Use school-calendar words to understand a typical Japanese elementary-school year.

The idea

学年（がくねん） is a school year and 学期（がっき） is a term. The elementary-school year runs from April 1 to March 31. 入学式（にゅうがくしき） marks entrance; 卒業式（そつぎょうしき） marks graduation. 夏休み is summer vacation and 春休み is spring vacation. Many schools divide the year into two or three terms.

Patterns to compare
WordReading
学年がくねん
学期がっき
入学式にゅうがくしき
夏休みなつやすみ
卒業式そつぎょうしき
春休みはるやすみ

Examples

  • 日本にほんの小学校しょうがっこうの学年がくねんは四月しがつに始はじまります。The Japanese elementary-school year begins in April.
  • 入学式にゅうがくしきは四月しがつにあります。The entrance ceremony is in April.
  • 夏休なつやすみは七月しちがつからです。Summer vacation starts in July.
  • 九月くがつに学校がっこうがまた始はじまります。School starts again in September.
  • 三月さんがつに卒業式そつぎょうしきがあります。There is a graduation ceremony in March.
  • 春休はるやすみの後あと、新あたらしい学年がくねんが始はじまります。A new school year starts after spring vacation.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

The example dates illustrate one schedule, not every school: vacation dates, term arrangements and events vary by region and school. An entrance ceremony is not a graduation ceremony.

Try it yourself

  1. Which ceremony marks entry into school? （入学式にゅうがくしき／卒業式そつぎょうしき）

    Show answer or example answer

    入学式

    入学式 is the ceremony for entering school; 卒業式 marks graduation.

  2. Which ceremony marks graduation? （入学式にゅうがくしき／卒業式そつぎょうしき）

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    卒業式

    卒業式 marks graduation; 入学式 welcomes new students.

  3. Which word means the school year from April to the following March? （学年がくねん／学期がっき）

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    学年

    学年 is the school year; 学期 is a term within it.

Use it today

Read a school calendar and identify its first term, entrance ceremony and vacations; ask when each happens.