n.
university student; college student
大学生
university student; college student
University student or college undergraduate (大学 university + 生 student); counted with 位 (wèi) or 个 (gè).
Common Usage & Traps
- 大学生 — university student; college student (the person)
- 一个大学生 — a university student
- 我是大学生。 — I'm a college student.
- 你是大学生吗？ — Are you a university student?
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我是大学。我是大学生。大学 is the building and the institution. 我是大学 sounds like you're claiming to be a campus.
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去大学生上大学去 needs a place to go to. 大学生 is a person, so 去大学生 breaks — the action is 上大学.
I'm a college student — why is 我是大学生 right but 我是大学 wrong?
大学 is the place; 大学生 is the person standing inside it.
大学 names the institution. Add 生 and you get the human who studies there. So 我是大学生 means 'I am a college student'. Say 我是大学 and you're telling people you are a school. The same switch works all the way down: 中学 / 中学生, 小学 / 小学生. One extra character, one completely different thing.
“大学大学生，
中学中学生，
小学小学生。” (University students for university, middle school students for middle school, primary school students for primary school.)
“大学大学生，
中学中学生，
小学小学生。” (University students for university, middle school students for middle school, primary school students for primary school.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Who someone is | 他是大学生。 (He's a college student.) | 他是大学。 (He is a university.) |
| Where you study | 我在大学学习。 (I study at a university.) | 我在大学生学习。 (I study at a college student.) |
For 'I go to college', do you say 上大学 or 大学生?
上大学 is the action; 大学生 is the identity. Don't mix them.
上大学 uses 上 as a verb meaning to attend school. 大学生 is just a noun for the person. So 我上大学 answers 'what are you doing next year', and 我是大学生 answers 'what are you'. Saying 去大学生 fails because 去 wants a destination, not a human being.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| The action | 我上大学。 (I attend university.) | 我去大学生。 |
| The identity | 我是大学生。 (I'm a college student.) | 我是上大学。 |
Does 大学生 cover grad students, the way English 'college student' does?
大学生 stops at the bachelor's degree — grad students are 研究生.
English 'college student' is loose and often swallows grad school. Chinese is stricter. 大学生 means someone studying for a bachelor's degree. Once you start a master's or PhD, you're 研究生. Say 我是大学生 at 26 in Beijing and people hear 'undergrad'. Bonus word, but a useful one.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 大学生 | 研究生 |
| Master's or PhD | 研究生 | 大学生 |
| High schooler | 中学生 | 大学生 |
Appears in Stories 4 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
Chat about where friends study Chinese while exploring 哪儿 and 哪里 across Beijing and Shanghai. Practice asking “where”, talking about “here” and “there”, and using the modest reply 哪里哪里 to accept a compliment.
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上海的 大学生 ，“哪里”、“哪儿”都说。
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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大学 大学生 ，中学中学生，小学小学生。
This playful poem helps you count and practice vocabulary about clothes, students, and pets. Enjoy the rhythm while learning new words.
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三四个小学生，四五个中学生，五六个 大学生 。
Read this short story about people waiting in the rain for a new phone. You will practice numbers, time, and everyday vocabulary.
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苹果商店外边人很多，一半儿是北京大学的 大学生 。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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