How are the following verbs which are related to learning different to each other?
- 勉強する
- 習う
- 学ぶ
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dont forget 覚える！– Gerard SextonCommented Jul 5, 2011 at 6:29
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2@Gerard 覚える is simply "to remember/memorize". Learning is more than memorizing ;)– LukmanCommented Jul 5, 2011 at 6:30
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5@Lukman 覚える is actually sometimes used with the meaning of learning, for instance many people say 仕事を覚える for learning a new job, even non-repetitive jobs.– Nicolas RaoulCommented Jul 5, 2011 at 7:09
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You could also add 身につける to the list, for when learning by yourself, as opposed to learning from a teacher/mentor (学ぶ).– shangCommented Jul 5, 2011 at 8:02
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3related: japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/18645/…– MalperCommented Mar 16, 2016 at 21:05
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2 Answers
学ぶ
The original character is: 學
Meaning 2 hands writing characters and teaching a child
学ぶ is to imitate (or assimilate and repeat) what the teacher says. Study a subject from a teacher.
Most meaningful examples:
私たちは学ぶために学校に行く (We go to school to learn.)
私は日本語を学びはじめてから４０年になる (It is forty years since I began the study of Japanese.)
英語を学び始めた (I started to learn English)
習う
This character is composed of 羽 (wings) and 白 (clear/understand)
It shows how to learn by repeated practice like a small bird learning to fly.
Most meaningful examples:
バイクの乗り方を習う (learning to ride a bike)
車の運転を習っていない (I haven't learned to drive - I can't drive)
書道を習うのは楽しい (Learning calligraphy is fun.)
勉強する
勉 = make an effort
強 = powerful
It came to be used for "to study" but outside the class. Nobody teaches you, you "force" yourself to study something, do your homework, assimilate a lesson...etc.
Most meaningful examples:
先生は私にもっと勉強するようにと言った (The teacher told me to study harder.)
これからもっと勉強します (I'll study harder in future)
Examples taken from EDICT and organized for this answer in the correct categories.
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1@phirru: You're taught how to fly by a school teacher ;)– repecmpsCommented Jul 4, 2011 at 16:43
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3To quote my philosophy of education prof, the difference between 学and 習う can be described as the difference between "knowing that cesium is an element" and "knowing how to ride a bike" -- obtaining knowledge vs. acquiring a skill. Commented Jul 5, 2011 at 9:45
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@starckman The と is quotative, and 「～するように」 is imperative. Would this post help? (「～～するよう言った」「～～するように言った」「～～するようにと言った」"ordered to do~~" all sound okay, but 「～～するようと言った」 sounds wrong. I can't explain why 「～～するようと言った」（先生は私にもっと勉強するようと言った） sounds wrong, so maybe you can post it as a new question?) -- P.S. Why ask me? This is not my post.– chocolate ♦Commented Sep 23, 2022 at 5:25
勉強する is 'study' and is usually applied to school/literature.
習う is 'learn' and is usually applied to things like learning instruments or skills.
学ぶ carries a more 'in depth' meaning to it, and is usually applied to things like a vocation or 'years of study in XYZ'.
勉強する is the most common and is fairly good at being used in place of the others.
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1I just don't thing that "勉強" applies as well as you say to other things. If you say "today, I learned a new word", you'll never say 勉強, will you? I think that 習う (and to a slightly lesser extent 学ぶ) have a broader use. Commented Jul 5, 2011 at 2:14