Translation and Meaning of: 学校 - gakkou

If you are learning Japanese or are curious about Japanese culture, you must have come across the word 学校[がっこう]. It is essential in everyday vocabulary and appears in various contexts, from informal conversations to educational materials. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, writing in kanji, and how it is perceived by native speakers. Furthermore, you will discover practical tips to memorize it and understand its role in Japanese society. Here at Suki Nihongo, our Japanese dictionary, we prioritize accurate and useful information for your learning.

Meaning and writing of 学校

The word 学校[がっこう] means "school" in English and is composed of two kanji: 学 (study) and 校 (institution). Together, they form a term that represents a place dedicated to teaching and learning. Unlike in Portuguese, where "escola" is a single word, in Japanese the combination of ideograms reinforces the idea of an institutionalized space for knowledge.

It is worth noting that 学校 is not limited to just basic education. It can be used to refer to any educational institution, from kindergartens to universities, depending on the context. For example, 小学校[しょうがっこう] is "primary school," while 大学[だいがく] means "university." The flexibility of the term makes it even more relevant in daily life.

Origin and Cultural Use

The term 学校 has its roots in the modern educational system of Japan, which was influenced by the Western model during the Meiji Era (1868-1912). Before that, education was conducted in temples or private schools called terakoya. With the educational reform, 学校 became the standard word for formal institutions, reflecting the value placed on education in the country.

In Japan, school is not just a place of study, but also a space for socialization and discipline. Events like cultural festivals (学園祭[がくえんさい]) and graduation ceremonies are significant moments in the lives of students. The word carries a strong emotional weight, often associated with childhood and adolescent memories.

Tips for memorizing and using correctly

An effective way to memorize 学校 is to associate its kanji with mental images. The character 学 evokes a roof (冖) over a child (子) learning, while 校 represents a tree (木) and an exchange (交), symbolizing a place of knowledge sharing. This visual breakdown helps to understand the logic behind the writing.

In everyday speech, がっこう is often used in sentences like "学校に行きます" [がっこうにいきます] ("I am going to school"). Avoid confusing it with similar terms, like 学生 [がくせい] ("student") or 学年 [がくねん] ("school year"). Practicing with real examples, such as anime dialogues or songs, can solidify your learning.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 学園 (Gaku-en) - School campus, often referring to a broader school environment.
• 学舎 (Gaku-sha) - School building or classroom, emphasizing the physical teaching structure.
• 学堂 (Gaku-dou) - Educational institution, usually more formal, such as a school or academy.
• 学院 (Gaku-in) - Academic institute, usually a school of higher education or specialized.
• 学校施設 (Gakkou shisetsu) - School facilities, referring to the infrastructure and resources of schools.

学校

Romaji: gakkou
Kana: がっこう
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: school

Meaning in English: school

Definition: Land and buildings for educational purposes.

Example Sentences - (学校) gakkou

See below some example sentences:

私は明日学校に行く予定です。

Watashi wa ashita gakkou ni iku yotei desu

I have plans to go to school tomorrow.

I go to school tomorrow.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 明日 (ashita) - adverb meaning "tomorrow"
• 学校 (gakkou) - noun meaning "school"
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the destination of the action, in this case "to school"
• 行く (iku) - verb meaning "to go"
• 予定 (yotei) - Noun that means "plan" or "schedule"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal form of the sentence

学校の行事は楽しいです。

Gakkou no gyouji wa tanoshii desu

School activities are fun.

School events are fun.

• 学校 - school
• の - Possession particle
• 行事 - event
• は - Topic particle
• 楽しい - fun
• です - Verb "to be" in the present tense

共学は男女が一緒に学ぶ学校です。

Kyōgaku wa danjo ga issho ni manabu gakkō desu

Co-education is a school where men and women learn together.

• 共学 - means "mixed education", that is, schools where boys and girls study together.
• 男女 - means "men and women".
• 一緒に - means "together".
• 学ぶ - means "to study".
• 学校 - means "school".

小学校で友達を作るのは楽しいです。

Shougakkou de tomodachi wo tsukuru no wa tanoshii desu

Making friends in elementary school is fun.

It's fun to make friends in elementary school.

• 小学校で - in primary school
• 友達を - friends
• 作る - make
• のは - is
• 楽しい - fun
• です - (sentence ending particle)

私の学校はとてもきれいです。

Watashi no gakkou wa totemo kirei desu

My school is very beautiful.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun meaning "I" or "mine"
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 学校 (gakkou) - noun meaning "school"
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "the school"
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very"
• きれい (kirei) - adjective that means "pretty" or "clean"
• です (desu) - auxiliary verb that indicates the polite or formal way of speaking, in this case "is"

私は高等学校に通っています。

Watashi wa kōtōgakkō ni kayotte imasu

I am attending high school.

I'm going to high school.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 高等学校 (koutou gakkou) - The noun that means "high school".
• に (ni) - grammatical particle that indicates the direction or purpose of the action, in this case "to go to"
• 通っています (kayotteimasu) - The verb that means "to be attending" in the polite present continuous form is "通っています" (している, shite iru) for informal contexts.

私は学校のクラスで班長を務めています。

Watashi wa gakkou no kurasu de hancho wo tsutomete imasu

I am the team leader in my school class.

I'm a group leader in the school class.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence, indicating that the subject is "I"
• 学校 (gakkou) - noun meaning "school"
• の (no) - particle indicating ownership, i.e. "of the school"
• クラス (kurasu) - noun meaning "class", in the sense of a group of students
• で (de) - particle indicating the place where the action takes place, in this case, "in class"
• 班長 (hanchou) - noun meaning "group leader", in this case the class leader
• を (wo) - particle indicating the direct object of the sentence, i.e. "I am playing the role of group leader"
• 務めています (tsutometeimasu) - verb meaning "I am performing" or "I am exercising"

私は毎日学校に通っています。

Watashi wa mainichi gakkou ni kayotte imasu

I go to school every day.

I go to school every day.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - Japanese topic particle
• 毎日 (mainichi) - means "every day" in Japanese
• 学校 (gakkou) - means "school" in Japanese
• に (ni) - destination particle in Japanese
• 通っています (kayotte imasu) - It means "I am going" or "I am attending" in Japanese.

私の母校はとても素晴らしい学校です。

Watashi no bokou wa totemo subarashii gakkou desu

My primary school is a very good school.

My alma mater is a wonderful school.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• 母校 - noun that means "school where one graduated"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "my school"
• とても - adverb meaning "very"
• 素晴らしい - adjective that means "wonderful"
• 学校 - noun meaning "school"
• です - verb that indicates the polite way of affirming or asking something, in this case, "is"

私立学校は高いです。

Shiritsu gakkou wa takai desu

Private schools are expensive.

• 私立学校 (shiritsu gakkou) - private school
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 高い (takai) - expensive high
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form