母 校(ぼこう)

ぼこう

noun

alma mater; one's old school

1. alma mater; one's old school

The school one graduated from or previously attended. Used with a sense of affection or nostalgia for one's former school.

久(ひさ)しぶりに母校(ぼこう)を訪(たず)ねた。

I visited my old school after a long time.

母校(ぼこう)が甲子園(こうしえん)に出場(しゅつじょう)して嬉(うれ)しい。

I'm happy that my alma mater made it to Koshien.

母校(ぼこう)の校舎(こうしゃ)が建(た)て替(か)えられて、すっかり様変(さまが)わりしていた。

My old school building had been rebuilt and looked completely different.

Literally "mother school" (母(ぼ) = mother + 校(こう) = school). The metaphor of "mother" conveys the nurturing, formative relationship.

Common collocations

母校(ぼこう)を訪(たず)ねる (to visit one's alma mater)
母校(ぼこう)に帰(かえ)る (to return to one's old school)
母校(ぼこう)を応援(おうえん)する (to cheer for one's alma mater)

Usage

Can refer to any school previously attended — elementary, middle, high school, or university. Most commonly used for the school the speaker has the strongest emotional connection to.

Related Words

Compare: 学(まな)び舎(や) (school)

general

Added 2026.3.4 16:29 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

14500/14958_bokou