(せいと)

せいと
noun
student
1. student, pupil
A student, typically at middle school or high school level.
There are 500 students at this school.
The students are studying.
The teacher is kind to the students.
The students greet the teacher at the school gate every morning.
この学校(がっこう)生徒(せいと)礼儀正(れいぎただ)しい有名(ゆうめい)です
This school's students are famous for being polite.

生徒(せいと) specifically refers to middle school and high school students in Japan.

STUDENT TERMS BY LEVEL:

  • 児童(じどう): elementary school student
  • 生徒(せいと): middle/high school student
  • 学生(がくせい): university student

GENERAL USAGE:
学生(がくせい) is sometimes used loosely to mean any student, but 生徒(せいと) specifically implies secondary education.

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 生徒(せいと)(かい): student council
  • 生徒(せいと)手帳(てちょう): student handbook
  • 生徒(せいと)指導(しどう): student guidance
  • 生徒(せいと)(すう): number of students

ETYMOLOGY:
(せい) (life/person) + () (follower) = one who follows (a teacher).