1.
tuition fee; school fees
The fee paid for instruction at a school, university, or other educational institution.
授業料を払う。
Pay the tuition fee.
大学の授業料は年々上がっている。
University tuition fees are rising year after year.
奨学金のおかげで授業料が免除された。
Thanks to a scholarship, my tuition was waived.
2.
lesson learned (the hard way); tuition of experience
Figuratively, the cost or loss incurred as a result of a mistake, viewed as a learning experience.
高い授業料を払ったと思おう。
Let's think of it as an expensive lesson learned.
投資で失敗したが、いい授業料だったと思うことにした。
I failed at investing, but I decided to think of it as a valuable lesson.
騙されて五万円損したが、社会勉強の授業料だと割り切った。
I lost 50,000 yen being scammed, but I accepted it as the cost of a life lesson.
A compound of 授業 (instruction, class) and 料 (fee).
SENSE 2 (figurative):
The expression 高い授業料を払った ('paid expensive tuition') is a common idiom meaning 'learned an expensive lesson.' Used to reframe a loss or mistake as a learning experience.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 学費 covers all educational costs (tuition + supplies + living expenses)
- 月謝 is a monthly fee for lessons (piano, cram school, etc.)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 授業料を納める (to pay tuition)
- 授業料免除 (tuition waiver)
- 授業料値上げ (tuition increase)