学 – Kanji Meaning, Reading, and Common Words

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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 / gakusei） — student
  • 大学（だいがく / daigaku） — university
  • 学校（がっこう / gakkō） — school
  • 学ぶ（まなぶ / manabu） — to learn, to study
  • 学習（がくしゅう / gakushū） — learning, study
  • 留学（りゅうがく / ryūgaku） — 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。 / Watashi wa daigaku de Nihongo o manande imasu.

    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。 / Gakkō wa kuji ni hajimarimasu.

    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。 / Mainichi sukoshi zutsu manabu koto ga taisetsu desu.

    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.