Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 校長 | kōchō | [ko̞ːt͡ɕo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 学校長 | gakkōchō |
校長 is the standard noun used to refer to the position of a school principal. When you want to refer to the person holding the position with respect, or when addressing them directly, the term 校長先生 is used.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 校長 is composed of 校, meaning school and 長, meaning head or chief.
Which one should you use?
校長 is the standard term used in daily conversation. In contrast, 学校長 is a more formal and administrative term that is often found in official documents and is used to mean "head of the school".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
校長 is the standard title for the position. However, if you are speaking to or about a principal in a respectful manner, it is common to add the suffix 先生 to the end to form 校長先生, which is a polite and formal way to address them.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kōchō
Did you know?
- While 校長 refers to the principal, the person who handles the actual daily discipline and operational grit is often the 教頭, or vice-principal, who is frequently more feared by students.
- The character 長 used in 校長 can be read as ながい when meaning 'long', creating a visual pun where the 'head' of the school is written with the same character as 'length'.
- In Japanese schools, the 校長先生 is often viewed as a distant, almost mythical figure by students, as they typically only see them during formal assemblies or special events.
Examples in context
- 彼は校長になり立てだ。He has just become a principal.This sentence is useful for describing someone who has recently attained the position of 校長.Tatoeba #107357 by bunbuku, translation #296329 by CK
- 彼はその高校の校長です。He is the principal of the high school.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as the 校長 of a specific high school.Tatoeba #112882 by bunbuku, translation #290794 by CK
- あれはきっと校長先生だ。I bet he is our principal.This sentence is useful for expressing a belief that someone is the 校長.Tatoeba #229741 by bunbuku, translation #67102 by CK
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are talking about a school event.
- 健太 Kenta校長先生がスピーチをします。kōchō sensei ga supīchi o shimasu.The principal will give a speech.
- 結衣 Yuiわあ、緊張しそうですね。waa, kinchō shisō desu ne.Wow, that sounds nerve-wracking.
- 健太 Kenta校長先生はとても優しいですよ。kōchō sensei wa totemo yasashii desu yo.The principal is very kind.
- 結衣 Yuiそれは安心しました。sore wa anshin shimashita.That is a relief.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “principal” translations and entries 校長, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
