高中

• Pinyin: gāo zhōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 高 = pictograph of a tall building; 中 = pictograph of a flagpole through the centre, meaning 'middle'

Meaning

High school; senior secondary school. The three-year stage of education before university.

Short for 高级中学. Covers grades 10-12 (ages ~15-18) in the Chinese education system. A critical period as students prepare for the 高考 (college entrance exam).

Examples

1. 他现在是高中二年级的学生。 He is currently a second-year high school student.
2. 我的高中在北京。 My high school is in Beijing.
3. 高中的学习很辛苦。 Studying in high school is very tough.

Usage Guide

Context: education, personal background, school life

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 我在高中学了三年法语。(I studied French for three years in high school.)
• 他是我的高中同学。(He is my high school classmate.)

Don't Say

• 不要把高中和大学混用 — 高中 is specifically senior secondary school (before university), not college or university.

Origin & History

Abbreviation of 高级中学 (high-level middle school), distinguishing it from 初中 (junior middle school).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal