小児科（しょうにか、shounika）
- pediatrics

小児科 means "pediatrics" or "pediatric department." It refers to the medical specialty that focuses on the health and medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The 小児科 deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and health problems affecting this age group.

⚫︎子供が熱を出したので、小児科に行きました。 Translation: My child had a fever, so I went to the pediatrics department. ⚫︎この病院には、優秀な小児科医がいます。 Translation: This hospital has excellent pediatricians. ⚫︎小児科の待合室はいつも子供たちで賑やかです。 Translation: The waiting room of the pediatrics department is always lively with children.

You use 小児科 when you are talking about: ⚫︎The medical specialty of pediatrics. ⚫︎The department in a hospital or clinic that provides care for children. ⚫︎Referring to a pediatrician (小児科医 - しょうにかい). You might say you are "going to the 小児科" if your child is sick. You might also use it when discussing a child's medical needs.

⚫︎The word is primarily written using kanji and hiragana: 小児科（しょうにか). ⚫︎小児科 is also acceptable in katakana (ショウニカ) for emphasis, but it is less common. ⚫︎The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is always "科".

There are no direct synonyms in Japanese. It is a specific medical term. You might refer to a "pediatrician" 小児科医.

⚫︎Adult medicine would be the opposite. ⚫︎Internal medicine (内科 - ないか) is a related, but distinct field. ⚫︎Surgery (外科 - げか) is another medical specialty that is distinct.

赤ちゃんの定期検診のために、小児科に予約を入れました。 ・Translation: I made an appointment at the pediatrics department for my baby's regular check-up. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates a common reason for visiting the 小児科 - a routine health check.

娘が喘息と診断されたので、小児科の先生に相談しました。 ・Translation: Since my daughter was diagnosed with asthma, I consulted the pediatrician. ・Explanation: This example shows the use of 小児科 in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of a specific medical condition.

The word 小児科 is formed from the following: ⚫︎小児 (しょうに) – "children" (literally, "small child"). ⚫︎科 (か) – "department" or "specialty" (in a hospital). Therefore, 小児科 literally means "children's department" or "pediatrics."