Looking up...
勉強
benkyou
study
毎日三時間勉強します。
I study for three hours every day.
formal
the act of learning or studying, especially academic subjects
彼は数学を勉強しています。
He is studying math.
勉強が終わったら、テレビを見ます。
After finishing my studies, I'll watch TV.
勉強する (benkyou suru) is the verb form meaning 'to study'.
informal
something learned or gained from experience (less common)
この失敗は良い勉強になった。
This failure was a good lesson.
Often used in the phrase 良い勉強になった (ii benkyou ni natta, 'it was a good lesson').
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
When to use 勉強 vs. 学習
勉強 emphasizes the effort or process of studying, while 学習 (gakushuu) focuses more on the acquisition of knowledge or skills. For example, 彼は数学を勉強している (He is studying math) implies active effort, whereas 彼は数学を学習している (He is learning math) sounds more natural in contexts like 'learning a language'.
Gold Rule
勉強する is the verb form
Always use 勉強する (benkyou suru) to mean 'to study' in a sentence. The standalone 勉強 alone is a noun meaning 'study' or 'learning'.
Word Origin
From Middle Chinese 勉強 (mjienX kjangX, 'to strive, make an effort'). The Japanese word evolved to mean 'to study' through the sense of 'making an effort to learn'.
Usage Notes
勉強 is used broadly for any formal or informal learning process. It does not imply a specific method or intensity—context determines whether it means 'studying for an exam' or 'learning from experience'.
Word Breakdown
勉
to exert effort
root強
strong
root和英辞典