noun
examination hell; ordeal of entrance exams
Refers to the intense pressure and competition surrounding school entrance examinations in Japan, often used in discussions of the education system.
日本では、受験地獄を経験する学生が多い。
In Japan, many students experience the ordeal of entrance examinations.
彼は受験地獄を乗り越えて、第一志望の大学に合格した。
He overcame the examination hell and got into his first-choice university.
Similar in meaning, but 受験戦争 (examination war) emphasizes the competitive aspect, while 受験地獄 focuses on the suffering and hardship.
Compound of 受験 (taking an examination) and 地獄 (hell). The term metaphorically describes the grueling nature of Japan's competitive entrance exam system.