课程
kèchéng
Course · trad. 課程
课程 (kèchéng) is the most common way to say "course" in Mandarin Chinese, primarily referring to a course of study, a subject, or a curriculum in an educational setting. It can also refer to a specific class or lecture.
What does 课程 (kèchéng) mean?
课程 (kèchéng) means “course” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “lesson journey.”
When to use it
Neutral. It's suitable for academic and general discussions about studies. For a single class session, you might just say 课 (kè). To talk about registering for classes, you'd use 选课 (xuǎnkè).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “kuh-CHUNG.” The first syllable 课 (kè) is a falling tone, and the second syllable 程 (chéng) is a rising tone.
Other ways to say it
- 课kèclass / lesson (can refer to a single session or a subject)
- 选课xuǎnkèto select courses / register for classes
- 课程表kèchéngbiǎoclass schedule / timetable
Examples
这门课程很有趣。
zhè mén kèchéng hěn yǒu qù.
This course is very interesting.
你这学期选了什么课程？
nǐ zhè xuéqī xuǎn le shénme kèchéng?
What courses did you choose this semester?
我需要查看我的课程表。
wǒ xūyào chákàn wǒ de kèchéngbiǎo.
I need to check my class schedule.
Pro tip: When referring to a specific course or subject, the measure word 门 (mén) is commonly used, as in 一门课程 (yī mén kèchéng, “one course”) or 这门课 (zhè mén kè, “this course”).
Related phrases
课 · Class书 · Book字母 · Alphabet
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