bìyè: 毕业 - To Graduate

• Keywords: 毕业, biye, Chinese for graduate, graduation in China, bì yè, how to say graduate in Chinese, finishing school, Chinese culture, HSK 3 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese word 毕业 (bìyè), meaning “to graduate.” This comprehensive guide covers its meaning, cultural significance in China, and practical usage. Discover how graduating is a major life milestone, explore example sentences for everyday conversation, and avoid common mistakes that English speakers make. Perfect for HSK 3 students and anyone interested in modern Chinese life.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bì yè
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To finish a course of study and be awarded a diploma or degree; to graduate.
• In a Nutshell: 毕业 (bìyè) is the direct equivalent of “to graduate.” It marks the successful completion of a level of education, whether it's kindergarten, high school, or university. It's a verb of action and transition, signifying the end of one's studies and the beginning of a new chapter in life, like finding a job or pursuing further education.

• 毕 (bì): This character means “to finish,” “to complete,” or “to end.” Think of it as reaching the final point of a process.
• 业 (yè): This character relates to a “course of study,” “trade,” “profession,” or “enterprise.” It represents the specific field of work or study you have been engaged in.
• The combination 毕业 (bìyè) is beautifully logical: “to finish (毕) one's course of study (业).” It literally means completing your academic or professional training.

In Chinese culture, 毕业 (bìyè) is a monumental event, often carrying more weight than in many Western cultures. It's not just a personal achievement but a significant milestone for the entire family, representing the culmination of years—or even decades—of sacrifice, intense pressure, and shared hope. For university students, graduation is the finish line after the grueling 高考 (gāokǎo), the national college entrance exam that largely determines a young person's future. Therefore, the university 毕业典礼 (bìyè diǎnlǐ), or graduation ceremony, is a moment of immense pride for parents, who see it as a return on their immense emotional and financial investment. Compared to American graduation, which is often seen as a celebration followed by a transition to independence, Chinese graduation is viewed as the precise moment one formally “enters society” (进入社会 - jìn rù shè huì). The pressure to immediately secure a good job (就业 jiùyè) is immense. The “graduation season” (毕业季 bìyè jì) is a frantic period of finishing a thesis, taking elaborate graduation photos around campus, saying emotional goodbyes, and navigating a highly competitive job market. The feeling is a potent mix of accomplishment, relief, anxiety, and nostalgia.

毕业 (bìyè) is a common, everyday term used in formal and informal contexts.

• Standard Usage: The most common structure is 从 + [School Name] + 毕业 (cóng + [School Name] + bìyè), meaning “to graduate from [School Name].”
• Asking and Answering: It's used to ask when someone will graduate (`你什么时候毕业？`) or to state when you graduated (`我去年毕业的。`).
• Post-Graduation Life: The phrase 毕业后 (bìyè hòu), “after graduation,” is extremely common for discussing plans, careers, and life changes.
• As a Noun Modifier: While 毕业 itself is a verb, it can modify other nouns to create related concepts, such as 毕业照 (bìyè zhào - graduation photo), 毕业论文 (bìyè lùnwén - graduation thesis), and 毕业季 (bìyè jì - graduation season).

• Example 1:
  • 我明年大学毕业。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ míngnián dàxué bìyè.
  • English: I will graduate from university next year.
  • Analysis: A simple and direct statement about a future graduation. Note that `大学 (dàxué)` specifies the level of education.
• Example 2:
  • 他毕业于清华大学。
  • Pinyin: Tā bìyè yú Qīnghuá Dàxué.
  • English: He graduated from Tsinghua University.
  • Analysis: The structure 毕业于 (bìyè yú) is a more formal equivalent of `从…毕业 (cóng…bìyè)`. You will often see this in written Chinese or formal introductions.
• Example 3:
  • 毕业后，你有什么打算？
  • Pinyin: Bìyè hòu, nǐ yǒu shénme dǎsuàn?
  • English: After graduating, what are your plans?
  • Analysis: 毕业后 (bìyè hòu) is a crucial phrase for any student or recent graduate. It's the standard way to talk about post-graduation life.
• Example 4:
  • 我哥哥是一名去年刚毕业的大学生。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gēge shì yī míng qùnián gāng bìyè de dàxuéshēng.
  • English: My older brother is a university student who just graduated last year.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how 毕业 can be used in a descriptive clause with `的 (de)`. It describes the noun `大学生 (dàxuéshēng)`.
• Example 5:
  • 我们的毕业典礼是这个星期六。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de bìyè diǎnlǐ shì zhège xīngqīliù.
  • English: Our graduation ceremony is this Saturday.
  • Analysis: Here, 毕业 modifies `典礼 (diǎnlǐ)` to mean “graduation ceremony.”
• Example 6:
  • 毕业后找工作真的很难。
  • Pinyin: Bìyè hòu zhǎo gōngzuò zhēn de hěn nán.
  • English: Finding a job after graduation is really difficult.
  • Analysis: This sentence reflects a very common sentiment and a major topic of conversation during the 毕业季 (bìyè jì).
• Example 7:
  • 你必须先完成毕业论文才能毕业。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ bìxū xiān wánchéng bìyè lùnwén cáinéng bìyè.
  • English: You must first finish your graduation thesis before you can graduate.
  • Analysis: This sentence cleverly uses 毕业 twice, first as a modifier for `论文 (lùnwén)` and then as the main verb.
• Example 8:
  • 我们班拍了很多毕业照。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bān pāi le hěn duō bìyè zhào.
  • English: Our class took a lot of graduation photos.
  • Analysis: Taking graduation photos (毕业照, bìyè zhào) is a cherished ritual in China.
• Example 9:
  • 他还差三个学分，所以今年不能毕业。
  • Pinyin: Tā hái chà sān ge xuéfēn, suǒyǐ jīnnián bù néng bìyè.
  • English: He is still short three credits, so he cannot graduate this year.
  • Analysis: This shows a negative case, explaining a reason for not being able to graduate. `学分 (xuéfēn)` means “academic credit.”
• Example 10:
  • 一毕业，我们就各奔东西了。
  • Pinyin: Yī bìyè, wǒmen jiù gè bēn dōng xī le.
  • English: As soon as we graduated, we all went our separate ways.
  • Analysis: This uses the `一 … 就 … (yī … jiù …)` structure to mean “as soon as… then…”. The phrase `各奔东西 (gè bēn dōng xī)` is a common idiom expressing the bittersweet reality of friends scattering after graduation.

• Verb vs. Noun (“graduate”): In English, “graduate” can be a verb (“I will graduate”) or a noun (“I am a graduate”). In Chinese, 毕业 (bìyè) is strictly a verb. To refer to the person, you MUST use the specific noun 毕业生 (bìyèshēng).
  • Incorrect: 我是一个毕业。 (Wǒ shì yī ge bìyè.) - This literally means “I am a graduation.”
  • Correct: 我是一个毕业生。 (Wǒ shì yī ge bìyèshēng.) - “I am a graduate.”
• Forgetting “从 (cóng)”: When stating the school you graduated from, you must use a preposition. The most common is 从 (cóng). Forgetting it is a typical learner mistake.
  • Incorrect: 我毕业北京大学。 (Wǒ bìyè Běijīng Dàxué.)
  • Correct: 我从北京大学毕业。 (Wǒ cóng Běijīng Dàxué bìyè.)
• “Finished School”: While `毕业` means you've finished school, you wouldn't use it to say “I've finished school *for the day*.” For that, you would use 放学 (fàngxué). `毕业` exclusively refers to the final completion of a program.

• 毕业生 (bìyèshēng) - A graduate (noun); the person who has graduated.
• 毕业证 (bìyèzhèng) - Diploma; graduation certificate. The physical document you receive.
• 学位 (xuéwèi) - An academic degree (e.g., bachelor's, master's). What the `毕业证` certifies.
• 学历 (xuélì) - Educational background; record of formal schooling. A broader term than `学位`.
• 毕业季 (bìyè jì) - Graduation season (typically May-July), a culturally significant time of year.
• 就业 (jiùyè) - To find employment; to get a job. The primary concern for most new graduates.
• 高考 (gāokǎo) - The National College Entrance Examination. The high-stakes exam that precedes university and, ultimately, graduation.
• 肄业 (yìyè) - To leave school before completing the required courses; to drop out. The opposite of `毕业`.