chuugakkou

Most notably, the last year of chuugakkou is equivalent to the freshman year (first year) of high school in the US. A student of a chuugakkou is a chuugakusei 中学生. The word chuugakkou means "middle," chuu 中, "school," gakkou 学校. Middle school. Chuugaku 中学 Sometimes, chuugakkou is abbreviated to chuugaku 中学. School Years