大学

• Reading: だいがく
• Romaji: daigaku
• Kanji breakdown: 大 (dai/oo) — big, great; 学 (gaku/mana) — learning, study
• Pronunciation: /da.i.ɡa.kɯ/

Meaning

University; college. Refers to higher education institutions offering undergraduate and graduate programmes.

A noun referring to four-year universities and colleges. In Japan, entrance exams (入試) are a major life event for students. Graduate school is called 大学院. The word is also used in casual speech to refer to one's university years or student life.

Examples

1. 来年大学に入ります。 I'm entering university next year.
2. 兄は東京の大学で勉強しています。 My older brother is studying at a university in Tokyo.
3. 大学の友達と昼ごはんを食べました。 I had lunch with a friend from college.

Usage Guide

Context: education, career planning, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 大 (great, large) and 学 (learning). Borrowed from classical Chinese, where 大学 originally referred to one of the Four Books of Confucianism before evolving to mean an institution of higher learning.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal