ご専攻
gosenkō
The English phrase "your major" is translated into Japanese as ご専攻 (gosenkō).
This phrase refers to the main subject that a student studies at a college or university. The noun senkō means "major". For example, you might specify your field using terms like Keizai (経済) for Economics, Shinrigaku (心理学) for Psychology, Bijutsu (美術) for Art, Sūgaku (数学) for Mathematics, Seibutsugaku (生物学) for Biology, Kōgaku (工学) for Engineering or Kokusai-kankei (国際関係) for International Relations.
How do you pronounce it?
gosenkō
Did you know?
- In many Japanese universities, students do not officially declare a senkō until their second or third year, unlike the US system where one might declare it immediately.
- The kanji in senkō (専攻) literally translate to 'exclusively' and 'study'. This reflects the idea that a major is a field one devotes themselves to exclusively.
- The word senkō is a homophone for several other common words, including the word for 'incense' and 'line' or 'streak'. Context is the only way to tell which one is being used.
Examples in context
- ご専攻は何ですか？Go-senkou wa nan desu ka?What is your major?
- ご専攻について教えてください。Go-senkou ni tsuite oshiete kudasai.Please tell me about your major.
- ご専攻は経済学ですか？Go-senkou wa keizaigaku desu ka?Is your major economics?
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are meeting for the first time at a university event.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵さん、ご専攻は何ですか。Himari-san, go senkou wa nan desu ka.Himari, what is your major?
- 陽葵 Himari私は心理学を専攻しています。Watashi wa shinrigaku o senkou shite imasu.I am majoring in psychology.
- 陽太 Yotaすごいですね。面白そうなご専攻です。Sugoi desu ne. Omoshirosou na go senkou desu.That's great. Your major sounds interesting.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとうございます。陽太さんは？Arigatou gozaimasu. Youta-san wa?Thank you. How about you, Yota?
