School & University
beginner学校大学
Essential vocabulary for school and university life in China — from attending classes and studying for exams to navigating campus and talking about your major.
38 words14 phrases2 dialogues~30 min study time
Vocabulary
38 words — click any row for an example sentence
Classes
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 课 | kè | class / lesson | noun |
| 上课 | shàngkè | to attend class / class begins | verb |
| 下课 | xiàkè | class is over / to finish class | verb |
| 选课 | xuǎnkè | to select courses / course registration | verb |
| 必修课 | bìxiūkè | required course / compulsory course | noun |
| 选修课 | xuǎnxiūkè | elective course | noun |
| 课表 | kèbiǎo | class schedule / timetable | noun |
| 学期 | xuéqī | semester / term | noun |
| 专业 | zhuānyè | major / specialty | noun |
Studying
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 作业 | zuòyè | homework / assignment | noun |
| 考试 | kǎoshì | exam / test | noun |
| 复习 | fùxí | to review / to revise | verb |
| 预习 | yùxí | to preview / to prepare a lesson before class | verb |
| 成绩 | chéngjì | grade / score / results | noun |
| 及格 | jígé | to pass (an exam) | verb |
| 学习 | xuéxí | to study / to learn | verb |
| 毕业 | bìyè | to graduate | verb |
| 论文 | lùnwén | thesis / paper / essay | noun |
| 笔记 | bǐjì | notes | noun |
People
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 老师 | lǎoshī | teacher | noun |
| 教授 | jiàoshòu | professor | noun |
| 同学 | tóngxué | classmate | noun |
| 室友 | shìyǒu | roommate | noun |
| 学生 | xuéshēng | student | noun |
| 学长 | xuézhǎng | senior (male upperclassman) | noun |
| 学姐 | xuéjiě | senior (female upperclassman) | noun |
Campus
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 教室 | jiàoshì | classroom | noun |
| 图书馆 | túshūguǎn | library | noun |
| 食堂 | shítáng | cafeteria / dining hall | noun |
| 宿舍 | sùshè | dormitory | noun |
| 操场 | cāochǎng | sports field / playground | noun |
| 学校 | xuéxiào | school | noun |
| 大学 | dàxué | university / college | noun |
| 实验室 | shíyànshì | laboratory | noun |
| 校园 | xiàoyuán | campus | noun |
| 体育馆 | tǐyùguǎn | gymnasium / sports center | noun |
| 奖学金 | jiǎngxuéjīn | scholarship | noun |
| 社团 | shètuán | student club / society | noun |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
今天有几节课？
Jīntiān yǒu jǐ jié kè?
How many classes do you have today?
Asking a classmate about the day's schedule.
这门课很难。
Zhè mén kè hěn nán.
This course is very difficult.
Commenting on the difficulty of a class.
作业写完了吗？
Zuòyè xiě wán le ma?
Have you finished the homework?
Asking a classmate about homework progress.
我要去图书馆复习。
Wǒ yào qù túshūguǎn fùxí.
I am going to the library to review.
Telling a friend about study plans, especially before exams.
考试考得怎么样？
Kǎoshì kǎo de zěnmeyàng?
How did you do on the exam?
Asking someone about their exam results.
你的专业是什么？
Nǐ de zhuānyè shì shénme?
What is your major?
A common question when meeting fellow university students.
今天谁值日？
Jīntiān shéi zhírì?
Whose turn is it to clean today?
Used in classrooms or dorms where students take turns cleaning.
食堂今天吃什么？
Shítáng jīntiān chī shénme?
What is the cafeteria serving today?
Discussing meal options with classmates.
我们一起去上课吧。
Wǒmen yīqǐ qù shàngkè ba.
Let us go to class together.
Suggesting walking to class with a friend.
期末考试快到了。
Qīmò kǎoshì kuài dào le.
Final exams are coming soon.
Expressing urgency about upcoming exams.
你选了哪些课？
Nǐ xuǎn le nǎxiē kè?
Which courses did you choose?
Discussing course selections at the start of a semester.
图书馆几点关门？
Túshūguǎn jǐ diǎn guānmén?
What time does the library close?
Planning study time around library hours.
老师，我有一个问题。
Lǎoshī, wǒ yǒu yī ge wèntí.
Teacher, I have a question.
Politely raising a question in class.
我们宿舍今晚停电。
Wǒmen sùshè jīn wǎn tíng diàn.
Our dorm has a power outage tonight.
Informing others about dorm conditions, a common occurrence at some universities.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Discussing Class Schedules
Two university students, Xiǎo Wáng and Xiǎo Zhāng, are comparing their class schedules at the beginning of a new semester.
Speaker A
小张，你这学期选了几门课？
Speaker B
我选了六门，四门必修课，两门选修课。你呢？
Speaker A
我也差不多。对了，你选了什么选修课？
Speaker B
我选了日语和中国电影欣赏，都挺有意思的。
Speaker A
中国电影那门课我也想选！可是和我的课时间冲突了。
Speaker B
真可惜。你周三下午有课吗？我们可以一起去图书馆复习。
Speaker A
周三下午没课，太好了！图书馆三楼比较安静，我们去那儿吧。
Speaker B
好的，那周三见！先去食堂吃饭吧，快十二点了。
Cultural note: Chinese university students often discuss course selections together and share tips about which professors are good. Study groups that meet at the library are a very common part of campus life. Going to the cafeteria together after class is a daily social ritual.
Before the Exam
Two students, Xiǎo Lǐ and Xiǎo Chén, are studying in the library the night before a final exam.
Speaker A
明天就考试了，你复习得怎么样？
Speaker B
别提了，我觉得这门课太难了，好多都不会。
Speaker A
我也是。要不我们互相帮忙复习吧，我笔记记得比较全。
Speaker B
太好了！你能借我看看你的笔记吗？第三章我完全没听懂。
Speaker A
没问题。对了，听学长说这个教授喜欢考课堂上讲过的例子。
Speaker B
真的吗？那我们重点看看课堂笔记吧。图书馆十点关门，还有三个小时。
Speaker A
好，加油！希望我们都能及格。
Speaker B
哈哈，不只是及格，我想拿奖学金呢！
Cultural note: Cramming before exams in the library is extremely common among Chinese university students. Many libraries extend their hours or even stay open all night during exam season. Sharing notes and studying in groups are important parts of student culture.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the School & University Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
30 of 38 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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