毕业
bì yè
The English word "graduation" is translated into Chinese as 毕业 (bì yè).
If you are specifically referring to the commencement ceremony itself, use 毕业典礼.
Meaning: a commencement ceremony (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 毕业 is composed of 毕, meaning "to finish" or "to complete" and 业, meaning "studies" or "course of study".
Which one should you use?
While 毕业 refers to the general concept of graduation, 毕业典礼 is the specific term for a graduation ceremony. Additionally, if you are discussing the completion of a specific course or a vocational training program rather than a degree, the term 结业 is more appropriate.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hokkien, the equivalent of graduation is 畢業.
How do you pronounce it?
bì yè
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 毕业 as a transitive verb. For example, do not attempt to say "I graduated him" in Chinese. 毕业 can only be used to describe the subject's own graduation.
Did you know?
- In modern youth slang, the phrase 毕业 is sometimes used when a collector finally acquires every single item in a set, effectively 'graduating' from that hobby.
- In Chinese culture, the term 毕业 can be used metaphorically to describe leaving a job or finishing a long-term commitment, even if no formal degree was involved.
- The character 业 in 毕业 can also mean 'industry' or 'business'. This reflects an ancient Chinese view that education is a form of 'work' or 'career' building.
Examples in context
- 我最近真忙于我的毕业论文。I've been really busy with my graduation dissertation recently.This sentence shows how to use 毕业 when discussing a graduation dissertation.Tatoeba #715865 by WilliamKwok, translation #715864 by CM
- 尽管他考试成绩不高，但他毕业后还是很成功。Although his exam scores weren't very high, he was still successful after graduation.This sentence demonstrates the use of 毕业 to describe someone's success after completing their studies.Tatoeba #746471 by GlossaMatik, translation #746472 by eastasiastudent
- 恭喜你顺利毕业！Congratulations on graduating successfully!
- 祝贺你的优异成绩和顺利毕业！Congratulations on your outstanding achievements and successful graduation!
- 祝你前程似锦，毕业快乐！Wishing you a bright future and a happy graduation!
- 毕业典礼非常隆重。Bìyè diǎnlǐ fēicháng lóngzhòng.The graduation ceremony was very grand.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two classmates are talking about their upcoming ceremony.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你准备好毕业典礼了吗？Nǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo bìyè diǎnlǐ le ma?Are you ready for the graduation ceremony?
- 雨婷 Yuting准备好了，我非常期待那天。Zhǔnbèi hǎo le, wǒ fēicháng qīdài nèitiān.I am, I'm really looking forward to that day.
- 志强 Zhiqiang毕业后你打算去哪里？Bìyè hòu nǐ dǎsuàn qù nǎlǐ?Where do you plan to go after graduation?
- 雨婷 Yuting我打算先回老家休息一下。Wǒ dǎsuàn xiān huí lǎojiā xiūxi yīxià.I plan to go back to my hometown to rest for a bit.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
