課題

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 課題(かだい) means an assigned task or an issue requiring a solution.
• Basic usage: It covers both a school holiday assignment and a long-standing transport problem in a community.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A broader range than 宿題
  • 宿題(しゅくだい) mainly refers to schoolwork assigned to be done outside class. 課題 also applies to issues that a community or organization needs to address.