学分

• Pinyin: xué fēn
• Hanzi breakdown: 学 = 子 (child) + 冖 + 爻, to study/learn; 分 = 刀 (knife) + 八 (divide), to divide or share out

Meaning

Academic credit; credit hours. A unit measuring the value of a course towards a degree.

Used in university and vocational education to quantify how much a course contributes to a student's graduation requirements. Students must accumulate a set number of 学分 to graduate. 修学分 means to earn credits, and 学分制 refers to the credit-based system itself.

Examples

1. 这门课一共有三个学分，需要认真完成所有作业。 This course is worth three credits in total, so you need to complete all assignments carefully.
2. 他因为缺课太多，有两门课的学分没有拿到。 He missed too many classes and failed to earn credits for two courses.
3. 选修课和必修课的学分要求是不一样的。 The credit requirements for elective and required courses are different.

Usage Guide

Context: academic, education

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这门课有多少学分？(How many credits is this course worth?)
• 他已经修够了毕业所需的学分。(He has already earned enough credits to graduate.)

Don't Say

• 用'分数'来表示课程学分 (Don't use 分数 when you mean academic credits — 分数 refers to a score or grade, while 学分 refers specifically to credit hours)

Origin & History

A compound of 学 (to study) and 分 (to divide/share). The credit-hour concept was adapted from Western academic systems when Chinese universities modernised in the twentieth century.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal