‘教学楼’ literally means ‘teaching-building’ and refers specifically to a building on a school or university campus where classes are held. It combines three characters: 教 (jiào, ‘to teach’), 学 (xué, ‘to study’ or ‘learning’), and 楼 (lóu, ‘building’ or ‘tower’). Together, they emphasize the dual purpose of instruction and learning — not just where teachers teach, but where students actively engage in study.

This term is widely used across Chinese educational institutions and carries a formal, institutional tone. It’s distinct from more general terms like ‘大楼’ (dà lóu, ‘large building’) or ‘校舍’ (xiào shè, ‘school buildings’), as it specifically denotes academic instruction spaces — classrooms, labs, faculty offices, and lecture halls. You’ll rarely hear it used outside campus contexts, and it’s never applied to non-educational structures like office towers or residential buildings.