How to say "archaeology" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 考古学こうこがくno-adjectiveThe standard word for archaeology as an academic field of study, covering both the discipline and its university departments. This is the word you want in almost every context where 'archaeology' means the science of studying past human remains and artifacts.
- 考古こうこnounA less common word meaning the study of antiquities; it can also gloss archaeology but is not the usual way to name the discipline. Choose 考古学 instead when referring to archaeology as a field.
- nounA katakana loanword for archaeology, listed as less common. It matches the English term closely but is rarely the natural choice; 考古学 is what Japanese writing typically uses for the discipline.
Use 考古学 for the academic discipline of archaeology in nearly all contexts; 考古 is a less common, more literary term for the study of antiquities; 「アーキオロジー」 is a rare loanword covering the same sense.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
