補講
Meaning: A make-up class held to compensate for a cancelled lecture — the dreaded price of 休講.
補講 is a supplementary class scheduled to make up for lectures lost to cancellations, holidays, or other disruptions. It is the bittersweet follow-up to 休講 — the initial joy of a cancelled class eventually comes back as a 補講, often scheduled at inconvenient times like Saturday mornings or during exam preparation periods. Attendance at 補講 is usually mandatory and counts toward the class participation grade, making it difficult to skip.
Examples
- 台風で休講になった分の補講が土曜に入った。最悪。 因台风停课的补课安排在了周六。太惨了。La clase de recuperación por la cancelación del tifón la han puesto el sábado. Qué desastre.태풍 때문에 휴강된 분의 보강이 토요일에 잡혔어. 최악이야.
- 補講の日程がテスト前の忙しい時期にぶつかって詰んだ。 补课时间偏偏赶上考前最忙的时候,完蛋了。La recuperación cae justo en la época de exámenes, estoy perdido.보강 일정이 시험 전 바쁜 시기에 겹쳐서 끝장이야.
- 補講出ないと出席足りなくなるから行くしかない。 补课不去的话出勤不够,只能去了。Si no voy a la recuperación no me llegarán las asistencias, así que no me queda otra.보강에 안 나가면 출석이 부족해지니까 갈 수밖에 없어.
Pronunciation
/ho.koː/
Usage Guide
Context: university, academic, friends
Tone: resigned, complaining
✓ Do Say
- 補講いつあるか確認した? (Did you check when the make-up class is?)你查了补课什么时候上了吗?(你确认补课时间了吗?)¿Has mirado cuándo es la clase de recuperación? (Did you check when the make-up class is?)보강 언제인지 확인했어? (보강 수업이 언제인지 체크했어?)
- 補講が土曜とかやめてほしい。 (I wish they wouldn't schedule make-up classes on Saturday.)补课安排在周六也太过分了。(别把补课安排在周六好吗。)Ojalá no pusieran las clases de recuperación los sábados. (I wish they wouldn't schedule make-up classes on Saturday.)보강이 토요일이라니 그만해 줬으면. (보강을 토요일에 넣는 건 좀 그만했으면.)
✗ Don't Say
- 「補講なくせばいいのに」は教授への暴言 (Saying 'they should just skip the make-up class' is disrespectful to the professor)说'干脆不补课不就好了'是对教授的不敬Decir «deberían quitar las recuperaciones» es una falta de respeto al profesor (Decir que deberían saltarse la clase de recuperación es una falta de respeto al profesor)「보강 안 하면 되지」는 교수에 대한 폭언이다 (보강을 그냥 없애면 된다고 하는 건 교수에게 무례한 말이다)
Common Mistakes
- Thinking 補講 is optional — in most cases attendance is mandatory and counts toward your grade, unlike regular 休講 which frees up your time
Origin & History
Standard academic term from 補 (supplement/compensate) + 講 (lecture). Part of the formal university vocabulary system alongside 休講 (cancellation) and 追試 (make-up exam).
Cultural Context
Era: Modern university system, ongoing
Generation: University students (term understood by all ages)
Social background: Universal in academic contexts
Regional notes: Used at all Japanese universities. The scheduling of 補講 often becomes a point of frustration among students.
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