中学校
chūgakkō[t͡ɕɨːɡa̠k̚ko̞ː]
The Japanese phrase for middle school is 中学校 (chūgakkō).
中学校 refers to a school that contains both primary and secondary students.
Meaning: school containing both primary and secondary students (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the characters 中 (middle), 学 (study/learning) and 校 (school).
Which one should you use?
中学校 is the level of education immediately following 小学校 (elementary school) and immediately preceding 高校 (high school).
How do you pronounce it?
chūgakkō
What mistakes should you avoid?
To refer to a person who is a middle school student, use 中学生 instead of 中学校生.
Did you know?
- In most 中学校, students are responsible for cleaning the classrooms and hallways themselves as part of their daily routine, a practice called 掃除.
- The transition to 中学校 is often marked by the 'entrance exam' culture, where students study at private cram schools called 塾 to get into prestigious middle schools.
- Japanese middle schools often have 部活 or 'club activities' that are so intense they are considered a primary part of the curriculum rather than an optional hobby.
Examples in context
- 父は中学校で英語を教えています。My father teaches English at a middle school.This sentence is useful for showing how to say someone teaches at a middle school using 中学校.Tatoeba #3050905 by tommy_san, translation #3459842 by AlanF_US
- 中学校の時に、あるセラピストの女性の方と話した後、すごく話が弾んだから突如「これは脈あり」って思って、キスしようとしたんだ。そしたら「やめなさい」って怒られた。その後、次の授業に向かいながら、すごく恥ずかしくなった。In middle school, I was talking with my therapist, and seeing as we were having such a great talk, I suddenly thought "There's my chance", and I tried to get a kiss. But she told me to stop. Then, as I headed to my next class, I felt so embarrassed.This sentence uses 中学校 to set the time period of a story.Tatoeba #10109284 by small_snow, translation #10109285 by DJ_Saidez
- 小学校を卒業して中学校に入学することが「大人への第一歩」と見なす考え方も存在します。The graduation from elementary school to middle school is regarded by some as the first step towards adulthood.This sentence shows the transition from elementary school to middle school using 中学校.Tatoeba #400868 by Grayster, translation #400869 by Grayster
- わたしは中学校に通っています。I am attending middle school.
- 今度、中高一緒だね！We'll be together in middle and high school, right?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are talking about their hometowns.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんは、どこの中学校に行きましたか？Kenta-san wa, doko no chūgakkō ni ikimashita ka?Which middle school did you go to, Kenta?
- 健太 Kenta駅の近くにある中学校に通っていました。Eki no chikaku ni aru chūgakkō ni kayotte imashita.I went to the middle school near the station.
- 美咲 Misakiあそこは有名な中学校ですよね。Asoko wa yūmei na chūgakkō desu yo ne.That is a famous middle school, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaはい、とても厳しい学校でした。Hai, totemo kibishii gakkō deshita.Yes, it was a very strict school.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “middle school” translations and entries 中学校, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
