授業 and 講義: classes and lectures
Explore the overlap between a class and a lecture-style presentation.
A class as an activity
授業 (じゅぎょう) is a class in which teaching and learning take place. 「午後は数学の授業があります」 says there is a math class in the afternoon.
「授業で実験をしました」 means conducting an experiment in class. 授業 is not limited to listening to explanations; it can include practical activities.
A lecture involving explanation
講義 (こうぎ) is a lecture explaining a subject. 「歴史の講義を聞きました」 means listening to a history lecture. The subject of 聞きました is the listener, not the lecturer.
「先生が講義をしました」 means that the teacher delivered a lecture. 「講義を受けました」 presents the listener's perspective; use the accompanying verb to distinguish roles.
A class can also be a lecture
An explanation-based university class can be called both 授業 and 講義. Do not make an exclusive rule assigning 授業 only to schools and 講義 only to universities.
「今日の授業は講義だけでなく討論もありました」 says that today's class included discussion as well as a lecture. It distinguishes the whole class from its forms of activity.
Does 「講義を聞きました」 mean that I delivered the lecture?
Show the answer and why
No. It means listening to the lecture. Delivering one can be expressed as 「講義をしました」.