Physics and Engineering words in Native Japanese

We have some physics and engineering words in Native Japanese, maybe more than you except. Historically the very profound western science was introduced to Japan only after the Meiji Restoration (about 150 years ago). The Japanese scholars at that period had a big problem how to translate the new science words in the western languages (English and German mostly) to Japanese because we had almost no words for these science words. They started to use Chinese origin words since each Chinese origin word can be treated independently with no conjugation. So now most of the science words in Japanese are Chinese origin words. But this does not mean these word are from the Chinese concepts as China did not have most of the western science concepts at that time either like Japan. The Japanese scholars just borrowed Chinese origin words just as patch works to make new words by using some basic meaning of the Chinese origin words. Precisely there were problems but once fixed the new Japanese science words made by this way kept going. We still use a lot of these words and of course in written in Chinese characters and pronounced in the Japanese way.

Meanwhile despite of the above history we have and use some science words translated but originated from Native Japanese, especially in physics and engineering, I think. Let's see some of them with the following simple classification.

1. Verb and Noun pair
2. Adjective and Noun pair
3. Noun only

1. Verb and Noun pair

We already have many two syllable verbs in the post "Playing with Japanese two syllable verbs" so we will start with these and pick out the verbs which are related with physics.

a-ku (あく、 空く)  - 1) to open, 2) to become empty  --  Noun a-ki (あき、空き) - void

su-ku (つく、突く)  - to push, to stick, to attack　--  Noun tsu-ki (つき、突き) - push

na-ku (なく、鳴く)  - to cry, to sing (a bird)　--  Noun tsu-ki (なき、鳴き) - sound
hi-ku (ひく、引く) - 1) to pull, to draw　 --  Noun hi-ki (ひき、引き) - pull
hu-ku (ふく、 吹く - to blow, to explode　 --  Noun hu-ki (ふき、吹き) - blow
ma-ku (まく、巻く) - to wind up --  Noun ma-ki (まき、巻き) - winding, wind
mu-ku (むく、向く) -1)  to turn (to a certain direction) --  Noun mu-ki (むき、向き) - turn, direction
tsu-gu (つぐ、継ぐ)  - to connect, to joint --  Noun tsu-gi-me  (-me is added)  (つぎめ、継ぎ目) - joint
o-su (おす、押す)  - to push　--  Noun o-shi (おし、押し) - push, press, pressure
ha-zu-mu  or ha-zu-mu (はずむ、弾む) - to bounce (up and down)　--  Noun ha-zu-mi (はずみ、弾み) - bouncing, bounce
u-tsu (うつ、打つ)  - to hit, to beat, to strike, to flap　--  Noun u-chi (うち、打ち) - hit, beat, strike, flap
o-tsu --> modern form <o-chi-ru> (おちる、落ちる) to fall　--  Noun o-chi (おち、落ち) - fall
bu (とぶ、1) 飛ぶ、2) 跳ぶ) - 1) to fly; 2) to jump --  Noun to-bi (とび、1) 飛び、2) 跳び) - fly, jump
ku-mu (くむ、組む)  - to make a pair, to construct   --  Noun ku-mi (くみ、組) - pair
shi-mu  --> modern form shi-mi-ru (しみる)   --  Noun  shi-mi (しみ、染み、滲み)－stain
ta-mu  --> modern forms 1) ta-me-ru (ためる、貯める) (transitive verb) to save, to store, 2) ta-ma-ru (たまる、貯まる) (intransitive verb) to be saved, to be stored --  Noun ta-me (ため)- storing, storage, potential
tsu-mu --> modern forms 1) tsu-me-ru (つめる、詰める) (transitive verb) to clog, 2) tsu-ma-ru (つまる、詰まる) (intransitive verb) to be cloged --  Noun tsu-ma-ri  (つまり、詰まり) - clogged, clog
tsu-mu  (つむ、積む)  - to pile up, to load --  Noun tsu-mi  (つみ、積み) - piling up, load
ha-mu  --> modern forms 1) ha-me-ru (はめる、嵌める) (transitive verb) to mate, 2) ha-ma-ru (はまる、嵌まる) (intransitive verb) to be mated --  Noun ha-me  (はめ、嵌め) - mating (bolt and nut, plug and jack)
ka-e-ru  (かえる、返る)  - to return --  Noun ka-e-ri  (かえり、返り) - return, reaction
ka-e-ru  (かえる、換える、替える)  - to change, to replace --  Noun ka-e (かえ、換え、替え) - change, replacement
o-ru  (おる、折る) - to fold --  Noun o-re (おれ、折れ) - folding
so-ru  (そる、反る)  - to bend　--  Noun so-ri (そり、反り) - bending, warp
tsu-ru  (つる、吊る)  to hang, to suspend --  Noun tsu-ri (つり、吊り) - hanging, hang, suspending, suspension
na-ru  (なる、鳴る) - to ring (intransitive verb); to sound --  Noun na-ri (なり、鳴り) - sound, noise. u-na-ri (うなり) beat sound
ha-ru  (はる、張る) - to extend, stretch (a rope, paper), --  Noun ha-ri ((はり、張り) - tension
mo-ru  (もる、漏る)  - to leak (intransitive verb) --  Noun mo-re (もれ、漏れ) - leakage
wa-ru  (わる、割る) - to break (transitive verb)　--  Noun mo-re (われ、割れ) - break

The interesting thing here is that quite many of the English nouns forms have the same as verb forms and these are native English words.  English imported a lot of Latin and Romance language origin words still there are many native English words used in science.
Although we have the above Native Japanese words we have the Chinese character origin words for the above meaning as well. And both Native Japanese words and Chinese character origin words are used depending on the situations and preference. Generally Native Japanese words are more colloquial while Chinese character origin words are more fromal.

Two syllable words are far not enough to cover the physics and engineering words unfortunately. The world is not so simple. The followings are three yllable Native Japanese words (nouns) (some of the original verbs are four syllables) and commonly used.

o-go-ku (うごく、動く) - to become dry　--  Noun u-g--ki (うごき、動き) - movement, motion

o-ku-ru (おくる、送る) - to become dry　--  Noun o-ku-ri (おくり、送り) - transfer, movement

ka-wa-ku (かわく、乾く) - to become dry　--  Noun mo-re (かわき、乾き) - drying, dryness

shi-me-ru (しめる、湿る) - to get soaked, to get wet　--  Noun mo-re (しめり、湿り) - soaking, dampness

ta-ta-ku (たたく) -to beat　--   Noun mo-re (たたき) - beating, beat
ta-wa-mu (たわむ) -to warp　--   Noun ta-wa-mi (たわみ) - warp
chi-ji-mu (ちぢむ、縮む) -to warp　--   Noun chi-ji-mi (ちぢみ、縮み) - warp
to-ma-ru (とまる、止まる) (intransitive verb) - to stop, to-me-ru (とめる、止める) (transitive verb) - to stop st　--  Noun to-me (とめ、止め), to-ma-ri (とまり、止まり)　- stop, cease, fix

ne-ji-ru (ねじる) -to twist　--   Noun ne-ji-re (ねじれ) - twist
no-bu  --> modern forms 1) no-bi-ru (のびる、伸びる) (intransitive verb) - to extend, to stretch, 2) no-ba-su (のばす、伸ばす) (transitive verb)  - to extend, to stretch 　--   Noun no-bi (のび) - extension, growth, stretching
nu-re-ru (ぬれる) - to get wet 　--   Noun mo-re (ぬれ) - wetting
ha-ji-ku (はじく、弾く) - to bounce　--   Noun ha-ji-ki (はじき、弾き) - bouncing
hi-bi-ku (ひびく、響く) - to sound, to vibrate 　--   Noun hi-bi-ki (ひびき、響き) - sound, bibration
hi-ka-ru (ひかる、光る) - to emit light (intransitive verb) 　--   Noun hi-ka-ri (ひかり、光) -light
hi-ne-ru (ひねる) -to twist　--   Noun hi-ne-ri (ひねり) - twist
hu-ru-e-ru (ふるえる、振るえる、震える) - to vibrate, to oscillate　--   Noun hu-ru-e (ふるえ、振え) - vibration, to oscillation
hu-ru-ma-u (ふるまう、振る舞う) - to act, to behave (physically)　--   Noun hu-ru-ma-i (ふるまう、振る舞う) - action, behavior
ma-ge-ru (まげる、曲げる) -to bend　--   Noun ma-ge (まげ、曲げ) - bending


May continue.

Please note that there some grammatical rules in changing the verb form to the noun form. Most of them, simply to change -u (the final vowel of the verb) to -i. Some, simply to cut -ru (the final syllable of the verb).

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2. Adjective and Noun pair

a-ka-ru-i (あかるい、明るい) - bright --  Noun a-ka-ru-sa (あかるさ、明るさ) - brightness
ku-ra-i (くらい、暗い) - dark --  Noun ku-ra-sa (くらさ、暗さ) - darkness
ha-ya-i (はやい、速い) - fast --  Noun ha-ya-sa (はやさ、速さ) - speed
o-so-i (おそい、遅い) - slow, late --  Noun　o-so-sa (おそさ、遅さ) - slowness
no-ro-i (のろい) - slow --  Noun　no-ro-sa (のろさ) - slowness
o-mo-i (おもい、重い) - heavy --  Noun　o-mo-sa (おもさ、重さ) - weight
ka-ru-i (かるい、軽い) - light --  Noun　ka-ru-sa (軽さ) - being light, lightness
ta-ka-i (たかい、高い) - high --  Noun ta-ka-sa (たかさ、高さ) height
hi-ku-i (ひくい、低い) - low --  Noun hi-ku-sa (ひくさ、低さ) being low, lowness
na-ga-i (ながい、長い) -  long --  Noun na-ga-sa (ながさ、長さ) length 
mi-ji-ka-i (みじかい、短い) - short  --  Noun mi-ji-ka-sa （みじさ、短さ) being short, shortness
tsu-yo-i (つよい、強い) - strong  --  Noun tsu-yo-sa （つよさ、強さ) strength 

y-wa-i (よわい、弱い) - weak --  Noun yo-wa-sa（よわさ、弱さ) weakness
ka-ta-i (かたい、硬い) hard --  Noun ka-ta-sa  (かたさ、硬さ) hardness
ya-wa-ra-ka-i (やわらかい、柔らかい) soft --  Noun ya-wa-ra-ka-sa  (やわらかさ、柔らかさ) softness
hi-ku-i  (ひくい、低い) low --  Noun hi-ku-sa  (ひくさ、低さ) lowness
chi-ka-i (ちかい、近い) near, close --  Noun chi-ka-sa  (ちかさ、近さ) nearness, closeness, proximity
to-o-i (とおい、遠い) - distant, far --  Noun　to-o-sa (とおさ、遠さ) - farness, distance
a-at-ta-ka-i (あたたかい、暖かい) worm --  Noun a-at-ta-ka-sa  (あたたかさ、暖かさ) wormness
sa-mu-i (さむい、寒い) cold   --  Noun chi-ka-sa  sa-mu-sa (さむさ、寒さ) coldness
su-zu-shi-i (すずしい、涼しい) cool  --  Noun su-zu-shi-sa (すずしさ、涼しさ) coolness
a-tsu-i (あつい、暑い) hot --  Noun a-tsu-sa (あつさ、暑さ) hotness (climate)
a-tsu-i (あつい、熱い) hot --  Noun a-tsu-sa (あつさ、熱さ) hotness (material temperature)
a-tsu-i (あつい、厚い) thick --  Noun a-tsu-sa (あつさ、厚さ) thickness
u-su-i (うすい、薄い) - thin --  Noun u-su-sa (うすさ、薄さ) thinness
hi-ro-i (ひろい、広い) wide, spacious --  Noun hi-ro-sa (ひろさ、広さ)  space
se-ma-i (せまい、狭い) narrow --  Noun se-ma-sa (せまさ、狭さ)  narrowness (width, space)
hu-ka-i (ふかい、深い) deep -  Noun hu-ka-sa (ふかさ、深さ)  depth
a-sa-i (あさい、浅い) deep -  Noun a-sa-i -sa (あささ、浅さ) shallowness

May continue.

Please note that the changing the adjective form to the noun form is very simple and systematic (grammar-tic) - to repace -i with -sa,  no exception.
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3. Noun only

o-to (おと、音) - sound
ka-sa (かさ) - quantity
ko-da-ma (こだま) - echo
chi-ka-ra (ちから、力) - force
ha-ba (はば、幅) - width
ba (ば、場) - field
o-ku-yu-ki (おくゆき、奥行き) - forward depth (not downward depth)
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May continue.


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