开学

• Pinyin: kāi xué
• Hanzi breakdown: 开 (kāi) — to open, to start; 学 (xué) — study, school

Meaning

School starts; the beginning of a school term. Refers to the commencement of a new academic semester or school year.

Used to mark the start of a school term, whether in primary school, high school, or university. In China, the main opening is in September, with a second term starting in February or March.

Examples

1. 下个星期一开学。 School starts next Monday.
2. 开学以后我要更努力学习。 After school starts, I will study harder.
3. 快要开学了，你准备好了吗？ School is about to start — are you ready?

Usage Guide

Context: school, calendar, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们九月一号开学。(Our school starts on September 1st.)
• 开学第一天很忙。(The first day of school is very busy.)

Don't Say

• 不要说'公司开学了' (Don't use 开学 for starting work — use 上班 or 开工 for the workplace)

Origin & History

Verb-object compound of 开 (to open, to start) and 学 (study, school). Literally 'start studies.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal