Japanese word

中学校

Pronunciation

Romajichūgakkō

Meaning

  • nounmiddle school

Example

姉は中学校に通っています。ane wa chū gak kō ni kayo tte i ma su

My older sister goes to middle school.

Illustration for 中学校 (middle school)

More examples

弟は中学校に通っています。otōto wa chū gak kō ni kayo tte i ma su

My younger brother goes to middle school.

私は来年、中学校に入学します。watashi wa rai nen chū gak kō ni nyū gaku shi ma su

I will enter middle school next year.

Core concept

Refers to a school level that follows elementary education and precedes high school in a student's educational path.

Common phrases

  • 中学校に通うchū gak kō ni kayo u

    attend middle school

  • 中学校を卒業するchū gak kō o sotsu gyō su ru

    graduate from middle school

  • 中学校の先生chū gak kō no sen sei

    middle school teacher

Similar words

中学chūgaku: An everyday abbreviation for the Japanese school level between elementary school and high school.

Definition in Japanese

小学校を終えた生徒が、高等学校に進む前に学ぶ学校。shō gak kō o o e ta sei to ga kō tō gak kō ni susu mu mae ni mana bu gak kō

Word origin

中学校 (chūgakkō) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 中 (chū, "middle"), 学 (gaku, "learning"), and 校 (kō, "school"), so its parts describe a middle stage of schooling.

Usage tips

  • The English term middle school covers different grade ranges in different countries, while 中学校 (chūgakkō) in Japan specifically covers the three years after elementary school.

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