予備校(よびこう)

よびこう
noun
prep school
1. prep school, cram school for university entrance
A school that prepares students for university entrance exams, often attended by students who failed or are preparing for exams.
予備校(よびこう)に通(かよ)っている。
I attend prep school.
浪人(ろうにん)して予備校(よびこう)に行(い)った。
I went to prep school after taking a gap year.
有名(ゆうめい)な予備校(よびこう)は競争(きょうそう)が激(はげ)しい。
Famous prep schools are very competitive.
予備校(よびこう)の先生(せんせい)の授業(じゅぎょう)はとてもわかりやすかった。
The prep school teacher's classes were very easy to understand.
大学(だいがく)受験(じゅけん)に失敗(しっぱい)したので、一年間(いちねんかん)予備校(よびこう)に通(かよ)って来年(らいねん)もう一度(いちど)受(う)けるつもりだ。
Since I failed the university entrance exam, I plan to attend prep school for a year and try again next year.

予備校(よびこう) is a preparatory school focused on helping students pass university entrance exams. Short for 大学(だいがく)受験(じゅけん)予備(よび)学校(がっこう).

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • 予備校(よびこう)に通(かよ)う: to attend prep school
  • 予備校(よびこう)生(せい): prep school student
  • 予備校(よびこう)講師(こうし): prep school instructor

CULTURAL CONTEXT:
Often attended by 浪人生(ろうにんせい) — students who failed their target university's entrance exam and spend a year studying to retake it. Major prep school chains like 駿台(すんだい) and 河合塾(かわいじゅく) are well known in Japan.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 塾(じゅく): cram school (broader term, used for students of all ages; includes after-school tutoring for younger students)
  • 学習塾(がくしゅうじゅく): study cram school (mainly for elementary and junior high students)

Related Words

Related: 塾(じゅく) (cram school)
core
Added 2026.1.16 9:25 · Revised 2026.3.28 18:17
04500/04785_yobikou