táoxué: 逃学 - To Skip School, To Play Truant

• Keywords: 逃学, tao xue, skip school in Chinese, play truant Chinese, cut class in Chinese, Chinese word for skipping school, what is taoxue, Chinese education, student life in China, 旷课, 翘课
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 逃学 (táoxué), the direct equivalent of “to skip school” or “play truant.” This page breaks down the characters 逃 (to escape) and 学 (study), explores the deep cultural significance of academic diligence in China, and provides over 10 practical example sentences. Discover the difference between an unauthorized absence (逃学) and taking approved leave (请假), and learn related terms like the more formal 旷课 (kuàngkè). This is a must-know term for anyone interested in modern Chinese student life and culture.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): táo xué
• Part of Speech: Verb (Verb-Object compound)
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To deliberately miss school or a class without permission.
• In a Nutshell: 逃学 (táoxué) is the go-to term for “skipping school.” It's formed by combining “to escape” (逃) and “school/studies” (学). The term carries a distinctly negative and mischievous connotation, implying a conscious decision to run away from one's academic duties. It's not just about being absent; it's about the act of escaping your responsibilities as a student.

• 逃 (táo): This character means “to escape,” “to flee,” or “to run away.” It's composed of the radical 辶 (chuò), which signifies movement or walking, and 兆 (zhào), which provides the sound. You can think of it as using your feet (辶) to run away from something.
• 学 (xué): This character means “to study,” “to learn,” or “school.” The top part represents a roof and the character 子 (zǐ) inside represents a child. It paints a picture of a child learning under a roof, which is the core concept of schooling.

When you combine them, 逃学 (táoxué) literally and vividly means “to escape from studying” or “to flee school.”

In many Western cultures, skipping school is often portrayed in media (like Ferris Bueller's Day Off) as a rite of passage or a lighthearted act of youthful rebellion. In China, 逃学 (táoxué) carries a much heavier cultural weight. The Chinese education system is famously rigorous, with immense pressure on students to succeed, culminating in the life-altering university entrance exam, the 高考 (gāokǎo). Education is traditionally seen as the primary path to a good career, social mobility, and bringing honor to one's family. Therefore, 逃学 is not just seen as laziness; it can be viewed as:

• A serious dereliction of a child's primary duty.
• A waste of the family's significant financial and emotional investment in their education.
• A sign of disrespect towards parents and teachers.

While students are still students and the act itself happens everywhere, the reaction from authority figures—parents and teachers—is often much more severe than in the West. The act is less about “finding yourself” and more about “failing your responsibilities.”

逃学 (táoxué) is a common, everyday term used in informal contexts among students, parents, and teachers.

• Connotation: It is almost always negative. Accusing someone of 逃学 is a serious claim.
• Formality: It's used in daily conversation. In a formal report or official school document, the term 旷课 (kuàngkè), meaning “to be absent from class without leave,” is more likely to be used.
• Scope: It can refer to skipping a single class or an entire day of school. To specify a single class, you can say 逃了一节课 (táo le yī jié kè) - “skipped one period of class.”

• Example 1:
  • 他今天生病了，不是逃学。
  • Pinyin: Tā jīntiān shēngbìng le, bùshì táoxué.
  • English: He is sick today, he didn't skip school.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the key difference between a legitimate absence and 逃学.
• Example 2:
  • 你为什么昨天逃学去看电影？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme zuótiān táoxué qù kàn diànyǐng?
  • English: Why did you skip school to go to the movies yesterday?
  • Analysis: A typical question from an angry parent or teacher. The structure is “Why did you [逃学] to do [something else]?”
• Example 3:
  • 小明因为害怕考试而逃学了。
  • Pinyin: Xiǎo Míng yīnwèi hàipà kǎoshì ér táoxué le.
  • English: Xiao Ming skipped school because he was afraid of the exam.
  • Analysis: This shows a common reason for 逃学 – avoiding academic pressure. The “因为…而…” (yīnwèi…ér…) structure means “because of…consequently…”.
• Example 4:
  • 别逃学！老师会给你父母打电话的。
  • Pinyin: Bié táoxué! Lǎoshī huì gěi nǐ fùmǔ dǎ diànhuà de.
  • English: Don't skip school! The teacher will call your parents.
  • Analysis: A common warning, demonstrating the likely consequences of the action.
• Example 5:
  • 我承认，我上中学的时候逃过几次学。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ chéngrèn, wǒ shàng zhōngxué de shíhòu táo guò jǐ cì xué.
  • English: I admit, I skipped school a few times when I was in middle school.
  • Analysis: The verb-object nature of 逃学 allows it to be split. Here, “过 (guò)” is inserted to indicate past experience.
• Example 6:
  • 他们一群人经常一起逃学去网吧。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen yī qún rén jīngcháng yīqǐ táoxué qù wǎngbā.
  • English: That group of them often skips school together to go to the internet cafe.
  • Analysis: This illustrates a common scenario in modern China, where internet cafes (网吧 - wǎngbā) are a popular destination for truant students.
• Example 7:
  • 为了去见他最喜欢的明星，他决定逃学。
  • Pinyin: Wèile qù jiàn tā zuì xǐhuān de míngxīng, tā juédìng táoxué.
  • English: In order to see his favorite celebrity, he decided to skip school.
  • Analysis: The “为了… (wèile…)” structure shows the purpose or motivation behind the action.
• Example 8:
  • 逃学不是解决问题的好办法。
  • Pinyin: Táoxué bùshì jiějué wèntí de hǎo bànfǎ.
  • English: Skipping school is not a good way to solve problems.
  • Analysis: Here, 逃学 is used as the subject of the sentence, functioning like a noun (“The act of skipping school…”).
• Example 9:
  • 我只是逃了下午的体育课，不是一整天。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì táo le xiàwǔ de tǐyùkè, bùshì yī zhěng tiān.
  • English: I only skipped the afternoon gym class, not the whole day.
  • Analysis: This shows how you can specify what was skipped. 逃了…课 (táo le… kè) means “skipped … class.”
• Example 10:
  • 他的逃学行为让父母非常失望。
  • Pinyin: Tā de táoxué xíngwéi ràng fùmǔ fēicháng shīwàng.
  • English: His truant behavior made his parents extremely disappointed.
  • Analysis: 逃学行为 (táoxué xíngwéi) means “truant behavior” or “the act of skipping school.”

• `逃学 (táoxué)` vs. `请假 (qǐngjià)`: This is the most critical distinction for a learner. They are not interchangeable.
  • 逃学 (táoxué): To be absent without permission. It's secretive and wrong.
  • 请假 (qǐngjià): To ask for leave with permission. This is the proper way to be absent.
  • Incorrect: ~~我今天不舒服，所以逃学了。~~ (Wǒ jīntiān bù shūfú, suǒyǐ táoxué le.) → This sounds like you used being sick as a secret excuse to skip school.
  • Correct: 我今天不舒服，所以请假了。(Wǒ jīntiān bù shūfú, suǒyǐ qǐngjià le.) → “I'm not feeling well today, so I took a leave of absence.”
• `逃学 (táoxué)` vs. `旷课 (kuàngkè)`: These are very similar, but with a difference in formality and nuance.
  • 逃学 (táoxué): Colloquial, common in speech. Emphasizes the student's action of “escaping.”
  • 旷课 (kuàngkè): More formal, often used in written reports or by school officials. It literally means “absent from class” and focuses on the fact of the absence itself. You are more likely to see 旷课 on your school report card.

• 旷课 (kuàngkè) - A more formal synonym for skipping class, often used in official contexts.
• 翘课 (qiàokè) - A very popular and informal slang term for “cutting class,” especially common among students themselves.
• 请假 (qǐngjià) - The opposite concept: to ask for an approved leave of absence.
• 上学 (shàngxué) - The direct antonym: to go to school, to attend school.
• 迟到 (chídào) - A lesser offense: to be late or tardy.
• 早退 (zǎotuì) - Another related offense: to leave early without permission.
• 高考 (gāokǎo) - The National College Entrance Examination, the high-stakes exam that creates the intense pressure that might lead to 逃学.
• 作业 (zuòyè) - Homework; a mountain of it can be a reason a student might want to 逃学.
• 挂科 (guàkē) - To fail a course; a potential consequence of too much 逃学.
• 网吧 (wǎngbā) - Internet cafe; a stereotypically common destination for students who are skipping school.