科|かka[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. noun, noun (suffix)department (of a university or hospital)
2. noun, noun (suffix)course (of study); branch of study; specialization
3. noun, noun (suffix), biologyfamily

• Synonym学科がっかNeutralRefers to a university department, as in 「英文学科」; it leans toward university organization, while 「科」 is usually a suffix, as in 「内科」.
• Synonym教科きょうかNeutralCovers subjects taught at primary and secondary school, as in 「主要教科」; it is about school teaching subjects, not hospital or university divisions.
• Synonym科目かもくNeutralRefers to course subjects, as in 「必修科目」; it leans toward exams and coursework rather than departments.
• Synonym分野ぶんやNeutralMeans a field, as in 「得意分野」; its range is broad and it is not an organizational unit, unlike 「科」.
• Synonym専門分野せんもんぶんやNeutralMeans one's area of expertise, as in 「専門分野の知識」; it stresses a personal specialty rather than an organizational unit.
• RelatedフィールドNeutralA loanword for a field or grounds, as in 「研究フィールド」; it leans toward the range of an activity.

Use 「科」 for hospital or school departments and the biological family, usually as a suffix: 「内科」「ネコ科」. For university departments say 「学科」, for school subjects 「教科」 or 「科目」, and for fields of activity 「分野」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. （とが　「咎とが」とも）非難ひなん・懲罰ちょうばつされるべき行為こうい。
2. （カ）生物せいぶつの分類ぶんるいのひとつ。界さかい-門もん-綱つな-目め-科か-（族ぞく）-属ぞく-（節ふし）-種しゅ