受験戦争

• 読み: じゅけんせんそう
• ローマ字: juken sensō
• 漢字の分解: 受 (receive) + 験 (test) + 戦 (battle) + 争 (conflict) → entrance exam warfare
• 発音: /dʑɯ.keɴ seɴ.soː/

意味

The intense, high-stakes competition surrounding entrance exams for schools and universities in Japan.

受験戦争 describes the extreme pressure and competition that Japanese students face when preparing for entrance exams, particularly for prestigious high schools and universities. The metaphor of 'war' captures the grueling study schedules, family sacrifices, and societal pressure involved. While this phenomenon peaked in the 1980s-90s bubble era, it remains a defining and widely discussed feature of Japanese education.

例文

1. 受験戦争のせいで中学から毎日塾に通ってたよ。
2. 日本の受験戦争って海外から見たら異常らしいね。
3. 受験戦争を乗り越えたから、大学ではちょっと遊びたい。

使い方ガイド

場面: education, family, news, social commentary

トーン: serious, critical

正しい言い方

• 受験戦争がなかったら日本の教育はもっと楽だったのにね。 (If there were no exam wars, Japanese education would be much easier.)
• うちの子も来年から受験戦争に突入だよ。 (My kid is entering exam war territory next year.)

避ける言い方

• 楽しかった受験戦争 — 受験戦争 is inherently negative; calling it fun sounds sarcastic or insensitive

よくある間違い

• Thinking 受験戦争 only refers to university entrance — it also covers elite middle school and high school admissions (中学受験, 高校受験)

起源と歴史

Coined in the postwar era as Japan's education system became increasingly competitive. The term gained widespread use during the 1960s-80s high-growth period when university prestige became tightly linked to lifetime career prospects.

文化的背景

時代: 1960s-80s peak, still relevant today

世代: All ages — a defining Japanese cultural experience

社会的背景: Especially intense among middle and upper-middle class families

地域メモ: Nationwide phenomenon but especially fierce in Tokyo and Osaka where prestigious schools are concentrated.