private school

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 塾 denotes a place of learning and is read じゅく. Here it refers to a cram school attended outside regular school.
• Basic usage: 塾(じゅく) means a cram school, while 通塾(つうじゅく) means attending or commuting to one.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A place for study and the commute
  • 数学の塾 means a math cram school. It is used for a place attended after regular school or for supplementary lessons before an exam.
  • 通塾にかかる時間 means the time needed to commute to a cram school. Distinguish the place from traveling there.