Meet 学 in words about learning and school. The examples connect each reading to a useful everyday context.

The idea

学 has 8 strokes; follow their order in the linked diagram. Read 学びます（まなびます） and 学校（がっこう） as complete words, because a character’s pronunciation depends on the word.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
学びますまなびますI learn about Japanese culture with a friend.
学校がっこうTomorrow I will go to school a little early.
学生がくせいThere are nine students.
大学だいがくI will go to university next year.
小学校しょうがっこうThere is a park in front of the elementary school.

Examples

  • 友達ともだちと日本にほんの文化ぶんかを学まなびます。I learn about Japanese culture with a friend.
  • 明日あしたは早はやめに学校がっこうへ行いきます。Tomorrow I will go to school a little early.
  • 九人きゅうにんの学生がくせいがいます。There are nine students.
  • 来年らいねんは大学だいがくへ行いきます。I will go to university next year.
  • 学校がっこうで日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。I study Japanese at school.
  • 小学校しょうがっこうの前まえに公園こうえんがあります。There is a park in front of the elementary school.

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

Watch out

学ぶ is まなぶ, but 学生 is がくせい. In 学校（がっこう）, listen for the small っ. Compare the shape of 学 with 字.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 学びます in hiragana. 「友達ともだちと日本にほんの文化ぶんかを学びます。」

    Show answer or example answer

    まなびます

    学びます is read まなびます. In the example: I learn about Japanese culture with a friend. Here it means “learn”.

  2. Write the reading of 学校 in hiragana. 「明日あしたは早はやめに学校へ行いきます。」

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    がっこう

    学校 is read がっこう. In the example: Tomorrow I will go to school a little early. Here it means “school”.

  3. Write the missing kanji: ＿びます［学／字］（まなびます）.

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    学

    学 completes 学びます, read まなびます. In the example: I learn about Japanese culture with a friend. Here it means “learn”.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 学 from memory and read 学びます and 学校 aloud. Then check the readings against the examples.