成績

• Reading: せいせき
• Romaji: seiseki
• Kanji breakdown: 成 (sei) — achieve, become, form; 績 (seki) — accomplishment, merit, spinning
• Pronunciation: /seː.se.ki/

Meaning

Results; record; grades; marks. Academic or performance scores that measure achievement.

A noun referring to grades or results, especially in school. Often used with adjectives like いい (good) or 悪い (bad). Can also describe work performance or sports records. Report cards in Japan are called 成績表 (seisekihyou).

Examples

1. 今回のテストの成績はとてもよかった。 My grades on this test were really good.
2. 成績が下がったので、もっと勉強しなければならない。 My grades dropped, so I have to study more.
3. 彼女はクラスで一番いい成績を取った。 She got the best grades in the class.

Usage Guide

Context: school, exams, evaluation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 成 (sei, achieve/become) and 績 (seki, accomplishment/spinning). Originally related to the results of spinning thread, later generalized to achievements and records.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal