学 – Meaning, Reading & Usage

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学

学 means ‘study,’ ‘learning,’ or ‘school.’ It depicts a child (子) under a roof with learning materials above, suggesting a child learning under the guidance of a teacher.

Reading

On’yomi:

ガク (GAKU)

Kun’yomi:

まな-ぶ (mana-bu)

Basic Information

Kanji 学
Meaning study, learning, science
Stroke Count 8
JLPT Level N5

How to Understand This Kanji

学 carries a broad sense of academic learning and intellectual pursuit. It appears in the words for school (学校), university (大学), and studying abroad (留学), spanning all levels of education.

Common Words

  • 学生
    （がくせい）
    — student

  • 大学
    （だいがく）
    — university

  • 学校
    （がっこう）
    — school

  • 学ぶ
    （まなぶ）
    — to learn, to study

  • 学習
    （がくしゅう）
    — learning, study

  • 留学
    （りゅうがく）
    — studying abroad

Example Sentences

  • 私は大学で日本語を学んでいます。

    わたしはだいがくでにほんごをまなんでいます。

    I am studying Japanese at university.

  • 学校は九時に始まります。

    がっこうはくじにはじまります。

    School starts at nine o’clock.

  • 毎日少しずつ学ぶことが大切です。

    まいにちすこしずつまなぶことがたいせつです。

    It is important to learn a little every day.

Related Kanji

  • 校

    — 学校 (school) directly combines 学 and 校 — they almost always appear together

  • 生

    — 学生 (student) pairs 学 and 生; 生 also appears in 先生 (teacher)

  • 教

    — To teach — the counterpart to 学 (to learn); teacher and student go together

When Learners Usually See This Kanji

学 is one of the most important kanji for students as it appears in academic vocabulary immediately. Knowing 学 helps you read signs for schools and universities, and it combines with 生 to make 学生 (student).

Summary

学 means ‘study’ and is essential for school and academic vocabulary, appearing in words like 学校, 学生, and 大学.

Kanji 学
Meaning study, learning, science
On’yomi ガク (GAKU)
Kun’yomi まな-ぶ (mana-bu)
Strokes 8
JLPT N5