Rōnin (student)

In Japan, a rōnin (浪人) is a student who has graduated from middle school or high school but has failed to enter a school at the next level, and consequently is studying outside of the school system for entrance in a future year. The term "rōnin" is colloquial; the word kanendosei (過年度生) is more formal. "Rōnin" derives from their having no school to attend, as a ronin (a masterless samurai) had no leader to serve.

In popular culture
Rōnin appear frequently in fiction and popular culture. As an example, the manga and anime series Love Hina features the main character, Keitaro Urashima, who is described as a rōnin (in the sense that he has not entered college), throughout most of the series. In the manga and anime series Chobits, the protagonist, Hideki Motosuwa, is a rōnin studying at a preparatory school to get into college.