Sotsugyou is the Japanese word for ‘graduation’, explained

What does “sotsugyou” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “sotsugyou” to mean ‘graduation’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is sometimes used in Japanese movies, songs, novels, manga, anime, and the like. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “sotsugyou” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “sotsugyou”
• Sotsugyou in kanji
• Sotsugyou suru: the verb form
  • Example #1: how to say “graduation ceremony” in Japanese
  • Example #2: how to say “to graduate” in Japanese
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “sotsugyou”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of “sotsugyou”.

• sotsugyou – 卒業 (そつぎょう) : a noun meaning ‘graduation’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, this can also mean ‘outgrowing’, ‘moving on’, or just ‘leaving a place for another’ in Japanese.

The definition and meanings are not so difficult, I think. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.

Sotsugyou in kanji

The kanji expression of “sotsugyou” consists of the following two characters:

• 卒 : a kanji character often used in Japanese words related to graduation or completion of things.
• 業 : a kanji character often used to mean ‘business’, ‘work’, or ‘things to do’ in Japanese.

From these two kanji characters, we can understand that “sotsugyou” literally means ‘completion of things to do’. This concept is not completely in line with the meanings, but still very close, I think. For students, the completion of things to do can mean graduation.

When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about meanings of words they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “sotsugyou” through the detailed kanji check above.

Next, let me explain the verb form which means ‘to graduate’ in Japanese.

Sotsugyou suru: the verb form

Below are the definition and meanings of the verb form.

• sotsugyou suru – 卒業する (そつぎょうする) : a verb meaning ‘to graduate’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, this can also mean ‘to outgrow’, ‘to move on’, or just ‘to leave a place for another’ in Japanese.

“Suru” is added. It is a verb which means ‘to do’ or ‘to perform’ in Japanese. When it follows a noun, however, it can work to make the verb form of the preceding noun. In this case, therefore, it can work to make the verb form of “sotsugyou”.

So far, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “sotsugyou” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained its verb form. Then, let me explain how to use them through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “graduation ceremony” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• boku – 僕 (ぼく) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese. This is used mainly by boys and young males.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “boku” to make the subject in the sentence.
• ashita – 明日 (あした) : a noun meaning ‘tomorrow’ in Japanese. This can also work as an adverb almost anywhere in a sentence. In the example, this works as an adverb to say “tomorrow” in Japanese.
• shiki – 式 (しき) : a suffix used to add the meaning of ‘ceremony’ or ‘party’ to the preceding noun. In the example, this follows “sotsugyou” to mean a ‘graduation ceremony’ in Japanese.
• ni – に : a case particle used to say where someone or something goes. In the example, this is used after “sotsugyou shiki” to say where “boku” will go tomorrow.
• iki – 行き (いき) : one conjugation of the verb, “iku”, which means ‘to go’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• masu – ます : an auxiliary verb used after a verb to make it polite. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese masu form. In the example, this is used after “iki” to make it sound polite.

This is a typical usage of “sotsugyou”. In this example, it works as a part of the longer noun, “sotsugyou shiki”, which means a ‘graduation ceremony’ in Japanese. When we want to say ‘graduation’ in Japanese, anyway, this noun is a very good option.

Example #2: how to say “to graduate” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kanojo – 彼女 (かのじょ) : a pronoun meaning ‘she’ in Japanese.
• tachi – 達 (たち) : a suffix used after a noun or pronoun to make its plural form. In the example, this is used after “kanojo” to make its plural form, “kanojo tachi”, which means ‘they’ in Japanese. Learn more about Japanese plural.
• kotoshi – 今年 (ことし) : a noun meaning ‘this year’ in Japanese. This can also work as an adverb almost anywhere in a sentence. In the example, this works as an adverb to say “this year” in Japanese.
• gakkou – 学校 (がっこう) : a noun meaning ‘school’ in Japanese.
• wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “gakkou” to make the object word in the sentence.

This is a typical usage of the verb form, “sotsugyou suru”. In this example, it works as a part of the commonly-used expression, “gakkou wo sotsugyou suru”, which literally means ‘to graduate from school’ in Japanese. It is often translated into English just as ‘to graduate’, though.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “sotsugyou” in detail based on its kanji expression. And also, I’ve explained its verb form. Let me summarize them as follows.

• sotsugyou – 卒業 (そつぎょう) : a noun meaning ‘graduation’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, this can also mean ‘outgrowing’, ‘moving on’, or just ‘leaving a place for another’ in Japanese. These two kanji characters literally mean ‘completion of things to do’. For students, it can mean ‘graduation’. So, the kanji concept is very close to the actual meanings.
• sotsugyou shiki – 卒業式 (そつぎょうしき) : a noun meaning ‘graduation ceremony’ in Japanese. “Shiki” often works as a suffix to add the meaning of ‘ceremony’ or ‘party’ to the preceding noun.
• sotsugyou suru – 卒業する (そつぎょうする) : a verb meaning ‘to graduate’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, this can also mean ‘to outgrow’, ‘to move on’, or just ‘to leave a place for another’ in Japanese. “Suru” is a verb to mean ‘to do’ or ‘to perform’ in Japanese. When it follows a noun, however, it can make the verb form of the preceding noun. In this case, therefore, it can work to make the verb form of “sotsugyou”.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.