‘逃学’ literally means ‘to escape school’ — the character 逃 (táo) means ‘to flee’ or ‘to run away’, and 学 (xué) means ‘school’ or ‘study’. Together, they form a verb meaning ‘to play truant’: deliberately skipping school without permission, usually by students. It carries a negative connotation and implies disobedience or avoidance of responsibility.

This word is commonly used in educational, parental, or disciplinary contexts — for example, when teachers report student absences, parents discuss behavioral issues, or news articles describe youth problems. Unlike general absence (缺席), 逃学 specifically implies intentional, unauthorized absence during school hours. It’s not used for adults skipping work (that’s 旷工), nor for legitimate reasons like illness (that’s 请假). The term often appears in warnings, school policies, or psychological discussions about adolescent behavior.