本科

• Pinyin: běn kē
• Hanzi breakdown: 本 = 木 (tree) with a mark at the root, meaning root/origin; 科 = 禾 (grain) + 斗 (measure), meaning branch of study

Meaning

Undergraduate; bachelor's degree level. The standard four-year university programme.

Specifically refers to the undergraduate level of higher education, typically a four-year programme leading to a bachelor's degree. Distinct from 专科 (associate degree, 2-3 years) and 研究生 (postgraduate). Very common in education-related discussions.

Examples

1. 她本科学的是计算机专业，研究生转了金融。 She studied computer science for her undergraduate degree and switched to finance for her postgraduate.
2. 这所大学的本科教育在全国排名很高。 This university's undergraduate education ranks very highly nationwide.
3. 他本科毕业以后打算出国读研究生。 After finishing his bachelor's degree, he plans to go abroad for a master's.

Usage Guide

Context: education, career

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你本科是在哪所大学读的？(Which university did you attend for your undergraduate degree?)
• 本科四年的学习打下了很好的基础。(Four years of undergraduate study laid a solid foundation.)

Don't Say

• 把高中学习说成'本科' (Don't use 本科 for high school — it specifically means university undergraduate level, not secondary education)

Origin & History

A compound of 本 (root, origin, basic) and 科 (branch of study, department). Together they mean the foundational level of university study.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal