How to say "headmaster" in Japanese

• 校長こうちょうJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounThe everyday word for the head of a school, covering both headmaster and headmistress without any gender distinction. When you simply mean a school's principal, this is the word to reach for.
  私わたしたちの校長こうちょう先生せんせいは授業じゅぎょうはしません。↗

  Our principal does no teaching.
• 学園長がくえんちょう
  nounLess common than 校長, this is the head of a 学園 (academy), so it suits institutions known as a 学園; it can also mean a dean or provost.
• 学校長がっこうちょう
  nounLiterally 'school head', this spells out the same idea as 校長 but is less common; for an ordinary mention of a headmaster, 校長 is usually the word you want.

For the head of a school, use the common word 校長; choose 学園長 for the head of an academy (it can also mean dean or provost), and treat 学校長 as a less common, explicit 'school head' variant.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 校長こうちょうprincipal
• 学園長がくえんちょうheadmaster
• 学校長がっこうちょうschool principal