大学院

• Reading: だいがくいん
• Romaji: daigakuin
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (dai) — big, great; 学 (gaku) — learning; 院 (in) — institution, hall
• Pronunciation: /da.i.ɡa.kɯ.iɴ/

Meaning

Graduate school. The postgraduate division of a university offering master's and doctoral programs.

A noun referring to the graduate-level academic institution in Japan. Students who attend are called 大学院生 (graduate students). Entering graduate school is expressed as 大学院に入る or 大学院に進学する.

Examples

1. 来年、大学院に進学するつもりです。 I plan to go to graduate school next year.
2. 大学院で人工知能を研究しています。 I'm researching artificial intelligence in graduate school.
3. 大学院の入試は十一月にある。 The graduate school entrance exam is in November.

Usage Guide

Context: education, career planning, research

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 大学 (university) and 院 (institution, hall). The 院 suffix indicates an advanced institutional division beyond the undergraduate level.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Young adults

Social background: Universal