Translation and Meaning of: 校 - kou

The Japanese word 校[こう] is an essential term for those learning the language or interested in Japanese culture. It frequently appears in educational and institutional contexts, being part of the basic vocabulary for everyday communication. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and practical use, as well as curiosities that help to better understand how this word is perceived by native speakers.

If you have studied Japanese, you have probably come across 校[こう] in words like 学校[がっこう] (school) or 校長[こうちょう] (principal). But do you know all the nuances of this kanji? Let's uncover everything from its writing to examples of how it is used in common phrases. Whether for memorization or use in conversations, understanding 校[こう] is an important step in learning Japanese.

Meaning and usage of 校[こう]

The kanji 校 carries the main meaning of "school" or "educational institution," but its use goes beyond that. It can also refer to revision or correction, as in 校正[こうせい] (text revision). This duality of meanings shows how a single character can encompass different concepts depending on the context in which it is applied.

In the formation of compound words, 校[こう] appears frequently. Besides the examples already mentioned, we have 校舎[こうしゃ] (school building) and 校則[こうそく] (school rules). This kanji is so present in everyday Japanese that hardly a day goes by without a native speaker using it, whether in reading or writing.

Origin and writing of the kanji 校

The etymology of 校 traces back to ancient China, where the character originally represented the idea of "to compare" or "to adjust." Over time, its meaning evolved to include the concept of "a place where one corrects and teaches," hence its association with schools. The kanji is composed of the radical 木 (tree) and the component 交 (crossing), suggesting a structure where knowledge is transmitted.

In writing, 校 follows the traditional stroke order of kanji, starting from the left side and ending on the right. Mastering its correct writing is important for those who wish to learn Japanese accurately. Interestingly, this kanji retains the same form in both the Japanese writing system and in Chinese, although the pronunciations are different.

Tips for memorizing and using 校[こう]

An effective strategy to memorize 校 is to associate it with words you already know. For example, 学校[がっこう] is probably one of the first words students learn. Creating mental connections between this familiar term and others that contain 校 can speed up the learning process. Another tip is to practice writing while saying the pronunciation out loud.

In terms of practical use, it is worth paying attention to how 校 appears in different contexts. Watching Japanese school dramas or reading mangas with educational themes can be a fun way to reinforce vocabulary. Many schools in Japan use 校 in their names, such as 東京大学校[とうきょうだいがっこう] (Tokyo University), highlighting its importance in the identity of institutions.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 学校 (Gakkou) - School
• 教育機関 (Kyouiku Kikan) - Educational Institution
• 学院 (Gakuin) - Academy
• 学府 (Gakufu) - Higher Education Institution
• 学園 (Gakuen) - Educational Campus
• 学校教育 (Gakkou Kyouiku) - School Education
• 学校教育機関 (Gakkou Kyouiku Kikan) - Educational Institution
• 学校制度 (Gakkou Seido) - School System
• 学校教育制度 (Gakkou Kyouiku Seido) - School Education System
• 学校教育施設 (Gakkou Kyouiku Shisetsu) - School Education Facilities
• 学校教育施設等 (Gakkou Kyouiku Shisetsu-tou) - School Education Facilities, etc.
• 学校教育施設等における教育 (Gakkou Kyouiku Shisetsu-tou niokeru Kyouiku) - Education in Educational Facilities, etc.
• 学校教育施設等における教育及び研究 (Gakkou Kyouiku Shisetsu-tou niokeru Kyouiku oyobi Kenkyuu) - Education and Research in School Education Facilities, etc.
• 学校教育施設等における教育及び研究の推進 (Gakkou Kyouiku Shisetsu-tou niokeru Kyouiku oyobi Kenkyuu no Suishin) - Promotion of Education and Research in Educational Facilities, etc.

校

Romaji: kou
Kana: こう
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: '-School; proof

Meaning in English: '-school;proof

Definition: A name given to a school or facility.

Example Sentences - (校) kou

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

尉官は軍隊の上級将校です。

Yuukan wa guntai no joukyuu shoukou desu

An officer is a senior officer of the armed forces.

The captain is a senior army officer.

• 尉官 - official
• は - Topic particle
• 軍隊 - army
• の - Possession particle
• 上級 - superior
• 将校 - official
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

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)

校庭で友達と遊ぶのが好きです。

Kōtei de tomodachi to asobu no ga suki desu

I like to play with my friends in the school courtyard.

I like to play with friends in the school courtyard.

• 校庭 (koutei) - schoolyard
• で (de) - Particle that indicates the place where the action occurs
• 友達 (tomodachi) - amigo/amiga
• と (to) - particle indicating company
• 遊ぶ (asobu) - play/play/have fun
• のが (noga) - particle indicating that the phrase is an expression of preference
• 好き (suki) - like
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

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.