## tl;dr

The word `予習` is strange to me. Is its usage related to cultural difference?
Does the user's knowledge of the material have something to do with it?

* * *

I've always had trouble understanding what exactly `予習` is, and some of the
definitions I've seen appear contradictory to my American English mind and
words I'm familiar with. Here are some of the definitions I have in various
dictionaries.

### English

>   * Preparation(s) for one's lessons
>

### 日本語

>   * 前もって学習すること
>   * まだならっていないところを前もって学習・練習しておくこと
>

* * *

## Cultural

At first I was thinking maybe this was a cultural difference. I have a hard
time seeing how `予習` is really different (conceptually) from `[復習]{ふく・しゅう,
«さらい»}` ("reviewing"). If today's lesson was on topic X, and tomorrow's lesson
is also on topic X, then the `学習` that I do concerning X in the time between
today's lesson and tomorrow's lesson is just going over information about X
again. To me, it seems pretty straight-forward that this is "review", so I
would use `復習`.

However, if today's lesson was on topic X, but I know tomorrow's lesson will
be about topic Y, saying that I'm going to study up on Y _before_ the teacher
even teaches it to us is not something that _average_ American student would
do. (Note that I use "average student" because a small minority of students in
public schools, or students in elite/private schools may actually do this.
Which may indicate something about our educational system in America...) To
study beforehand about an unlearned topic seems more in line with the east-
Asian (Japan, China, South Korea) mentality where educational discipline is
strict, calculated, and expected. So that's to say that it makes sense to me
that a Japanese student would be expected to study topic Y for tomorrow's
lesson (before the teacher even teaches it), whereas it would be expected that
an American student would be the exact opposite, i.e., if I haven't learned it
yet, I'm gonna play video games/sports/whatever-other-leisure once my homework
and reviews of X are done. So in this sense, `予習` has no relevance in the
(again, average) American educational mindset.

* * *

## Comprehension

When I saw some other definitions for `復習`, I thought the difference between
it and `予習` might be something else. Here is a 国語 definition of `復習`:

>   * 一度習ったことを繰り返して勉強すること
>

Looking at this definition compared to the one for `予習` above, it seems like
more of a difference between things you have learned (一度習ったこと) versus things
you have not yet learned (まだならっていないところ). So if the action is the same
(studying the topic), is the choice between `予習` and `復習` simply a matter of
if you've learned it yet or not? If so, this is easily confusing since I think
most English speakers would use the word "review" to study up on things
they've never learned (possibly for lack of a corresponding word). For
example, if I were taking a trip to a country I've never been to, I would
still say that I'm going to "review" materials (websites, travel books, etc.)
about that country, even though I currently know nothing about it.

So if this is the case, is `予習` more akin to a "pre-review"?

* * *

## What's the verdict?

So is `予習` strange to me because of possible cultural differences? Or is it
about the person's assumed knowledge of the topic? Some combination of the
two? Something else completely?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-19T22:04:29.730
16048
2018-02-08T08:02:13.020
2016-04-08T17:04:41.157
78
78
question
words etymology culture
Please help me understand [予習]{よ・しゅう}
One usage of this that I have seen might make a little more sense to you. It
seems from the comments that 予習 for natives can be the simple act of
"previewing" material before class or something like that. However, there are
situations where preparatory study is needed. The case that I'm talking about
is with 修学旅行{しゅうがくりょこう}, or the trips that Japanese students usually take once
during elementary, junior high school and high school. So for example, in
anticipation of a school's upcoming trip to Kyoto and Nara, the students will
go through a period of 予習 where they learn a bit about where they're going.
This might not be _the_ correct term for this kind of study, however, as a
commenter points out 事前学習 might be more appropriate. とはいえ, I do and have seen
予習 used in this way.

Sorry if this comes off as more of an extended comment!
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-20T04:30:53.270
16052
2014-05-21T01:17:41.613
2014-05-21T01:17:41.613
1797
1797
16048
answer
予習 means "to prepare for a lesson" (see
[here](http://kotobank.jp/jeword/%E4%BA%88%E7%BF%92)). Its opposite is 復習,
meaning "to review", "to rehease" and/or "to practice" what one has learned
([here](http://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BE%A9%E7%BF%92)).  
The kanji 予, pronounced あらかじめ, means "beforehand", "in advance", or
"previously" ([here](http://kotobank.jp/word/%E4%BA%88?dic=daijisen)). The
second kanji, 習, stands for 習う meaning "to learn"
([here](http://kotobank.jp/word/%E7%BF%92%E3%81%86) meanings 1 and 2).  
予習 and 復習 are widely used in educational setting in Japan. University
curricula must state how much effort is necessary before and after class.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-20T18:58:03.233
16056
2014-05-20T18:58:03.233
5362
16048
answer
A bit too long for a comment.

Instead of trying to answer with Japanese ideas and such, I'll try to give you
insight on a German perspective on what I think might be similar.

In Germany, during my school years, we were always encouraged (or demanded)
that we prepare for the next lesson of a subject by ourselves, in our own time
at home (or 5minutes prior to the next class, depending on the student). This
wasn't meant to make us learn new content by ourselves, but rather it was done
so we'd familiarize ourselves with what's going to happen next.

Say, in German language classes if you would be starting a new novel for the
next class it would be to make yourself aware of the general outline and
context of that novel (what time and situation was it roughly composed in,
what's it about etc.). In mathematics it might be to look at the next chapter
so you aren't scared of the imposing graphs and formulas of it during class
and wasting everyone's time. That is, this was in addition to the homework you
likely received for the current lesson.

These kind of things were commonplace for us, and usually required some 5 to
15 minutes of 'Vorbereitung' (preparation). This time was not counted towards
our homework alloted time, so both by system and mindset it was not part of
any review of current material.

I imagine 予習 could have a similar scope in Japan.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-08T08:02:13.020
56499
2018-02-08T08:02:13.020
16048
answer