Meaning
To attend school as a student.
Cultural Background
The '{등교|登校}길' (path to school) is often a place of social bonding. You'll see groups of students walking together, often stopping at convenience stores for a quick snack before the strict school day begins. Uniform checks often happen during {등교|登校}. Teachers or senior students stand at the gate to ensure everyone is wearing their uniform correctly, reflecting the discipline associated with the act of entering school. The concept of '0-period' (0교시) meant students had to {등교|登校} as early as 7:00 or 7:30 AM for extra self-study. While largely abolished now, it remains a symbol of Korea's intense education fever. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the term '원격 {등교|登校}' (remote attendance) became part of daily life, where logging into a video call was officially recognized as 'arriving at school.'
Use with '시간'
Always use '{등교|登校} 시간' when asking about what time school starts. It sounds much more natural than '학교 시작 시간'.
Not for Teachers
Even if you are a teacher, don't say you are '등교'-ing. It makes you sound like a student in a uniform!
Meaning
To attend school as a student.
Use with '시간'
Always use '{등교|登校} 시간' when asking about what time school starts. It sounds much more natural than '학교 시작 시간'.
Not for Teachers
Even if you are a teacher, don't say you are '등교'-ing. It makes you sound like a student in a uniform!
The 'Hanja' Advantage
Learning the '등' (登) for 'climb' will help you understand words like '등산' (hiking) and '등록' (registration/climbing onto a list).
Uniform Pride
In Korea, {등교|登校} is almost synonymous with wearing a uniform. If you aren't in uniform, it's often not considered a proper {등교|登校}.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of {등교|登校}하다.
내일은 아침 8시까지 학교에 (____).
The sentence is an instruction or request, so the honorific imperative '하세요' is most appropriate.
Which sentence is used correctly?
Choose the natural sentence.
{등교|登校} is for students on school days. Teachers '출근' and workers '출근'.
Complete the dialogue.
가: 오늘 왜 학교에 안 갔어? 나: 어제부터 열이 나서 오늘 (____).
The person had a fever, so they 'could not' attend school.
Match the phrase to the situation.
When would you hear '{등교|登校} 시간이 늦춰졌습니다'?
This is a formal announcement about school schedules, common during bad weather.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Who goes where?
Practice Bank
4 exercises내일은 아침 8시까지 학교에 (____).
The sentence is an instruction or request, so the honorific imperative '하세요' is most appropriate.
Choose the natural sentence.
{등교|登校} is for students on school days. Teachers '출근' and workers '출근'.
가: 오늘 왜 학교에 안 갔어? 나: 어제부터 열이 나서 오늘 (____).
The person had a fever, so they 'could not' attend school.
When would you hear '{등교|登校} 시간이 늦춰졌습니다'?
This is a formal announcement about school schedules, common during bad weather.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, but it's less common. University students usually say '학교 가다' or '수업 가다'. {등교|登校} sounds a bit like you're still in high school.
{등교|登校} is the act of arriving/starting the day at school. {통학|通學} is the general concept of commuting (living at home and traveling to school, rather than living in a dorm).
Always use '{학교|學校}에 {등교|登校}하다'. The verb requires the destination particle '에'.
Yes! Teachers perform '{등교|登校} 지도' (school arrival guidance), which means they stand at the gate to guide students. But the teacher themselves is '출근' (working).
It means 'remote school attendance.' It was used heavily during COVID-19 to describe attending classes from home via the internet.
The direct opposite is {하교|下校} (leaving school).
Yes, the term is standard across the Korean peninsula for school attendance.
For preschool or kindergarten, people often use '{등원|登院}하다' because those institutions are called '원' (院) rather than '교' (校).
No, you can {등교|登校} by bus, car, subway, or walking. It's about the arrival, not the method.
It's moderately formal. It's the standard 'correct' word, while '학교 가다' is the casual equivalent.
Related Phrases
{하교|下校}하다
contrastTo leave school after classes
{통학|通學}하다
similarTo commute to school
{결석|缺席}하다
contrastTo be absent from school
{조퇴|早退}하다
specialized formTo leave school early
{개학|開學}하다
builds onTo start a new school term
