化(か) by itself is a suffix in Japanese which means ‘to change’, or ‘to transform’. When paired with
する, it means ‘to transform into (A)’, where (A) is the noun that 化(か) is connected to. This structure is regularly translated as ‘~ification’, or ‘~ization’, and similar suffixes in English.
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あと数年(すうねん)で運転(うんてん)は自動(じどう)化(か)する。
In a few years driving will become automated.
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私(わたし)は仕事(しごと)で書類(しょるい)をデータ化(か)する。
At work, I digitize documents.
When the
する is connected to another noun, it may occasionally appear as した, or with
の attached to the end of it. This will indicate that there is a relationship between (B) and (A).
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劣(れっ)化(か)した家(いえ)を立(た)て直(なお)す仕事(しごと)をしたい。
I want a job rebuilding deteriorated homes.
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日本(にほん)は紙社会(かみしゃかい)なので仕事(しごと)をオンライン化(か)するのは厳(きび)しい。
Since Japan is a paper society, digitalization of work is difficult.
However, in formal/scientific writing, the
する (and
の) may sometimes be dropped.