n.
elementary school; primary school
小学
Common Usage & Traps
- 上小学 — to attend primary school
- 小学生 — primary school student
- 小学老师 — primary school teacher
- 小学同学 — primary school classmate
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去小学 (for attending)上小学去小学 means you physically go to the campus; 上小学 means you are enrolled as a student there.
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我是小学我是小学生小学 is the school, not a person; add 生 to make 小学生 when talking about a student.
Can I say 我去小学 to mean I attend primary school?
No. 去小学 is a physical trip; 上小学 means you are a student there.
Chinese treats attending school as a status, not just a trip. 上小学 is the fixed phrase for being a primary school student. 去小学 is fine when you mean walking or driving to the campus. Example: a parent says 我去小学接孩子. That is a physical trip, not attendance. If you are enrolled, say 我上小学. “六岁上小学。” (At age six, they start primary school.) ── [《小大学和大小学》](/read/big-and-small-schools#s2)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Attending as a student | 上小学 | 去小学 for attendance |
| Physical trip to campus | 去小学 | 上小学 for a quick errand |
Can I say 我是小学 to mean 'I am a primary school student'?
No. 小学 is the school; 小学生 is the student.
小学 names the institution, not a person. If you talk about yourself, add 生 to make 小学生. Saying 我是小学 sounds like 'I am a primary school' in English. The same pattern gives 大学生 for university students. So say 我是小学生 or 我上小学.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Role | 小学生 = student | 小学 = school |
| Self-intro | 我是小学生 | 我是小学 |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
This playful HSK 1 poem twists words you already know and asks how an hour can be small. Read it aloud and laugh; a fun way to practice Chinese.
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小猫小的猫，小狗小的狗， 小学 不很小，小时怎么小？
This playful reading contrasts small universities and big primary schools. You will practice basic words for school levels and sizes while enjoying a simple rhythmic verse.
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六岁上 小学 。
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大学大学生，中学中学生， 小学 小学生。
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