How to say "lesson" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 授業じゅぎょうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbThe usual word for a lesson or class at school, taught by a teacher to students. Use this for classroom instruction of any academic subject.
- nounA lesson in the sense of private or paid instruction, typically in skills such as music, dance, or languages. This is the loanword you want for piano lessons and the like.
- 課かnoun, noun (suffix)A lesson as a numbered unit or chapter in a textbook or course of study, such as Lesson 5. It refers to the unit itself, not the act of teaching.
- 教訓きょうくんnoun, suru verb, transitive verbA lesson in the figurative sense of something learned from experience, a moral or precept drawn from events. Use this for phrases like learning a lesson from a mistake.
- 示ししめしnounA lesson in the sense of an example set for others, as in setting a bad example. It is a marginal match for 'lesson' and is really about exemplary behavior or discipline.
Use 授業 for school classes, 「レッスン」 for private instruction in skills like music, 課 for a unit in a textbook, 教訓 for a lesson learned from experience, and 「示し」 for setting an example to others.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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