Key Facts
- 학교 (hakgyo) means school, any school building or institution.
- Part of speech: noun; origin: Sino-Korean.
- Register: neutral, everyday word used in both speech and writing, for every kind of school.
- Hanja: 學校 (學 learn + 校 school).
- Level: A1.
School in Korean: What Does 학교 Mean?
학교 is a Sino-Korean noun made of 學 (learn) and 校 (school), so it is literally a school for learning. It is neutral in speech and writing, and the same word works whether you are talking to a child or a teacher. It is the generic word, which is why 대학교 and other specific names are built on it.
How Do You Pronounce 학교?
The spelling is hakgyo, but the standard pronunciation is [hak-kkyo]. The ㄱ at the end of the first syllable meets the ㄱ that starts the second, and the second becomes the tense ㄲ. The romanization hakgyo follows the spelling, because Revised Romanization does not show tensing.
How Do You Use 학교 in a Sentence?
학교에 가요.
I go to school.
Hakgyoe gayo. 가요 is the polite form of go. The particle 에 marks the destination, so the school is where you are heading.
우리 학교는 집에서 멀어요.
Our school is far from home.
Uri hakgyoneun jibeseo meoreoyo. 집에서 means from home, and 멀어요 means far. 우리 학교 is our school, the usual way to say my school in Korean.
내일은 학교에 안 가요.
I don't go to school tomorrow.
Naeireun hakgyoe an gayo. 내일은 is tomorrow with a topic particle, and 안 makes the verb negative. The sentence says you stay away from school on that day.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 학교에 다니다 | to attend school |
| 학교 앞 | in front of the school |
| 학교 생활 | school life |
학교에 다니다 means to attend school as a regular routine rather than a single trip. 학교 앞 is the area in front of the school. 학교 생활 is school life.
Common Mistake
Wrong: hak-gyo, with a soft g in the second syllable.
Correct: hak-kkyo. After the final ㄱ of 학, the next ㄱ is said tense and tight, with no puff of air.
How Does 학교 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 학교 |
|---|---|---|
| 학원 | private academy | 학원 is a private academy or cram school that students attend after regular school. |
| 대학교 | university | 대학교 is specifically a university. 학교 is generic and can cover any school. |
Meeting a Classmate before School
Two classmates meet near home in the morning. One is heading to school, so the other suggests walking together and asks about the next day.
Alex
지금 학교에 가요?
Jigeum hakgyoe gayo?
Are you going to school now?
Jisu
네. 같이 가요.
Ne. Gachi gayo.
Yes. Let us go together.
Alex
내일도 학교에 가요?
Naeildo hakgyoe gayo?
Are you going to school tomorrow too?
Jisu
아니요. 내일은 학교에 안 가요.
Aniyo. Naeireun hakgyoe an gayo.
No. I am not going to school tomorrow.
같이 가요 is an invitation in this scene. 내일도 adds “tomorrow too”, while 내일은 in the answer makes tomorrow the contrasting topic. The final line describes the speaker’s plan; it does not by itself tell you whether the whole school is closed. A student could be absent even when other students have classes.
Which School Phrases Describe Different Activities?
학교에 다니다 describes regular attendance or enrolment, while 학교에 가다 can describe a single journey. A person can attend a particular school without going there today. When someone asks which school you attend, they want the institution, rather than the route you are taking this morning.
학교에서 공부하다 means to study at school. Compare the destination 학교에 with the action setting 학교에서. The first tells you where a person goes; the second tells you where studying happens. Keeping the particle with the phrase helps you choose between a journey and an activity on campus.
학교를 졸업하다 means to graduate from school. Although English uses “from”, Korean marks 학교 with 를 in this expression. The verb treats the school as the institution whose course you complete. 졸업 then names graduation, which you will also see on notices and photographs of ceremonies.
Where Will You Hear or See 학교?
In conversation, 우리 학교 commonly means the speaker's own school, even when the other person attends elsewhere. 우리 highlights membership in the school community. It does not require the listener to share that membership. The same speaker may name the school precisely when filling in an application.
On a map or a school sign, the full name often identifies the school level. 초등학교 is elementary school, 중학교 is middle school, and 고등학교 is high school. These are complete words, so learn the level name together with 학교 rather than trying to translate just the first syllable.
학교 is neutral, and teachers, students and parents all use it. A polite ending changes how a student addresses a teacher; the noun stays the same. 학원 is a different kind of institution, so calling an after-school English academy 학교 can hide a useful distinction about where the lesson takes place.
People and Places around a School
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 학생 | student | The person attending school. |
| 선생님 | teacher | The respectful everyday title for a teacher. |
| 교실 | classroom | The room where a class takes place. |
| 운동장 | schoolyard; sports ground | The outdoor area used for play or exercise. |
| 교문 | school gate | A concrete meeting point near the entrance. |
The school vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set. 학교 names the institution or grounds broadly, while 교실 and 교문 locate you more precisely. When arranging to meet someone, naming the gate avoids leaving them to search the whole campus.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase describes regular attendance: 학교에 가다 or 학교에 다니다?
- Which particle fits studying at school: 에 or 에서?
- Does 우리 학교 always mean that the listener attends the same school?
Show answers
- 학교에 다니다.
- 에서: 학교에서 공부하다.
- No. It can mean the speaker’s own school community.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Is 학교 Pronounced?
It is pronounced [hak-kkyo], with a tense second consonant. The final ㄱ of 학 makes the following ㄱ tense, a regular rule in Korean. The spelling and the romanization hakgyo do not show the change.
What Does 學校 Mean?
學校 combines 學 (learn) and 校 (school). The first character also appears in many study words, such as 학원 (private academy), so recognising it helps with related vocabulary.
What Is the Difference between 학교 and 학원?
학교 is a regular school in the education system. 학원 is a private academy or cram school that many students attend after regular school, for subjects such as English, maths or music.
How Do I Say 'Attend School'?
Say 학교에 다니다. 다니다 means to go somewhere regularly, so it describes being a student there rather than one trip. For a single trip, say 학교에 가요.
Where to Go Next
학교 sits in the city places vocabulary list. Next, see the university word for the specific term and the library word. For all entries, open Korean words A to Z.