講座

• Reading: こうざ
• Romaji: kouza
• Kanji breakdown: 講 (kō) — lecture, explain; 座 (za) — seat, place, gathering
• Pronunciation: /koː.za/

Meaning

Course; lecture series; a structured educational programme on a specific topic.

A noun for an organised series of lectures or lessons, whether at a university, culture centre, or online platform. Different from 授業 (a single class session) or コース (a broader programme) — 講座 emphasises a themed, structured series. Common phrases: 講座を開く (to open a course), 通信講座 (correspondence course), オンライン講座 (online course).

Examples

1. 大学で日本文学の講座を受講している。 I'm taking a Japanese literature course at the university.
2. 料理教室で和食の講座に申し込んだ。 I signed up for a Japanese cuisine course at a cooking school.
3. プログラミングのオンライン講座が人気を集めている。 Online programming courses are gaining popularity.

Usage Guide

Context: education, university, online learning

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 講 (lecture, explain) + 座 (seat, place, gathering). Originally the place where lectures are given, then extended to mean the lecture series itself.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal