奨学金

• 読み: しょうがくきん
• ローマ字: shōgakukin
• 漢字の分解: 奨 (encourage) + 学 (study) + 金 (money) → study encouragement money / scholarship
• 発音: /ɕoː.ga.kɯ.kiɴ/

意味

Scholarship — though in Japan, this word most commonly refers to student loans that must be repaid after graduation.

While 奨学金 literally means 'scholarship money,' the vast majority of Japanese 奨学金 (especially JASSO's Type 2) are interest-bearing loans that students must repay over 10-20 years after graduation. This gap between the gentle-sounding name and the harsh reality of debt repayment has become a major social issue. Many graduates struggle with 奨学金 repayment, leading to calls for reform. True grant-type scholarships (給付型) exist but are far less common.

例文

1. 奨学金の返済が卒業後20年も続くってキツすぎ。
2. 奨学金借りてるから成績落とせないんだよね。
3. 日本の奨学金ってほぼ学生ローンだよね。

使い方ガイド

場面: university, finances, social issues, family

トーン: serious, sometimes bitter

正しい言い方

• 奨学金返し終わるまであと15年もある。 (I still have 15 years left to pay off my scholarship loan.)
• 給付型の奨学金に応募したけどダメだった。 (I applied for a grant-type scholarship but didn't get it.)

避ける言い方

• 「奨学金もらってるの？すごい！」 — 貸与型だと借金なので素直に褒められると微妙 (Saying 'You got a scholarship? Amazing!' can be awkward when it's actually a loan)

よくある間違い

• Assuming 奨学金 is free money like Western scholarships — most Japanese 奨学金 are loans (貸与型) requiring repayment, not grants (給付型)

起源と歴史

From 奨 (encourage) + 学 (study) + 金 (money). The modern JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) system was established in 2004, but government student support has existed since the prewar era. The 'scholarship in name, loan in practice' criticism has intensified since the 2010s.

文化的背景

時代: Modern system from 2004 (JASSO), student loan debate intensified 2010s onward

世代: All ages (universally understood, hot social issue)

社会的背景: Widely used across economic backgrounds; about half of Japanese university students use some form of 奨学金

地域メモ: Used across Japan. The 奨学金 repayment burden has become a national political issue.