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Can we use 学生 to represent a person who learns martial arts such as 合気道?
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2017-02-27T08:40:33.580
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2017-03-03T02:54:42.740
2017-02-27T11:34:34.150
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word-choice
Can we use 学生 to represent a person who learns martial arts?
Normally, I would say no, but there are always exceptions I suppose.  
学 is mostly about learning and knowledge which is usually used in the context
of school.

Martial arts is more about training than "school learning".

The term 弟子 is usually more adequate than 学生 when it comes to martial arts.

But I suppose if you go to that kind of place :  
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Budo_University>

You might be considered a 学生.
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2017-02-27T09:00:23.253
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If one is learning _about_ 合気道 (in the academic sense) I think 学生 is
appropriate. However, if one is learning (i.e., training in) 合気道 it's better
to use something like 研修生。
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2017-02-27T14:05:34.970
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I depends on a particular dojo, but other possible callings for member
students (who are not designated as deshi) include:

  * 生徒{せいと} - the most casual, and probably most widely used

  * 門人{もんじん} - more traditional, especially if dojo is affiliated to a temple or shrine
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2017-02-27T14:31:24.687
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If you're thinking of relatively casual karate/aikido classes mainly for
children and hobbyists, the most common word for their students is **生徒**. 生徒
is the most natural choice for private classrooms for cooking, Yoga, abacus,
piano, swimming, baseball, and almost everything.

  * **弟子** (="disciple") is a more serious and bigger word. Some schools may unconditionally call their students 弟子, but this word can often imply a strong relationship with their master, almost like that of a family member. One master can have one hundred 生徒, but typically takes on only a few true 弟子. Think of Goku and Master Roshi (Kame-sennin) in _Dragon Ball_.
  * **徒弟** is another uncommon synonym for 弟子.
  * **門下生** is another good word for those who belong to a certain faction and train martial arts or other skills seriously (professionally or semi-professionally). Here 門 means faction.
  * **門人** and **門弟** are synonym for 門下生, but are much rarer.
  * **学生** is, as others pointed out, an academic-sounding word. This usually refers to students who belong to universities, colleges and sometimes high schools.
  * **研修生** (lit. "trainee") doesn't have a strict definition, but it tends to mean someone who wants to be a professional but is still below professional level. Eight-year-old karate kids and hobbyists are usually not called 研修生.
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2017-02-27T15:18:45.303
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2017-02-27T15:26:53.317
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Trainees and apprentices of classic manners and techniques such as martial
arts, flower arts, tea ceremony, calligraphy, and Japanese dancing are called
門人、門弟、門下生(of xx 師範)、弟子, or 練習生 with a modern tonality.

学生 refers to students of educational institutes such as universities,
colleges, and vocational schools.

Students of high schools and Junior highs are called 生徒. Schoolchildren are
called 生徒 or 学童.
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