1.
school gate
The main gate or entrance to a school campus. A prominent feature of Japanese schools, often the site of morning greetings by teachers and the backdrop for graduation photos.
校門の前で待ち合わせた。
We arranged to meet in front of the school gate.
朝、校門で先生が挨拶をしていた。
In the morning, a teacher was greeting students at the school gate.
卒業式の日、校門の前で友達と写真を撮った。
On graduation day, I took photos with friends in front of the school gate.
校門 is the main gate or entrance to a school campus. It holds both practical and symbolic significance in Japanese school culture.
ETYMOLOGY:
校 (school) + 門 (gate).
CULTURE:
The 校門 serves as a symbolic boundary between the school and the outside world. Common scenes at the gate:
- Teachers standing at the gate in the morning to greet students (朝の挨拶)
- Uniform and appearance checks at strict schools
- Graduation photos taken in front of the gate
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 校門の前で: in front of the school gate
- 校門をくぐる: to pass through the school gate
- 校門を出る: to leave through the school gate
HOMOPHONES:
- 肛門: anus (same reading, very different meaning — be careful!)
- 顧問: adviser (similar but different reading)