Translation guide
In Japan, kindergarten (幼稚園) is a non-compulsory educational institution for children aged 3–6, distinct from daycare (保育園). This guide covers how to refer to kindergarten as a place, a stage of education, and related activities.
Referring to the school itself, as a place or organization.
Standard term for kindergarten as an educational institution under the Japanese school system. Often abbreviated as 幼稚園.
娘は来年幼稚園に入ります。
My daughter will enter kindergarten next year.
この近くに幼稚園がありますか？
Is there a kindergarten near here?
Refers to daycare or nursery school, which is not the same as kindergarten. Use only if the context is daycare rather than formal pre-elementary education.
保育園 is a daycare facility, not a school. Do not use it for kindergarten unless the distinction is irrelevant in context.
仕事があるので、子どもを保育園に預けています。
I leave my child at daycare because I have work.
Sometimes written in katakana as キンダーガーテン, but this is rare and mostly used in names of international schools or in a stylistic way.
インターナショナルキンダーガーテンに通っています。
I attend an international kindergarten.
Talking about the activity of being a kindergartener or the daily routine.
The standard way to say 'attend kindergarten'.
息子は毎日幼稚園に通っています。
My son goes to kindergarten every day.
Literally 'go to kindergarten', used for the daily action.
明日は幼稚園に行く日です。
Tomorrow is a kindergarten day.
Referring to the period of early childhood education before elementary school.
Used to denote the stage of education, e.g., 'kindergarten year'.
幼稚園の時にピアノを始めました。
I started piano when I was in kindergarten.
A child who attends kindergarten; a kindergartener.
Referring to the person who teaches at a kindergarten.
The most common way to say 'kindergarten teacher'.
幼稚園の先生になりたいです。
I want to become a kindergarten teacher.
Specifically a childcare worker or nursery teacher, often used for daycare staff but can overlap with kindergarten if the facility is a 保育園.
保育士の資格を取るために勉強しています。
I'm studying to get a childcare worker qualification.
幼稚園 (yōchien) is an educational institution for children aged 3–6, following the School Education Law. 保育園 (hoikuen) is a daycare facility for children from infancy to age 5, under the Child Welfare Law. In casual conversation, people may mix them up, but they are legally distinct.
幼稚園は教育機関ですが、保育園は福祉施設です。
Kindergarten is an educational institution, while daycare is a welfare facility.
The katakana word キンダーガーテン is not commonly used in Japanese. Stick to 幼稚園 unless referring to a specific international school with that name.
普通は「キンダーガーテン」と言いません。「幼稚園」と言います。
Normally we don't say 'kindergarten' in katakana; we say 'yōchien'.
週に一度、幼稚園でボランティアをしています。
I volunteer at the kindergarten once a week.
幼稚園児向けのイベントです。
This is an event for kindergarteners.