短期大学(たんきだいがく)

たんきだいがく
noun
junior college; two-year college
formaleducation
1. junior college; two-year college
A post-secondary educational institution offering two- or three-year programs, shorter than a four-year university. Often abbreviated as 短大(たんだい).
短期大学(たんきだいがく)を卒業(そつぎょう)した。
I graduated from a junior college.
姉(あね)は短期大学(たんきだいがく)で栄養学(えいようがく)を学(まな)んだ。
My older sister studied nutrition at a junior college.
近年(きんねん)、短期大学(たんきだいがく)の数(かず)は減少(げんしょう)し、四年制大学(よねんせいだいがく)への転換(てんかん)が進(すす)んでいる。
In recent years, the number of junior colleges has been declining as many convert to four-year universities.

The formal name for a Japanese junior college. Almost always abbreviated as 短大(たんだい) in everyday conversation. Typically two-year programs (some are three years), offering associate degrees.

Forms

短大(たんだい) is the standard abbreviation used in everyday speech and writing. The full form 短期大学(たんきだいがく) appears mainly in official documents and formal contexts.

Common collocations

  • 短期大学(たんきだいがく)に通(かよ)う: to attend a junior college
  • 短期大学(たんきだいがく)を卒業(そつぎょう)する: to graduate from a junior college
  • 短期大学(たんきだいがく)卒(そつ): junior college graduate
  • 短期大学(たんきだいがく)士(し): associate degree

Cultural note

Japanese junior colleges have traditionally been associated with women's education, offering programs in fields like nutrition, early childhood education, and secretarial studies. Their numbers have been declining since the 1990s as more women attend four-year universities and many 短大(たんだい) have converted to full universities.

Similar words

  • 大学(だいがく): university — the standard four-year institution
  • 専門学校(せんもんがっこう): vocational school — focuses on practical skills training rather than academic study
  • 高等専門学校(こうとうせんもんがっこう) (高専(こうせん)): technical college — a five-year institution combining high school and college-level technical education

Related Words

Compare: 専門学校(せんもんがっこう) (vocational school)
general
Added 2026.5.7 20:15 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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