'毕业届' (bì yè jiè) is a noun meaning 'graduating class' — the cohort of students who complete their studies and graduate in the same year. The word combines three characters: 毕 (bì, 'to finish/completion'), 业 (yè, 'studies' or 'academic work'), and 届 (jiè, 'a term or session', used to denote a specific cohort or cycle). Together, they literally convey 'the completed-studies cohort'. This term is commonly used in formal or institutional contexts — such as university announcements, alumni communications, or enrollment statistics — to refer collectively to all graduates from a particular academic year.

It is not used for individuals ('a graduate') but always for the group as a whole. While often associated with universities, it can also apply to high schools or vocational programs. Note that '届' alone can indicate a cohort (e.g., '2024届'), but '毕业届' emphasizes the graduation aspect specifically and sounds slightly more formal or written than simply 'XX届'.