1.
second term — the second of the academic terms in a Japanese school year; in a three-term system, roughly September to December
The second of the terms (学期) in a Japanese school year. In the most common three-term system used by Japanese elementary, junior high, and high schools, the second term runs from around early September (after the summer break) to late December (before the winter break). In two-term systems used by some universities, it corresponds to the fall/autumn semester.
二学期が始まった。
The second term has started.
二学期の中間試験は来週だ。
The second-term midterm exams are next week.
二学期には運動会や文化祭など行事が多い。
In the second term there are many events, such as sports days and culture festivals.
二学期の成績は一学期より上がった。
My grades for the second term went up compared to the first.
Compound of 二 ('two') and 学期 ('school term, semester'). Note the sound change: 学期 → 二学期, not にがくき.
USAGE:
- Refers to the second school term in the Japanese academic calendar.
- In a three-term system (三学期制) — the standard for elementary, junior high, and most high schools — the second term runs roughly from September to December.
- In a two-term system (二学期制), used by many universities and some schools, the second term is the fall/autumn semester, running from about October to February.
- Common context: school events like 運動会 (sports day) and 文化祭 (culture festival) often fall in the second term.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 二学期が始まる: the second term starts
- 二学期が終わる: the second term ends
- 二学期の成績: second-term grades
- 二学期制: the two-term system
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 一学期: first term — April to July in the three-term system.
- 三学期: third term — January to March in the three-term system.
- 学期: school term, semester — the generic term for any one term.
- 後期: latter term/semester — often used in two-term university systems; overlaps with 二学期 in that context.