JLPT · Level 141
15 words
Japanese word
母校
Pronunciation
Romajibokō
Meaning
- nounalma mater
Example
卒業後、母校を訪ねました。sotsu gyō go bo kō o tazu ne ma shi ta
I visited my alma mater after graduation.
More examples
同窓会で、母校の近況を聞きました。dō sō kai de bo kō no kin kyō o ki ki ma shi ta
At the alumni reunion, I heard about how my alma mater was doing.
Core concept
Refers to the school a person graduated from, often with a sense of lasting personal connection.
Common phrases
母校を訪ねるbo kō o tazu ne ru
visit one's alma mater
母校に戻るbo kō ni modo ru
return to one's alma mater
母校の校歌bo kō no kō ka
school song of one's alma mater
Similar words
出身校shusshinkō: The school that a person graduated from or attended.
Definition in Japanese
自分が卒業した学校。ji bun ga sotsu gyō shi ta gak kō
Word origin
The Sino-Japanese compound 母校 (bokō) combines 母 (bo, "mother") and 校 (kō, "school"), portraying one's former school as a nurturing mother.
Usage tips
- The Japanese word 母校 (bokō) commonly appears in reports about alumni returning to their former schools, linking it with reunions and school events.