学士

がくし

university graduate

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

"学士" (がくし) specifically refers to a person who has earned a bachelor's degree from a university. It is a formal term often used in academic, professional, and official contexts to denote university graduates.

Common Contexts

You will see "学士" used in resumes, official documents, and academic discussions. It emphasizes the completion of undergraduate studies, distinguishing from higher degrees like master's (修士) or doctorate (博士).

Collocations and Patterns

  • 学士号を取得する: to obtain a bachelor's degree
  • 学士課程: undergraduate course or program
  • 学士卒業生: bachelor’s degree graduate

These collocations are useful when talking about education credentials or academic qualifications.

Register and Nuance

"学士" is a formal and respectful term. It is not used casually to refer to someone who simply graduated from university in everyday conversation. Instead, it appears in written language, official announcements, or formal speech.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "学士" with "学生" (student) or "卒業生" (graduate). Remember, "学士" refers to the degree holder, not the student currently studying or just any graduate without specifying the degree level.

Example Sentences

かれはとうきょうだいがくのがくしです。

He is a bachelor’s degree holder from the University of Tokyo.

がくしのがくいをしゅとくするには、つうじょうよねんかんのだいがくきょういくがひつようです。

To obtain a bachelor's degree, usually four years of university education are required.

かのじょはがくしごうをもっていますが、しゅうしかていにはすすみませんでした。

She has a bachelor's degree but did not proceed to a master's program.