大学院
daigakuin[da̠iɡa̠kɯ̟ĩɴ]
大学院 (daigakuin) is the Japanese word for graduate school.
大学院 refers to the institution that awards advanced degrees, but it is also used to refer to the period of time a person spends studying in graduate school.
Meaning: a school that awards advanced degrees (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
daigakuin
Did you know?
- The phrase 院に籠もる (in ni komoru) describes a graduate student 'shutting themselves away' in the school, reflecting the intense, isolated nature of Japanese research culture.
- The term 院生 (insei) is used as a shorthand to describe a graduate student, omitting the 'university' part of 大学院 entirely.
- The character 院 in 大学院 originally referred to a building or a formal institution, such as a temple or a court, rather than a place of learning.
Examples in context
- 大学院に進学するつもりです。I'm planning to go to graduate school.This sentence is useful for expressing an intention to enter graduate school using 大学院.Tatoeba #155207 by KK_kaku_, translation #259332 by Dejo
- 大学院に進学すべきか逡巡する。I'm hesitant about whether I should go to graduate school.This sentence is useful for expressing hesitation regarding whether to enter graduate school using 大学院.Tatoeba #9857023 by MsFixer, translation #10122683 by tsp_2
- 彼は大学院で研究しています。Kare wa daigakuin de kenkyuu shite imasu.He is conducting research at graduate school.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their future plans.
- 健太 Kenta美咲さんは、大学院に行きますか。Misaki-san wa, daigakuin ni ikimasu kaMisaki, are you going to graduate school?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、もう合格しました。hai, mō gōkaku shimashitaYes, I have already been accepted.
- 健太 Kentaすごいですね。おめでとうございます！sugoi desu ne. omedetō gozaimasuThat's amazing. Congratulations!
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます、健太さん。arigatō gozaimasu, Kenta-sanThank you, Kenta.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “graduate school” translations and entries 大学院, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 大学院, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
