生徒

• Reading: せいと
• Romaji: seito
• Kanji breakdown: 生 (sei/ikiru) — life, person; 徒 (to) — follower, group
• Pronunciation: /seː.to/

Meaning

Pupil; student; schoolchild. Refers to students at primary and secondary schools.

Unlike 学生 (gakusei), which typically refers to university students, 生徒 specifically refers to middle school and high school students. For elementary school students, 児童 (jidou) is the formal term. In everyday speech, 生徒 is often used more broadly for any school-age student.

Examples

1. この学校には生徒が五百人います。 There are five hundred students at this school.
2. 生徒たちは教室で勉強しています。 The students are studying in the classroom.
3. 新しい生徒が今日から来ました。 A new student started today.

Usage Guide

Context: school, education, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 生 (sei, 'life/person') and 徒 (to, 'follower/group'). Together they mean 'those who follow a path of learning.'

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji era

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal