単位

English translation: credits (university)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Japanese term or phrase:	単位
English translation:	credits (university)
Entered by:	Joyce A

04:59 Mar 11, 2007

Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Education / Pedagogy

Japanese term or phrase: 単位

I am wondering what is the best way to translate this... In the US, I am familiar with saying 'credit hours' (you must have 30 credit hours in the department you are majoring in to graduate, etc.). And this credit hour system is based on the actual number of hours you spend in class. (If it is a 3 credit hour class, you spend 3 hours in class a week.)

However, at Japanese universities, I am not sure if I am safe saying "credit hours" because I don't know how their system works... Most of the classes in this list I'm looking at are 2単位, graduate-level courses.

I would like to say 'credit hours' but am wondering if it is safe to say this or not. (It sounds kind of lame to me to say 'units', so I want to say something better if there is a better translation)

Thanks.

conejo KudoZ activity Questions: 724 (1 open) (24 closed without grading) Answers: 286 United States
Local time: 09:02

credits (one credit, 2 credits, etc. in the university)

Explanation:
Conejo, I've always called "単位" just plain "credits" but I went through the U.S. educational system.

The Shogakukan Dictionary also defines it as "a credit." But it also says that they're "units" in England.

So, I believe that Ishigami-san's "unit" is also correct.

Maybe it boils down to choosing between an American style or a British style of translation. Anyhow, that's my thinking on this. :-)

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Note added at 41 mins (2007-03-11 05:40:49 GMT)
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I would venture to guess that each of those graduate level courses that you mention is worth/yields 2 credits much in the same way that courses are worth a certain amount of credits in the U.S.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-03-11 07:43:00 GMT)
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Oopsie, pardon my grammar error. "...courses that you mention "are" worth/yield 2 credits, much in the same way... :-)

Selected response from:

Joyce A
Thailand
Local time: 21:02

Grading comment

Thanks everybody.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +7

credits (one credit, 2 credits, etc. in the university)

Joyce A

1 +7

unit

ishigami

Answers

8 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

unit

Explanation:
http://www.twin.ne.jp/~aplac/ryu/ryuhsc.html

ishigami
Local time: 22:02
Native speaker of:

Japanese

32 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +7

credits (one credit, 2 credits, etc. in the university)

Joyce A
Thailand
Local time: 21:02
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 25

Grading comment

Thanks everybody.

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