The Meaning of nikka [日課] In Japanese

日課
にっか
Romaji: nikka N4

What does 日課 mean?

Translation and Meaning

daily routine, daily task, daily schedule

Definition

日課 means a daily routine or a set of tasks performed every day, forming part of one’s regular schedule. It describes habitual activities such as study, exercise, or duties that are carried out on a daily basis.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • The regular set of tasks performed every day as part of a normal schedule (nikka).
  • A fixed portion of a daily timetable used for routines like study, work, or chores (nikka).
  • In educational or professional contexts, the standard daily program that repeats with regularity (nikka).

Etymology

日 day; 課 lesson, duty. The pronunciation nikka arises from combining the kanji in a native Japanese compound, with phonetic assimilation typical of two-kanji formations.

Composition

  • 日 = day, sun
  • 課 = lesson, duty, assignment

Usage

Used to denote a person’s ordinary daily activities or routine, in both formal and informal contexts. It can describe daily study, exercise, or duties, and is common when referencing a school or workplace’s recurring daily program; usage often pairs with modifiers like 毎日 or いつもの to emphasize regularity.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine the sun (日) shining on a stack of tasks labeled 課, reminding you that today’s work is the routine you repeat every day.

Variations

  • 日常のルーティン (にちじょうのルーティン, nichijō no rutina) daily routine
  • 習慣的な日課 (しゅうかんてきなにっか, shūkan-teki na nikka) habitual daily routine
  • 日課 (にっか, nikka) daily routine in casual speech

Example Phrases

  • 毎朝の日課として私は庭の掃除と水やりをする。
    maiasa no nikka toshite watashi wa niwa no souji to mizuyari o suru
    As part of my daily morning routine, I clean the garden and water the plants.
    Lista:
    • 毎朝の日課として (maiasa no nikka toshite) – as part of the daily morning routine
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • 庭の掃除 (niwa no souji) – garden cleaning
    • と (to) – and
    • 水やりを (mizuyari o) – watering
    • する (suru) – do
    日課 means ‘daily routine’; here it is used as 「日課として」 to mean ‘as part of one’s daily routine’.
日課