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

  • 今日は 授業で 原理を 詳しく 学び、 面白かった。
    Kyou wa jugyou de genri o kuwashiku manabi, omoshirokatta.
    Today in class I learned the principle in detail, and it was interesting.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – today
    • 授業で (jugyou de) – in class
    • 原理を (genri o) – the principle
    • 詳しく (kuwashiku) – in detail
    • 学び、 (manabi,) – learned,
    • 面白かった。 (omoshirokatta) – was interesting
    The noun for ‘principle’ is 「原理」; here it functions as the object of 学ぶ, and 授業で marks the setting ‘in class’, while 詳しく describes the manner of learning.
  • 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.
  • 今日は授業後、充実した気分だ。
    Kyou wa jugyou-go, juujitsu shita kibun da.
    Today after class, I feel fulfilled.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – today
    • 授業後 (jugyou-go) – after class
    • 充実した (juujitsu shita) – fulfilling
    • 気分だ (kibun da) – feeling is
    The word 「充実」 is a noun that becomes 「充実した」 when you add した, meaning ‘fulfilling’ as in 「充実した気分」.
  • 今日は授業が退屈で、私はすぐ眠くなった。
    Kyō wa jugyō ga taikutsu de, watashi wa sugu nemuku natta.
    Today’s class was boring, and I quickly became sleepy.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyō wa) – today
    • 授業 (jugyō) – class
    • が (ga) – subject marker
    • 退屈で (taikutsu de) – boring, and
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • すぐ (sugu) – soon
    • 眠くなった (nemuku natta) – became sleepy
    In this sentence, 「退屈」 is a noun used with で to connect the first clause to the next; it means ‘boring’.
  • 授業中、定規を使ってノートに線を引く。
    Jugyō-chū, jōgi o tsukatte nōto ni sen o hiku.
    During class, I use a ruler to draw a line on my notebook.
    Lista:
    • 授業中、 (Jugyō-chū) – during class
    • 定規を使って (jōgi o tsukatte) – using a ruler
    • ノートに (nōto ni) – on the notebook
    • 線を (sen o) – a line
    • 引く。 (hiku.) – draw
    Core: 「定規」 is a ruler; here it is the direct object of 「使う」, linked by the te-form 「使って」; 「授業中」 indicates time.
授業