How to say "study" in Japanese

• 勉強べんきょうJLPT N5approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbThe everyday word for studying as a student: reviewing lessons, doing homework, preparing for tests. It frames study as an effortful activity and is the default choice for this sense.
  学校がっこうではどんな科目かもくを勉強べんきょうしますか。↗

  What subjects do you study at school?
• 研究けんきゅうJLPT N4approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers 'study' in the sense of systematic research or investigation into a subject, as by scholars or scientists. It is not the word for a student's exam preparation — that is 勉強.
  私はエイズの研究けんきゅうに従事じゅうじしている。↗

  I am engaged in AIDS research.
• 学ぶまなぶJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbA verb: to learn, study, or take lessons in something, stressing the acquisition of knowledge or skill, often from a teacher or from experience. Use it when you need 'to study' as a verb.
  いくつになっても学まなぶことはある。↗

  One is never too old to learn.
• 学がくJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounNames learning, scholarship, or erudition as a field of knowledge, not the activity of studying; it is seldom the word you want for 'study' as an action, appearing mainly as an element in compound words.
  学がくのある人ひとはとかく無知むちな人ひとを軽蔑けいべつする。↗

  The learned are apt to despise the ignorant.
• 学習がくしゅうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbStudy or learning viewed as a process, typically in educational contexts; it sits closer to 'learning' than to a student's hitting the books. For everyday studying, 勉強 is the word to reach for.
  これは生物せいぶつの学習がくしゅう法ほうとしてはあまりよくないと思おもう。↗

  I don't think this is a good approach to biology.

Use 勉強 for a student's studying, 研究 for research or scholarly investigation, 「学ぶ」 as the verb for learning or taking lessons, 学習 for study as a process, and 学 only for scholarship or erudition as an abstract field.

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

• 勉強べんきょうstudy
• 研究けんきゅうresearch
• 学ぶまなぶto learn
• 学がくlearning
• 学習がくしゅうlearning
• 学問がくもんstudy
• 書斎しょさいstudy
• 学びまなびlearning
• やるto do
• 調べるしらべるto examine
• 書房しょぼうstudy
• 勉学べんがくstudy
• 論考ろんこうstudy (of)
• 修めるおさめるto study
• 書院しょいんdrawing room
• 検討けんとうconsideration
• 修行しゅぎょうtraining
• 考察こうさつconsideration
• 習うならうto take lessons in
• 稽古けいこpractice
• 探究たんきゅうresearch
• スタディーstudy
• 役作りやくづくりstudy (for a role)
• 学修がくしゅうstudy
• 修するしゅうするto study
• 習作しゅうさく(a) study (e.g. in music, art, sculpture, etc.)
• 学習用がくしゅうようstudy (e.g. material)
• 研学けんがくstudy
• エチュードetude
• 討究とうきゅうinvestigation
• 講学こうがくpursuit of learning
• 研究論文けんきゅうろんぶんresearch paper
• 攻究こうきゅうspecialization (in a field of study)
• 研究書けんきゅうしょmonograph
• 検討作業けんとうさぎょうreview work
• 考究こうきゅうinvestigation
• 業ぎょうstudy
• 手習いてならいstudy
• 山房さんぼうstudy
• 覗くのぞくto examine (an expression)
• 就くつくto study (under teacher)