教育・学習

子供こどもへの教育きょういくに力ちからを入いれることが大切たいせつだ。

It's important to put effort into children's education.

Usage 教育 is education as a system or upbringing: 教育を受ける (receive an education), 義務教育 (compulsory education), 教育熱心 (keen on education). 勉強 is the studying you do yourself.

Remember it 教 (to teach) + 育 (to raise) → teaching and raising together.

彼女かのじょは医学部いがくぶに進学しんがくした。

She went on to study at the medical school.

Usage 学部 is a university faculty or department: 医学部 (medicine), 法学部 (law), 工学部 (engineering), 文学部 (literature). 学部生 is an undergraduate, as opposed to a 大学院生 (graduate student).

Remember it 学 (study) + 部 (division) → a division of study.

教科書きょうかしょを忘わすれて先生せんせいに叱しかられた。

I forgot my textbook and got scolded by the teacher.

Usage 教科書 is the textbook used in class; 参考書 (さんこうしょ) is a study guide you use on your own. 教科書通り means by the book: 教科書通りの答え (a textbook answer).

Remember it 教科 (school subject) + 書 (book) → the book for the subject.

今学期がっきの成績せいせきが上あがって親おやに褒ほめられた。

My grades went up this term and my parents praised me.

Usage 成績 is grades or results: 成績が上がる / 下がる, 成績表 (report card), 成績優秀 (excellent grades). It also covers work results: 営業成績 (sales performance).

Remember it 成 (to accomplish) + 績 (achievements) → the record of what you accomplished.

大学だいがくを卒業そつぎょうした後あと、就職しゅうしょくした。

After graduating from university, I got a job.

Usage 卒業する takes を: 大学を卒業する. Its opposite 入学する takes に. 卒業式 = graduation ceremony. Figuratively, 〜を卒業する means to outgrow something: 甘いものを卒業した.

Remember it 卒 (to finish) + 業 (studies) → finishing your studies.

春はるに大学だいがくに入学にゅうがくした。

I entered university in the spring.

Usage 入学する takes に: 大学に入学する. The Japanese school year starts in April, so 入学式 (entrance ceremonies) take place under the cherry blossoms. 入学試験 (入試) = entrance exam.

Remember it 入 (to enter) + 学 (school) → entering school.

日本語にほんごを学まなぶために日本にほんに留学りゅうがくしている。

I'm studying abroad in Japan to learn Japanese.

Usage 留学する = to study abroad: アメリカに留学する, 留学生 (international student), 交換留学 (exchange program), 短期留学 (short-term study abroad).

Remember it 留 (to stay) + 学 (study) → staying somewhere to study.

奨学金しょうがくきんをもらって海外かいがいの大学院だいがくいんに進学しんがくした。

I received a scholarship and went on to graduate school abroad.

Usage 奨学金 is a scholarship, but careful: many Japanese 奨学金 are loans (貸与型) that must be repaid. Grants that don't need repaying are 給付型.

Remember it 奨 (to encourage) + 学 (study) + 金 (money) → money to encourage study.

環境かんきょう問題もんだいについて研究けんきゅうしている。

I'm doing research on environmental issues.

Usage 研究する = to research: 研究者 (researcher), 研究室 (a university lab or seminar group), 研究発表 (research presentation).

Remember it 研 (to polish, grind) + 究 (to investigate deeply) → grinding away at a question.

卒業そつぎょう論文ろんぶんを書かくのに半年はんとしかかった。

It took me half a year to write my graduation thesis.

Usage 論文 is a thesis or academic paper: 論文を書く, 論文を発表する (publish a paper). 卒業論文 (graduation thesis), 修士論文 (master's thesis), 博士論文 (doctoral dissertation).

Remember it 論 (argument) + 文 (writing) → a piece of writing that argues.

山田やまだ教授きょうじゅの授業じゅぎょうはとてもわかりやすいわかりやすい。

Professor Yamada's lectures are very easy to understand.

Usage 教授 is a full professor; 准教授 (じゅんきょうじゅ) is an associate professor. As a title it follows the name: 山田教授. As a verb, 教授する means to teach (formal).

Remember it 教 (to teach) + 授 (to impart) → one who teaches and imparts.

有名ゆうめいな料理家りょうりかを講師こうしとして招まねいた。

We invited a famous cook to be our instructor.

Usage 講師 is a lecturer or instructor: at a university (a rank below 准教授), at a cram school, or as a guest speaker at a seminar. 非常勤講師 = part-time lecturer.

Remember it 講 (to lecture) + 師 (teacher) → the teacher who lectures.

先生せんせいが生徒せいとたちに質問しつもんを投なげかけた。

The teacher posed questions to the students.

Usage 生徒 is a pupil at junior high or high school; 学生 (がくせい) is a university student; 児童 (じどう) is an elementary schoolchild. 生徒会 = student council.

Remember it 生 (life, pupil) + 徒 (follower) → the ones who follow the teacher.

外国語がいこくごの学習がくしゅうには毎日まいにちの練習れんしゅうが欠かかせない。

Daily practice is essential for learning a foreign language.

Usage 学習 is learning, a more formal word than 勉強: 学習者 (learner), 学習塾 (cram school), 学習意欲 (motivation to learn), 機械学習 (machine learning).

Remember it 学 (to study) + 習 (to practice) → studying and practicing.

授業じゅぎょうの後あとは必かならず復習ふくしゅうするようにしている。

I make sure to review after every class.

Usage 復習 is reviewing what you learned; 予習 is preparing before class. Teachers say 予習・復習をしっかりしましょう. 練習 is drilling a skill.

Remember it 復 (to return, repeat) + 習 (to learn) → going back over it.

明日あしたの授業じゅぎょうの予習よしゅうをしておいた。

I prepared for tomorrow's class in advance.

Usage 予習 is preparing for a lesson before it happens: 予習をしておく. The ておく form (do in advance) fits it perfectly. The 予 family: 予定, 予約, 予防.

Remember it 予 (beforehand) + 習 (to learn) → learning it ahead of time.

単語たんごを暗記あんきするのが得意とくいではない。

I'm not good at memorizing vocabulary.

Usage 暗記する = to learn by heart: 暗記力 (memory for facts), 丸暗記 (rote memorization without understanding). 理解 (understanding) is its usual contrast.

Remember it 暗 (dark, without looking) + 記 (to record) → recording it so you can recite with your eyes closed.

先生せんせいの説明せつめいをしっかり理解りかいできた。

I was able to fully understand the teacher's explanation.

Usage 理解する = to understand, a more formal word than わかる: 理解力 (comprehension), 理解を深める (deepen understanding), 相互理解 (mutual understanding). 理解がある also means being understanding: 理解のある上司.

Remember it 理 (logic, reason) + 解 (to untie) → untying the logic of something.

幅広はばひろい知識ちしきを持もつことが大切たいせつだ。

It's important to have a wide range of knowledge.

Usage 知識 is knowledge you hold: 知識を身につける (acquire knowledge), 知識が豊富 (knowledgeable), 専門知識 (specialist knowledge). 情報 is information as data.

Remember it 知 (to know) + 識 (discernment) → knowing and discerning.

最新さいしんの情報じょうほうをインターネットで集あつめた。

I gathered the latest information on the internet.

Usage 情報 is information or data: 情報を集める, 個人情報 (personal data), 情報漏洩 (data leak), 情報化社会 (the information society). 情報 is uncountable, like the English word.

Remember it 情 (circumstances) + 報 (report) → a report on how things stand.

入試にゅうしに備そなえて参考書さんこうしょを何冊なんさつも買かった。

I bought several study guides to prepare for the entrance exam.

Usage 参考書 is a study guide or reference book for self-study and exam prep; 教科書 is the class textbook. 参考にする = to use as a reference.

Remember it 参考 (reference) + 書 (book) → a book for reference.

入学式にゅうがくしきで校長こうちょうが祝辞しゅくじを述のべた。

The principal gave a congratulatory speech at the entrance ceremony.

Usage 校長 is the principal of an elementary, junior high or high school; a university has a 学長 (がくちょう, president). Address them as 校長先生. 長 (chief) builds other titles: 社長, 部長, 店長.

Remember it 校 (school) + 長 (chief) → the chief of the school.

放課後ほうかごは毎日まいにち部活ぶかつでサッカーの練習れんしゅうをしている。

Every day after school, I practice soccer in my club.

Usage 部活 is short for 部活動, school club activities. They are a serious commitment in Japan, with practice most days. 運動部 = sports clubs, 文化部 = cultural clubs.

Remember it 部 (club, division) + 活 (activity) → club activity.

文化祭ぶんかさいでクラスの出し物だしものとして劇げきを演えんじた。

At the school festival, our class put on a play.

Usage 文化祭 is a school festival, usually in autumn, where classes run cafés, plays and haunted houses. 体育祭 (たいいくさい) is sports day. 出し物 (だしもの) = an act or attraction.

Remember it 文化 (culture) + 祭 (festival) → a festival of culture.

日本の義務教育ぎむきょういくは9年間ねんかんだ。

Compulsory education in Japan lasts nine years.

Usage 義務教育 is compulsory education: six years of elementary school and three of junior high in Japan. 義務 means duty or obligation: 納税の義務.

Remember it 義務 (duty) + 教育 (education) → education as a duty.

この高校こうこうは大学へのだいがくへの進学率しんがくりつが95%だ。

This high school's university entrance rate is 95%.

Usage 進学率 is the share of students going on to the next level: 大学進学率. 進学する means to go on to further education. 率 (rate) also appears in 合格率 and 就職率.

Remember it 進学 (advancing in school) + 率 (rate) → the rate of students advancing.

家庭かていの事情じじょうで大学だいがくを中退ちゅうたいした。

I dropped out of university because of family circumstances.

Usage 中退 is short for 中途退学, dropping out: 大学を中退する. 退学 can also mean being expelled. 高校中退 often appears on résumés.

Remember it 中 (midway) + 退 (to withdraw) → withdrawing midway.

試験しけんに落おちた生徒せいとは補習ほしゅうを受うけなければならない。

Students who failed the exam have to attend remedial classes.

Usage 補習 is extra or remedial classes to catch up: 補習を受ける, 夏休みの補習. Know the set: 予習 (before), 復習 (after), 補習 (make-up).

Remember it 補 (to supplement) + 習 (to learn) → learning to fill the gaps.

受験じゅけんのために塾じゅくに通かよっている。

I go to a cram school to prepare for entrance exams.

Usage 塾 is a private after-school academy: 塾に通う (attend cram school), 学習塾, 進学塾 (exam-prep school). A huge part of Japanese school life.

Remember it 孰 + 土 (earth) → a house of earth where students gather after school.

息子むすこの成績せいせきを上あげるために家庭教師かていきょうしを頼たのんだ。

I hired a private tutor to raise my son's grades.

Usage 家庭教師 is a private tutor who comes to your home: 家庭教師をする (work as a tutor), 家庭教師を頼む. It is a popular part-time job for university students.

Remember it 家庭 (home) + 教師 (teacher) → a teacher at home.

偏差値へんさち70以上の大学だいがくを目指めざしている。

I'm aiming for universities with a hensachi of 70 or higher.

Usage 偏差値 is a standard score used to rank students and schools: 50 is average, 60 is strong, 70 is elite. You'll hear 偏差値が高い大学 constantly in exam culture.

Remember it 偏差 (deviation) + 値 (value) → how far your value deviates from the average.

入試にゅうしに合格ごうかくするために毎日まいにち猛勉強もうべんきょうした。

I studied like crazy every day to pass the entrance exam.

Usage 入試 is short for 入学試験: 大学入試, 入試に合格する / 落ちる. The national university entrance test is now the 共通テスト (formerly センター試験).

Remember it 入 (to enter) + 試 (test) → the test to get in.

本番ほんばんの試験しけんの前まえに模試もしを何度なんども受うけた。

I took mock exams many times before the real one.

Usage 模試 is short for 模擬試験, a practice exam: 模試を受ける, 模試の判定 (the pass-likelihood grade you get back). 本番 is the real thing.

Remember it 模 (to imitate) + 試 (test) → an imitation test.

推薦入学すいせんにゅうがくで難関大学なんかんだいがくに合格ごうかくした。

I got into a highly competitive university through recommendation-based admission.

Usage 推薦入学 is admission based on a school's recommendation instead of the general exam. 推薦状 = letter of recommendation; 指定校推薦 = recommendation through a designated partner school.

Remember it 推薦 (推 push + 薦 recommend: to recommend) + 入学 (admission) → admission by recommendation.

必修科目ひっしゅうかもくの単位たんいを落おとして留年りゅうねんした。

I failed a required course and had to repeat a year.

Usage 単位 is a university credit: 単位を取る (earn credits), 単位を落とす (fail a course), 単位が足りない. It also means a unit of measurement: 長さの単位.

Remember it 単 (single) + 位 (place, rank) → a single countable place. A unit.

卒業論文そつぎょうろんぶんのテーマに悩なやんで半年はんとし経たった。

I've been agonizing over my graduation thesis topic for six months.

Usage 卒業論文 is usually shortened to 卒論 (そつろん): 卒論を書く, 卒論発表 (thesis presentation). Most Japanese undergraduates write one in their final year.

Remember it 卒業 (graduation) + 論文 (thesis) → the thesis you write to graduate.

ゼミゼミでは毎週まいしゅう論文ろんぶんを発表はっぴょうしなければならない。

In my seminar, I have to present a paper every week.

Usage ゼミ, short for ゼミナール (from German Seminar), is a small seminar group led by a professor, central to Japanese university life. ゼミに入る (join a seminar), ゼミ生 (seminar member).

Remember it From German 'Seminar', clipped to its first two sounds.

学術がくじゅつ論文ろんぶんを専門せんもん誌しに投稿とうこうした。

I submitted an academic paper to a specialist journal.

Usage 学術 means academic or scholarly: 学術論文 (academic paper), 学術的な (scholarly), 学術研究, 学術会議. It is always formal.

Remember it 学 (learning) + 術 (art, technique) → the arts of learning.

論文ろんぶんを書かくために多くのおおくの文献ぶんけんを調しらべた。

I researched a lot of literature to write my thesis.

Usage 文献 is academic literature and sources: 参考文献 (bibliography), 文献調査 (literature review). 資料 (しりょう) is materials or data in general.

Remember it 文 (writing) + 献 (to offer) → writings offered up as sources.

論文ろんぶんに他者たしゃの研究けんきゅうを引用いんようする際さいは出典しゅってんを明記めいきする。

When citing other people's research in a paper, you must clearly state the source.

Usage 引用する = to quote or cite: 引用文献 (cited works), 出典 (source), 無断引用 (unauthorized quoting). 「」 or "" are 引用符 (quotation marks).

Remember it 引 (to pull) + 用 (to use) → pulling in someone's words to use.

論文審査ろんぶんしんさに合格ごうかくして博士号はくしごうを取得しゅとくした。

I passed my thesis review and earned my doctorate.

Usage 論文審査 is the formal review or defense of a thesis: 論文審査に通る. 審査 means screening: 書類審査 (document screening), 入国審査 (immigration).

Remember it 論文 (thesis) + 審査 (審 judge + 査 inspect: examination) → examining the thesis.

学費がくひが高たかくて奨学金しょうがくきんを申請しんせいした。

Tuition was so expensive that I applied for a scholarship.

Usage 学費 covers all school costs; 授業料 (じゅぎょうりょう) is tuition itself. 学費を払う, 学費を稼ぐ (earn money for school), 学費免除 (fee waiver).

Remember it 学 (school) + 費 (expense) → school expenses.