From nursery to the end of school: stages, subjects, marks and exams.
Practise this list
From these 41 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Japanese schooling runs six years of primary school, three of lower secondary and usually three of upper secondary, and each stage has its own word for its pupils: 小学生, 中学生, 高校生. Entrance exams decide the move into high school and university, which is why so much of this vocabulary is about sitting them and passing them. The words for university life are on a page of their own.
The words
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Verb (1)
教わるto be taught; to learn (from someone)VerbN3
祖父に将棋のやり方を教わりました。I learned how to play shogi from my grandfather.
The teacher is marked with に; the receiving side of 教える.
Noun (40)
教育educationNounN4
両親は子供の教育にとても熱心です。Both parents are very involved in their children's education.
義務教育compulsory educationNounN3
日本の義務教育は、小学校と中学校の九年間です。Compulsory education in Japan is the nine years of primary and lower secondary school.
保育園day nurseryNounN3
共働きなので、娘を保育園に預けています。We both work, so our daughter goes to a day nursery.
Looks after children of working parents; 幼稚園 is the more school-like kind.
幼稚園kindergartenNounN3
息子は四月から幼稚園に通い始めます。Our son starts at kindergarten in April.
小学校primary schoolNounN4
小学校には六年間通います。Children go to primary school for six years.
中学校lower secondary schoolNounN4
中学校に入ってから、英語の授業が増えました。Since starting lower secondary school I have had more English lessons.
Often shortened to 中学. Ages twelve to fifteen.
高校upper secondary school; high schoolNounN4
姉は家から遠い高校に電車で通っています。My sister goes by train to a high school far from home.
Short for 高等学校. Not compulsory, but almost everyone goes.
小学生primary school pupilNounN4
小学生の子供たちが、歌いながら歩いていました。Some primary school children were walking along singing.
中学生lower secondary school pupilNounN4
弟は中学生になって、急に背が伸びました。My younger brother shot up once he started lower secondary school.
高校生high school studentNounN4
高校生のとき、毎日部活で遅く帰っていました。In high school I came home late every day because of club activities.
生徒pupil (at school)NounN4
この学校には、生徒が五百人ぐらいいます。This school has about five hundred pupils.
For school pupils; a university student is 学生.
担任class teacher; homeroom teacherNounN3
今年の担任の先生は、とても優しいです。This year's class teacher is very kind.
Also a verb: 担任する, to be in charge of a class.
校長head teacher; principalNounN3
入学式で、校長先生が長い話をしました。The head teacher gave a long speech at the entrance ceremony.
学年school year; year groupNounN3
妹と私は、学年が二つ違います。My younger sister is two years below me at school.
学力academic ability; attainmentNounN3
子供たちの学力を上げるために、授業の方法が変わりました。The way lessons are taught has changed to raise pupils' attainment.
科目subject (of study)NounN3
一番好きな科目は何ですか。What is your favourite subject?
国語Japanese (as a school subject)NounN3
国語の時間に、有名な小説を読みました。In Japanese class we read a famous novel.
Literally "the national language"; the language itself is 日本語.
算数arithmetic (in primary school)NounN3
算数は得意でしたが、中学の数学は難しかったです。I was good at arithmetic, but maths at lower secondary was hard.
The primary-school name; from lower secondary on it is 数学.
理科science (as a school subject)NounN3
理科の授業で、植物の観察をしました。We observed plants in science class.
修学旅行school tripNounN3
中学の修学旅行で、京都と奈良に行きました。On our lower secondary school trip we went to Kyoto and Nara.
A trip of several days that a whole year group takes together.
給食school lunchNounN3
小学校の給食で、カレーが一番人気でした。Curry was the most popular school lunch at primary school.
Pupils usually serve it themselves and eat in the classroom.
制服uniformNounN3
この高校には制服がなく、好きな服を着られます。This high school has no uniform, so you can wear what you like.
部活school club activitiesNounN3
中学の部活では、三年間テニスをしていました。I played tennis in the school club for all three years of lower secondary.
Short for 部活動; a big part of school life, often daily.
校則school rulesNounN3
校則で、髪を染めることは禁止されています。The school rules forbid dyeing your hair.
いじめbullyingNounN3
学校は、いじめの問題に真剣に取り組まなければなりません。Schools must deal with bullying seriously.
The verb is いじめる, to bully.
塾cram school; private tutoring schoolNounN3
受験の前は、週に四回塾に通っていました。Before the entrance exams I went to cram school four times a week.
家庭教師private tutorNounN3
大学生のとき、家庭教師のアルバイトをしていました。As a university student I worked part-time as a private tutor.
予習preparing for a lessonNounN4
明日の授業の予習をしてから寝ます。I will prepare for tomorrow's lesson before I go to bed.
Also a verb: 予習する. Its pair is 復習.
復習revision; going over a lessonNounN4
習ったことは、その日のうちに復習すると忘れにくいです。If you go over what you learned the same day, you are less likely to forget it.
Also a verb: 復習する.
暗記learning by heartNounN3
歴史の年号を暗記するのは苦手です。I am bad at memorising dates in history.
Also a verb: 暗記する.
受験sitting an entrance examNounN3
兄は来年、東京の大学を受験します。My brother will sit the entrance exam for a university in Tokyo next year.
Also a verb: 受験する; the school is marked with を.
入試entrance examinationNounN3
高校の入試は、二月から三月にかけて行われます。High school entrance exams are held between February and March.
Short for 入学試験.
合格passing (an exam)NounN3
第一志望の高校に合格しました。I got into the high school that was my first choice.
Also a verb: 合格する; the exam or school takes に.
浪人student retaking entrance examsNounN3
兄は一年浪人して、希望の大学に入りました。My brother spent a year retaking the exams and got into the university he wanted.
Also a verb: 浪人する. Originally a samurai without a master.
進学going on to the next stage of educationNounN3
高校を卒業したら、専門学校に進学するつもりです。After high school I plan to go on to a vocational college.
Also a verb: 進学する.
専門学校vocational collegeNounN3
料理の専門学校で、二年間勉強しました。I studied for two years at a cookery college.
成績marks; school resultsNounN3
今学期は成績が上がって、親に褒められました。My marks went up this term and my parents praised me.
点数score; markNounN3
数学のテストで、今までで一番いい点数を取りました。I got my best mark ever in the maths test.
通知表school reportNounN3
学期の最後の日に、通知表をもらいます。We get our school reports on the last day of term.
偏差値standard score (used to rank schools)NounN2
その高校は偏差値が高くて、入るのが難しいです。That high school has a high standard score and is hard to get into.
A ranking score that pupils, parents and schools refer to constantly.
