class. 과학 숙제 and 과학 교과서 then name the homework and textbook associated with it. These noun combinations help you follow instructions without needing a separate sentence for each relationship.
Museum signs and programme titles may use 과학관 for a science museum or science centre. Here 관 identifies a building or institution. It is a different ending from 자 in 과학자, which identifies a person. Looking at the end of the word helps you tell whether a sign points to a place or a description mentions a profession.
과학 is neutral in everyday speech and formal writing. A child talking about a favourite subject and a newsreader discussing research use the same noun. The technical difficulty comes from the words around it, such as an experiment's name, rather than from a more respectful version of 과학.
Subjects and Activities beside 과학
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 화학 | chemistry | One scientific subject; not the general field. |
| 물리 | physics | Another subject within science. |
| 생물 | living things; biology | The biology meaning fits a subject list. |
| 실험 | experiment | An activity used to investigate a question. |
| 관찰 | observation | Watching carefully and noting what happens. |
The school subjects lesson teaches the subject names together. 실험 and 관찰 describe activities rather than separate school subjects, so they help explain what students actually do during 과학 시간.
Quick Self-Test
- Which names a scientist: 과학 or 과학자?
- What does 과학적인 설명 mean?
- Does 실험 name a school subject or an activity?
Show answers
- 과학자 names the person.
- A scientific explanation.
- An activity: an experiment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does 科學 Mean?
科 means branch and 學 means study, so 과학 is literally "branch study", the organised study of nature.
How Do I Say 'Scientist'?
Say 과학자, which adds 자 to 과학.
How Do I Say 'Science Class'?
Say 과학 시간, the science period on a school timetable.
Is 화학 the Same as 과학?
No. 화학 is chemistry, one branch of 과학.
Where to Go Next
과학 is in the school subjects vocabulary list. Go on to the chemistry word and the technology word, or the next entry, the music word. The index is Korean words A to Z.