学校
gakkō[ɡa̠k̚ko̞ː]
The Japanese word for school is 学校. If unsure, use 学校 (gakkō). Wiktionary also lists 学び舎 (manabiya).
Meaning: an institution dedicated to teaching and learning (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 学校 | gakkō | [ɡa̠k̚ko̞ː] (narrow) |
| 学び舎 | manabiya | [ma̠na̠bʲija̠] (narrow) |
The term refers to an institution dedicated to teaching and learning.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 学校 is composed of the characters 学, meaning study or learning and 校, meaning facility or institution.
Which one should you use?
While 学校 is the standard word for school, 学び舎 is a more poetic or literary term used to refer to a place of learning, often appearing in literature or songs. Additionally, 校舎 is used specifically when referring to the buildings or the campus of a school and 学院 refers to a specialized educational institution, such as an art school or a language institute.
How do you pronounce it?
gakkō
Did you know?
- In Japan, students are typically responsible for cleaning their own 学校 using brooms and rags during a dedicated time called 掃除 (sōji). This practice is designed to teach humility and respect for the environment.
- Students in Japan typically change into 上履き (uwabaki), which are indoor shoes, immediately upon entering the 学校 to keep the floors clean.
- In Japanese, the concept of a 'school' can extend to 塾 (juku), which are private cram schools where students spend several hours every evening after their regular 学校 hours.
Examples in context
- 学校はどう？How's school?The sentence is useful for asking how school is going using 学校.Tatoeba #2095012 by bunbuku, translation #1885868 by CK
- 学校は好き？Do you like school?The sentence is useful for asking about liking school using 学校.Tatoeba #2446172 by tommy_san, translation #1098292 by cntrational
- 明日学校でね。See you tomorrow at school.The sentence is useful for making plans to meet at school using 学校.Tatoeba #80315 by bunbuku, translation #323402 by CK
- 私は学校に行っています。I am going to school.
- 校舎は新しく見えますね。The school building looks new, doesn't it?
- 今日学校行く？Are you going to school today?
- うちの子、来年から高校生になるんだ。My child will become a high school student next year.
- 彼は音楽学院に通っています。He is attending a music school.
- 1153 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their commute.
- 美咲 Misaki学校までどのくらいかかる？Gakkou made dono kurai kakaru?How long does it take to get to school?
- 蓮 Ren歩いて十分くらいだよ。Aruite juppun kurai dayo.It takes about ten minutes on foot.
- 美咲 Misakiいいな。私はバスで学校に行くよ。Ii na. Watashi wa basu de gakkou ni iku yo.Lucky you. I go to school by bus.
- 蓮 Renそれは大変だね。Sore wa taihen dane.That sounds tough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “school” translations and entries 学校, 学び舎, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
