The Meaning of jugyou [授業] In Japanese

授業
じゅぎょう
Romaji: jugyou N3

What does 授業 mean?

Translation and Meaning

class, lesson, instruction

Definition

The word 授業 (jugyou) means an organized instructional session led by an instructor where specific learning objectives are taught. It refers to the structured delivery of subject matter—often scheduled on a timetable—covering teacher-led explanations, guided activities, and assessment within schools, universities, or training programs.

Type

noun (名詞); verbal noun / suru-verb when used as ‘to give/do a class’ (サ変名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • 1. An individual scheduled session counted toward attendance or hours rather than the abstract idea of ‘teaching’.
  • 2. The overall course or subject unit when discussing curriculum, credits, or class load.
  • 3. Different formats of instruction (lecture-style, seminar, lab) depending on institution and context.
  • 4. Instructional sessions outside formal education such as corporate training or private tutoring.
  • 5. Administrative use to indicate cancellations, make-up sessions, or recorded class hours.

Origin

The modern usage of the term rose with Japan’s modernization of education in the late 19th century (Meiji era) as Western-style schools and standardized timetables were adopted; the concept of formally scheduled teacher-led sessions became central to the schooling system and the term consolidated into contemporary administrative and everyday language.

Composition

  • 授 — to grant, give, or confer; also used in contexts of instructing or bestowing.
  • 業 — work, business, task, or vocation; also refers to an activity or trade.
  • The compound thus conveys the idea of ‘giving work/teaching work’ or imparting an organized task/subject, producing the meaning of a formal lesson or instructional session.

Usage

Common across schools, universities, cram schools, and workplace training, the word is used in both spoken and written Japanese; it appears on timetables, syllabi, announcements, and everyday conversation about attending or teaching sessions, and is generally neutral/formal compared with casual loanwords for hobby lessons.
💡 Tips
Imagine a teacher giving (授) work (業) to students—teacher gives work = class; connect the ‘give’ + ‘work’ image to remember the word.

Variations

  • 講義 (kougi) — lecture (often university, more formal, large-group)
  • レッスン (ressun) — lesson (loanword, used for private or hobby classes)
  • 自習 (jishu) — self-study (student-led study without teacher)
  • 休講 (kyuukou) — cancelled class (administrative opposite)

Example Phrases

  • 授業中、学生が観察ノートに現象を記録する。
    jugyo-chu, gakusei ga kansatsu nooto ni gensho o kiroku suru.
    During class, a student records phenomena in an observation notebook.
    Lista:
    • 授業中 (jugyo-chu) – during class
    • 学生が (gakusei ga) – the student
    • 観察ノートに (kansatsu nooto ni) – to the observation notebook
    • 現象を (gensho o) – phenomena
    • 記録する (kiroku suru) – to record
    観察 is a noun meaning ‘observation’; in this sentence it forms 「観察ノート」 meaning ‘observation notebook’, and に marks the notebook as the destination for 記録する.
  • 授業で 例を 三つ挙げると 先生に 褒められた。
    jugyō de rei o mittsu ageru to sensei ni homerareta.
    In class, when I listed three examples, I was praised by the teacher.
    Lista:
    • 授業で (jugyō de) – in class
    • 例を (rei o) – an example
    • 三つ挙げると (mittsu ageru to) – when I list three
    • 先生に (sensei ni) – by the teacher
    • 褒められた (homerareta) – was praised
    The verb 「挙げる」 means ‘to list/mention’ items; 三つ挙げると = ‘when I list three items,’ and 褒められた is the passive form meaning ‘was praised’ by 先生.
  • 原爆についての話を学校の授業で友達と慎重に話した。
    Genbaku ni tsuite no hanashi o gakkō no jūgyō de tomodachi to shinchō ni hanashita.
    I carefully talked with a friend in class about the atomic bomb.
    Lista:
    • 原爆 (genbaku) – atomic bomb
    • についての話を (ni tsuite no hanashi o) – talk about
    • 学校の (gakkō no) – school’s
    • 授業で (jūgyō de) – in class
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with a friend
    • 慎重に (shinchō ni) – carefully
    • 話した (hanashita) – talked
    Core grammar: 「についての話を」 means ‘to talk about ~’; here the topic is 「原爆」.
  • 授業の補足を 先生が くれる ときに ノートを 取る。
    Jugyō no hosoku o sensei ga kureru toki ni nooto o toru.
    I take notes when the teacher provides supplementary explanations in class.
    Lista:
    • 授業の補足を (jugyō no hosoku o) – lesson supplement
    • 先生が (sensei ga) – the teacher
    • くれる (kureru) – gives (to me)
    • ときに (toki ni) – when
    • ノートを (nooto o) – notebook
    • 取る (toru) – take
    Core point: 「補足」 means ‘supplement’ or ‘additional explanation’, here the object of くれる in 授業の補足をくれる.
  • 授業 の 書き取り を 家で 友達 と 一緒に 練習する。
    jugyō no kakitori o ie de tomodachi to issho ni renshū suru
    I practice the class’s dictation at home with my friends.
    Lista:
    • 授業 (jugyō) – class
    • の (no) – of
    • 書き取り (kakitori) – dictation
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 家で (ie de) – at home
    • 友達 (tomodachi) – friend
    • と (to) – with
    • 一緒に (issho ni) – together
    • 練習する (renshū suru) – to practice
    In this sentence, 「書き取り」 is a noun meaning dictation; 「授業の」 marks possession (the class’s), and 「を」 marks the direct object of 練習する.
授業