"科学":概念的古今转换与中外对接

历来的外来语辞书和论著,都误将"科学"列为日源词,本文考证,"科学"本为中国古典词,是"分科举人之学"、"科举之学"、"分科之学"的简称,宋代已经出现。"科学"一词传入日本,在"分科之学"意义上被日本人使用。至幕末、明治时期,日本人以"科学"翻译Science,因作为西方近代文化产物的Science具有"分科之学"的意蕴。清末、民初,中国留日学人把此一意义上的"科学"作为新词传回中国,成为中国现代文化的一个核心概念。

"Kexue": Concept of Transforming from Ancient to Modern and Jointing of Chinese and Foreign

The loanword dictionaries and works have constantly mistaken "kexue" as a word of Japanese origin.As a result of textual research,this paper proves that "kexue" was originally a Chinese classic word,an abbreviation of "branch of learning by provincial graduates","subject of Imperial Examination" and "branch of learning",which already appeared in Song Dynasty. The word of "kexue" spread to Japan and was taken by Japanese as the meaning of "branch of learning".By Bakumatsu and Meiji Dynasty,the Japanese translated "kexue" as science,for the word science resulting from the Western modern culture carried the meaning of "branch of learning".At the turning point of Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China,Chinese scholars in Japan brought "kexue" of this meaning back to China as a new word and it has since become a key concept of Chinese modern culture.