大学生

• Reading: だいがくせい
• Romaji: daigakusei
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (dai) — big, great; 学 (gaku) — study, learning; 生 (sei) — student, life
• Pronunciation: /da.i.ɡa.kɯ.seː/

Meaning

University student; college student. A person enrolled in a four-year university.

A compound noun combining 大学 (university) and 生 (student). Refers specifically to undergraduate students at a four-year university. Graduate students are called 大学院生 (daigakuinsei). In Japan, 大学生 life is often seen as a relatively free period between the strict high school years and demanding working life.

Examples

1. 姉は今大学生で、経済学を勉強しています。 My older sister is a college student right now, studying economics.
2. 大学生の時にアルバイトをたくさんしました。 When I was a college student, I worked a lot of part-time jobs.
3. この町には大学生が多いので若い人が多いです。 There are a lot of college students in this town, so there are many young people.

Usage Guide

Context: education, daily life, conversation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A straightforward compound: 大 (big/great) + 学 (study) + 生 (student/life). The term mirrors the Chinese educational terminology adopted into Japanese during the modernisation of the education system.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Youth to adults

Social background: Universal