qiào kè: 翘课 - To Skip Class, Play Hooky

• Keywords: 翘课, qiao ke, to skip class in Chinese, play hooky Chinese, cut class Chinese, Chinese for truancy, 翘课 meaning, 逃课, 旷课, skipping school in China.
• Summary: Learn how to say “skip class” in Chinese with the term 翘课 (qiào kè). This page explores the meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage of this common informal phrase. Discover why skipping class in China can be viewed more seriously than in the West, and learn related terms like “asking for leave” (请假) and the formal term for absence, “旷课”. This is your complete guide for understanding how Chinese students talk about playing hooky.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qiào kè
• Part of Speech: Verb-Object phrase (functions as a verb)
• HSK Level: Unofficial, around HSK 4-5 level
• Concise Definition: To deliberately and illicitly miss a class or lecture without permission.
• In a Nutshell: 翘课 (qiào kè) is the quintessential slang term Chinese students use when they decide to skip a class they're supposed to attend. It's the direct equivalent of “cutting class,” “ditching,” or “playing hooky” in English. The feeling is informal, a bit rebellious, and something you'd say to a friend, not a teacher.

• 翘 (qiào): This character's primary meaning is “to lift up,” “to raise,” or “to stick up.” Imagine lifting a foot to walk away or a tail sticking up proudly. It implies a deliberate, active motion.
• 课 (kè): This character is straightforward and means “class,” “lesson,” or “course.”
• The two characters combine to create a vivid image: “to lift up and leave a class.” It's not a passive absence; it’s the active choice to get up and go do something else instead of being in the lesson.

In Chinese culture, education is often seen as the primary path to success and a source of family honor. This value is deeply rooted in Confucian principles and the historical imperial examination system (科举, kējǔ), where academic achievement could elevate an entire family's social status. Because of this intense cultural emphasis on academic diligence, 翘课 is often viewed more seriously than its Western counterpart, “playing hooky.” It's not just an act of teenage laziness; it can be interpreted as:

• A waste of parents' significant financial and emotional investment.
• A sign of disrespect towards the teacher and the educational system.
• A failure to fulfill one's core duty as a student.

While an American concept like a “senior skip day” might be a semi-tolerated, collective tradition, organized group skipping in China is extremely rare and would be met with a much stricter response from school authorities. For a Chinese student, the decision to 翘课 often carries more weight and potential for familial conflict than for their Western peers.

翘课 is a highly informal and colloquial term used almost exclusively by students, from middle school through university.

• Formality: Extremely informal. You would use it when complaining to a friend, but you would never use it in a formal written statement or when speaking to a teacher. For that, you would use a term like 请假 (qǐng jià) for an approved absence or the school might use the formal 旷课 (kuàng kè) to describe an unexcused absence.
• Connotation: The connotation depends heavily on the speaker and context.
  • Negative: When used by parents or teachers, it's a clear accusation of irresponsibility.
  • Neutral/Boastful: Among peers, it can be a neutral statement of fact (“I'm skipping math to study for the history final”) or even a slightly rebellious boast (“That class is so boring, I just 翘课了”).

It's a very common term on university campuses, where students have more freedom and may strategically skip less important lectures to study for major exams or simply to relax.

• Example 1:
  • 我今天下午翘课了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān xiàwǔ qiào kè le.
  • English: I skipped class this afternoon.
  • Analysis: A simple, direct statement of fact. This is the most basic way to use the term.
• Example 2:
  • 你为什么想翘课？是因为考试吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme xiǎng qiào kè? Shì yīnwèi kǎoshì ma?
  • English: Why do you want to skip class? Is it because of an exam?
  • Analysis: A common question between friends. It shows that skipping class is often done for a strategic reason, not just for fun.
• Example 3:
  • 他为了玩游戏，经常翘课。
  • Pinyin: Tā wèile wán yóuxì, jīngcháng qiào kè.
  • English: He often skips class in order to play video games.
  • Analysis: This example gives a reason for the action using 为了 (wèile), “in order to.” The use of 经常 (jīngcháng), “often,” implies this is a bad habit.
• Example 4:
  • 我们别翘课了，被老师发现会很麻烦。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bié qiào kè le, bèi lǎoshī fāxiàn huì hěn máfan.
  • English: Let's not skip class; it will be a big hassle if the teacher finds out.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the potential negative consequences. 被 (bèi) is used here to form the passive voice (“to be discovered by the teacher”).
• Example 5:
  • 这节历史课太无聊了，我们一起翘课去看电影吧！
  • Pinyin: Zhè jié lìshǐ kè tài wúliáo le, wǒmen yīqǐ qiào kè qù kàn diànyǐng ba!
  • English: This history class is so boring, let's skip it together and go see a movie!
  • Analysis: A typical suggestion between classmates. The structure 一起 (yīqǐ)…吧 (ba) is a common way to make a friendly suggestion.
• Example 6:
  • 你要是再翘课，我就告诉你妈妈。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yàoshi zài qiào kè, wǒ jiù gàosù nǐ māma.
  • English: If you skip class again, I'm going to tell your mom.
  • Analysis: A friendly (or not-so-friendly) threat. The 要是…就… (yàoshi…jiù…) structure means “if…then…”.
• Example 7:
  • 虽然我很想翘课，但我还是坚持去上课了。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán wǒ hěn xiǎng qiào kè, dànshì wǒ háishì jiānchí qù shàngkè le.
  • English: Although I really wanted to skip class, I still insisted on going.
  • Analysis: Shows the internal conflict of a diligent student. 虽然…但是… (suīrán…dànshì…) is a key structure for “although…but…”.
• Example 8:
  • 大学里，很多学生会选择性地翘课。
  • Pinyin: Dàxué lǐ, hěn duō xuéshēng huì xuǎnzéxìng de qiào kè.
  • English: In university, many students will selectively skip classes.
  • Analysis: This points to a common phenomenon in Chinese universities. 选择性地 (xuǎnzéxìng de) means “selectively,” showing a more strategic approach to missing class.
• Example 9:
  • 我昨天生病了，所以是请假，不是翘课。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān shēngbìng le, suǒyǐ shì qǐngjià, bùshì qiào kè.
  • English: I was sick yesterday, so I took a leave of absence, I didn't skip class.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly contrasts 翘课 with the legitimate act of 请假 (qǐngjià). This is a crucial distinction.
• Example 10:
  • 翘课一时爽，一直翘课一直爽…期末火葬场。
  • Pinyin: Qiào kè yīshí shuǎng, yīzhí qiào kè yīzhí shuǎng… qīmò huǒzàngchǎng.
  • English: Skipping class is awesome for a moment, always skipping class is always awesome… until the crematorium of final exams.
  • Analysis: A very popular piece of internet slang among Chinese students. It humorously captures the short-term pleasure and long-term disaster of skipping class. “火葬场 (huǒzàngchǎng)” (crematorium) is a dramatic and funny exaggeration for the stressful period of final exams.

The biggest mistake learners make is confusing 翘课 (qiào kè) with 请假 (qǐng jià).

• 翘课 (qiào kè): Illicit, unapproved absence. You do it sneakily. It's “skipping.”
• 请假 (qǐng jià): Approved absence. You ask for permission from the teacher/boss beforehand. It's “taking a day off” or “asking for leave.”

Incorrect Usage: `我今天不舒服，所以跟老师翘课了。` (Wǒ jīntiān bù shūfu, suǒyǐ gēn lǎoshī qiào kè le.)

• Why it's wrong: This literally means “I wasn't feeling well today, so I skipped class with the teacher.” This is a contradiction. You cannot “skip” with permission.
• Correct Usage: `我今天不舒服，所以跟老师请假了。` (Wǒ jīntiān bù shūfu, suǒyǐ gēn lǎoshī qǐngjià le.) - “I wasn't feeling well today, so I asked the teacher for a leave of absence.”

Another point is scope: 翘课 is only for class. For work, you use 翘班 (qiào bān).

• 请假 (qǐng jià) - To ask for an approved leave of absence. The legitimate counterpart to 翘课.
• 逃课 (táo kè) - A very close synonym, “to escape class.” It sometimes carries a slightly stronger sense of “fleeing” a bad class, but is often used interchangeably with 翘课.
• 旷课 (kuàng kè) - A formal, official term for an unexcused absence from class. This is the word a school would use on your report card.
• 翘班 (qiào bān) - The direct equivalent for the workplace: to skip work, to play hooky from your job.
• 上课 (shàng kè) - The direct antonym: to attend class, to go to class.
• 迟到 (chí dào) - To be late (for class or work).
• 早退 (zǎo tuì) - To leave early (from class or work).
• 学霸 (xué bà) - “Study Tyrant.” A top, straight-A student who would never dream of skipping class.
• 学渣 (xué zhā) - “Study Dregs.” A slacker student, someone who might 翘课 quite often.
• 补课 (bǔ kè) - To have a make-up class or attend a cram school, often done to catch up on material missed (perhaps from 翘课!).