浪人
ろうにん
noun, suru verb
ronin; exam retaker awaiting university admission
Conjugation
| Affirmative | Negative | |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 浪人する | 浪人しない |
| Present polite | 浪人します | 浪人しません |
| Past | 浪人した | 浪人しなかった |
| Past polite | 浪人しました | 浪人しませんでした |
| て form | 浪人して | 浪人しなくて |
| ている present | 浪人している | 浪人していない |
| ている polite | 浪人しています | 浪人していません |
| ている past | 浪人していた | 浪人していなかった |
| ている past polite | 浪人していました | 浪人していませんでした |
| Conditional ば | 浪人すれば | 浪人しなければ |
| Conditional たら | 浪人したら | 浪人しなかったら |
| Volitional | 浪人しよう | — |
| Volitional polite | 浪人しましょう | — |
| Potential | 浪人できる | 浪人できない |
| Passive | 浪人される | 浪人されない |
| Causative | 浪人させる | 浪人させない |
| Imperative | 浪人しろ | 浪人するな |
1.
ronin, masterless samurai
A samurai without a lord or master during the feudal period. Ronin lost their position through the death or fall of their master, or through dismissal.
2.
exam retaker, student studying for another year to retake entrance exams
A student who failed university entrance exams and is spending a year (or more) preparing to retake them. This is the most common modern usage.
After studying for a year as a ronin, I passed the exam for my first-choice university.
Life as a ronin was mentally tough, but it turned out to be a good experience.
Cultural note
In modern Japan, 浪人 most commonly refers to students who did not gain admission to their desired university and are spending an extra year (or more) studying to retake entrance exams. These students often attend 予備校 (cram schools). The term carries no strong stigma, as retaking exams is relatively common. Students who take one extra year are called 一浪, two years 二浪, and so on.
The historical meaning of a masterless samurai is well known through stories like the 忠臣蔵 (tale of the 47 ronin).