JLPT N3 Vocabulary List
Complete JLPT N3 vocabulary — essential words to pass the exam
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This is a complete list of the vocabulary you need to know to pass the JLPT N3 exam. In total, you should learn roughly 3700+ common words used in everyday Japanese.
Words are organized alphabetically to help you study step by step. Each entry includes reading (kana), English meaning, and example sentences where useful.
This list includes lessons for the most common and important words for you to know, all listed in alphabetical order.
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Expand your study with focused lists and study aids. Click any card to open the full resource.
JLPT N3 Adverbs
All N3 adverbs categorized and easy to review.
JLPT N3 Pre-noun Adjectival
All N3 Pre-noun Adjectival categorized and easy to review.
JLPT N3 Katakana Words List
All N3 Katakana Words categorized and easy to review.
JLPT N3 Nouns
All N3 nouns categorized and easy to review.
JLPT N3 Verbs
Most-used verbs with conjugation notes.
JLPT N3 Adjectives
い-adjectives & な-adjectives organized for practice.
JLPT N3 Particles
Key particles and example usage for learners.
JLPT N3 Kanji
All N3 kanji categorized and easy to review.
JLPT N3 Grammar
All N3 Grammar categorized and easy to review.
🎯 Pro Tip: Combine vocabulary study with grammar lessons for faster progress — try learning 15–20 new words per day and use them in sample sentences.
| # | 語彙 | Vocabulary | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 明かり | akari あかり | Noun | light; illumination; glow; gleam |
| 2 | 明ける | akeru あける | Verb, Ichidan verb, Transitive verb | to dawn,to become daylight |
| 3 | 明らか | akiraka あきらか | Adjective, な-adjective | clear; obvious |
| 4 | 悪魔 | akuma あくま | Noun | devil; demon; fiend; Satan |
| 5 | 暗記 | anki あんき | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | memorization; learning by heart |
| 6 | 新た | arata あらた | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | new; fresh; novel |
| 7 | 有らゆる | arayuru あらゆる | Pre-noun adjectival | all; every |
| 8 | 集まり | atsumari あつまり | Noun | gathering; meeting; assembly; collection; attendance |
| 9 | 部分 | bubun ぶぶん | Noun | portion; section; part |
| 10 | 分 | bun ぶん | Noun, Suffix | part; segment; share; ration |
| 11 | 文明 | bunmei ぶんめい | Noun | civilization; culture |
| 12 | 分析 | bunseki ぶんせき | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | analysis |
| 13 | 分野 | bunya ぶんや | Noun | field; sphere; realm; division; branch |
| 14 | 父親 | chichioya ちちおや | Noun | father |
| 15 | 地平線 | chiheisen ちへいせん | Noun | horizon (related to land) |
| 16 | 地位 | chii ちい | Noun | (social) position; status |
| 17 | 長期 | chouki ちょうき | Noun | long-term |
| 18 | 中 | chuu ちゅう | Noun, Prefix, Suffix | during; while; medium; middle |
| 19 | 中学 | chuugaku ちゅうがく | Noun | junior high school; middle school |
| 20 | 昼食 | chuushoku ちゅうしょく | Noun | lunch; midday meal |
| 21 | 大部分 | daibubun だいぶぶん | Noun | most part; greater part; majority |
| 22 | 駄目 | dame だめ | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | no good; cannot |
| 23 | 男子 | danshi だんし | Noun | youth; young man |
| 24 | 出会い | deai であい | Noun | meeting; rendezvous; encounter |
| 25 | 出会う | deau であう | Verb | to meet (by chance); to come across; to run across; to encounter |
| 26 | 読書 | dokusho どくしょ | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | reading |
| 27 | 努力 | doryoku どりょく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | effort; exertion; endeavor; hard work; striving |
| 28 | 同一 | douitsu どういつ | Adjective, な-adjective | identical; same; one and the same; equal |
| 29 | 円 | en えん | Noun | yen; Japanese monetary unit; circle |
| 30 | 不利 | furi ふり | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | disadvantage; handicap; unfavorable position |
| 31 | 不足 | fusoku ふそく | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective, Verb, Suru verb | insufficiency; shortage; deficiency; lack; dearth |
| 32 | 再び | futatabi ふたたび | Adverb | again; once more; a second time |
| 33 | 外交 | gaikou がいこう | Noun | diplomacy |
| 34 | 外出 | gaishutsu がいしゅつ | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | going out; outing; leaving (one's home, office, etc.) |
| 35 | 学期 | gakki がっき | Noun | school term; semester |
| 36 | 学 | gaku がく | Noun, Suffix | learning; education; study of |
| 37 | 学問 | gakumon がくもん | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | scholarship; study; learning |
| 38 | 学者 | gakusha がくしゃ | Noun | scholar |
| 39 | 学習 | gakushuu がくしゅう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | study; learning; tutorial |
| 40 | 議長 | gichou ぎちょう | Noun | chairman; president; moderator |
| 41 | 議会 | gikai ぎかい | Noun | congress; parliament; diet; legislative assembly |
| 42 | 語学 | gogaku ごがく | Noun | study of foreign languages; linguistics |
| 43 | 激しい | hageshii はげしい | Adjective, い-adjective | violent; extreme; intense |
| 44 | 母親 | hahaoya ははおや | Noun | mother |
| 45 | 博物館 | hakubutsukan はくぶつかん | Noun | museum |
| 46 | 販売 | hanbai はんばい | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | sales; selling; marketing |
| 47 | 発明 | hatsumei はつめい | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective, Verb, Suru verb | invention |
| 48 | 外す | hazusu はずす | Verb, Godan verb, Transitive verb | to remove; to undo; to drop; to miss |
| 49 | 品 | hin ひん | Noun | elegance, article |
| 50 | 一言 | hitokoto ひとこと | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | single word; a few words; brief comment |
| 51 | 一人一人 | hitorihitori ひとりひとり | Noun, Suffix | one by one; each; one at a time |
| 52 | 本物 | honmono ほんもの | Noun | genuine article; real thing; real deal |
| 53 | 本人 | honnin ほんにん | Noun | the person in question; the person themselves; said person |
| 54 | 一致 | icchi いっち | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | agreement; union; match ; coincidence |
| 55 | 一時 | ichiji いちじ | Noun | one o'clock |
| 56 | 意外 | igai いがい | Adjective, な-adjective, Adverb | unexpected; surprising |
| 57 | 一家 | ikka いっか | Noun | a family; a household; a home; one's family; whole family |
| 58 | 今に | imani いまに | Adverb | before long; even now |
| 59 | 今にも | imanimo いまにも | Adverb | at any moment; at any minute; on the verge of |
| 60 | 一般 | ippan いっぱん | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | general; universal; ordinary; average; common |
| 61 | 一方 | ippou いっぽう | Noun | one (esp. of two); one way; the other direction; although |
| 62 | 一生 | isshou いっしょう | Noun | whole life; a lifetime; a generation |
| 63 | 一種 | isshu いっしゅ | Noun, Adverb | species; kind; variety |
| 64 | 一瞬 | isshun いっしゅん | Noun | instant; moment; for an instant |
| 65 | 一層 | issou いっそう | Noun, Adverb | much more; still more; all the more; single layer; sooner; preferably |
| 66 | 一体 | ittai いったい | Noun, Adverb | (what) the heck; (why) in the world |
| 67 | 所謂 | iwayuru いわゆる | Pre-noun adjectival | what is called; as it is called; the so-called; so to speak |
| 68 | 邪魔 | jama じゃま | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective, Suru verb | hindrance |
| 69 | 化学 | kagaku かがく | Noun | chemistry |
| 70 | 会 | kai かい | Noun, Suffix | meeting; assembly; party; association; club |
| 71 | 会員 | kai'in かいいん | Noun | member |
| 72 | 海外 | kaigai かいがい | Noun, Adjective | foreign; abroad; overseas |
| 73 | 会合 | kaigou かいごう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | meeting; assembly; gathering; association |
| 74 | 会計 | kaikei かいけい | Noun | finance; account; treasurer; bill |
| 75 | 開始 | kaishi かいし | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | start; commencement; beginning; initiation |
| 76 | 科目 | kamoku かもく | Noun | (school) subject; curriculum; course |
| 77 | 権利 | kenri けんり | Noun | right; privilege |
| 78 | 基本 | kihon きほん | Noun | basics; fundamentals; basis; foundation |
| 79 | 記事 | kiji きじ | Noun | article; news story; report; account |
| 80 | 気味 | kimi きみ | Noun | sensation; feeling ; tendency |
| 81 | 記念 | kinen きねん | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | commemoration; celebration; honoring the memory of something |
| 82 | 気に入る | kiniiru きにいる | Verb, Godan verb, Expression | to like; to take a liking to |
| 83 | 記入 | kinyuu きにゅう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | entry; filling in; filling out |
| 84 | 記憶 | kioku きおく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | memory; recollection; remembrance |
| 85 | 記者 | kisha きしゃ | Noun | reporter; journalist |
| 86 | 期待 | kitai きたい | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | expectation; anticipation; hope |
| 87 | 国家 | kokka こっか | Noun | state; country; nation |
| 88 | 国会 | kokkai こっかい | Noun | National Diet; legislative assembly of Japan; parliament; congress |
| 89 | 国境 | kokkyou こっきょう | Noun | national border |
| 90 | 国語 | kokugo こくご | Noun | national language |
| 91 | 国民 | kokumin こくみん | Noun | people (of a country); nation; citizen; national |
| 92 | 今後 | kongo こんご | Noun, Adverbial Noun | from now on; hereafter |
| 93 | 今回 | konkai こんかい | Noun, Adverbial Noun | now; this time; lately |
| 94 | 今日 | konnichi こんにち | Expression | today; this day |
| 95 | 転ぶ | korobu ころぶ | Verb, Godan verb, Intransitive verb | to fall down; to fall over |
| 96 | 高速 | kousoku こうそく | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | high-speed; rapid; express |
| 97 | 訓練 | kunren くんれん | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | training; drill; practice; discipline |
| 98 | 教科書 | kyoukasho きょうかしょ | Noun | textbook; coursebook; schoolbook |
| 99 | 協力 | kyouryoku きょうりょく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | cooperation; collaboration |
| 100 | 強力 | kyouryoku きょうりょく | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | powerful; strong |
| 101 | 急激 | kyuugeki きゅうげき | Adjective, な-adjective | sudden; abrupt; rapid; sharp; drastic; radical |
| 102 | 急に | kyuuni きゅうに | Adverb | swiftly; rapidly; quickly; immediately; hastily |
| 103 | 吸収 | kyuushuu きゅうしゅう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | absorption; suction; attraction |
| 104 | 急速 | kyuusoku きゅうそく | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | rapid (e.g. progress) |
| 105 | 真面目 | majime まじめ | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | serious; earnest |
| 106 | 真っ赤 | makka まっか | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | bright red; deep red; flushed (of face) |
| 107 | 学ぶ | manabu まなぶ | Verb, Godan verb, Transitive verb | to study (in depth); to learn; to take lessons in |
| 108 | 万一 | manichi まんいち | Noun, Adverb | emergency; unlikely event ; by some chance; by some possibility |
| 109 | 満足 | manzoku まんぞく | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective, Verb, Suru verb | satisfaction; contentment; sufficient; enough |
| 110 | 明確 | meikaku めいかく | Adjective, な-adjective | clear; precise; definite; distinct |
| 111 | 飯 | meshi めし | Noun | cooked rice; meal |
| 112 | 味方 | mikata みかた | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | friend; ally; supporter; taking sides with; supporting |
| 113 | 魅力 | miryoku みりょく | Noun | charm; fascination; glamour; attraction; appeal |
| 114 | 木曜 | mokuyou もくよう | Noun, Adverbial Noun | Thursday |
| 115 | 半ば | nakaba なかば | Noun, Adverbial Noun, Suffix, Adverbial noun | middle; half; semi; halfway; partly |
| 116 | 熱心 | nesshin ねっしん | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | enthusiastic; eager |
| 117 | 日本 | nihon にほん | Noun | Japan |
| 118 | 能力 | nouryoku のうりょく | Noun | ability; faculty |
| 119 | 入場 | nyuujou にゅうじょう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | entrance; admission; entering |
| 120 | お昼 | ohiru おひる | Noun | lunch; midday; daytime |
| 121 | 収める | osameru おさめる | Verb, Ichidan verb, Transitive verb | to supply; to dedicate; to make an offering; to pay |
| 122 | 連続 | renzoku れんぞく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | continuation; succession; series |
| 123 | 利益 | rieki りえき | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | profit; gains; benefit |
| 124 | 利口 | rikou りこう | Noun, Adjective, な-adjective | clever; intelligent; wise; bright; sharp |
| 125 | 留学 | ryuugaku りゅうがく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | studying abroad |
| 126 | 作品 | sakuhin さくひん | Noun | work of art; performance |
| 127 | 左右 | sayuu さゆう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | left and right |
| 128 | 成長 | seichou せいちょう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | growth; development; growing up; becoming an adult |
| 129 | 製品 | seihin せいひん | Noun | manufactured goods; finished goods; product |
| 130 | 青年 | seinen せいねん | Noun | youth; young man |
| 131 | 刺激 | shigeki しげき | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | stimulus; impetus; incentive; encouragement; motivation; provocation; excitement; thrill |
| 132 | 資本 | shihon しほん | Noun | funds; capital |
| 133 | 品 | shina しな | Noun | article; item; thing; goods; stock; quality |
| 134 | 身長 | shinchou しんちょう | Noun | body height; stature |
| 135 | 進学 | shingaku しんがく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | entering a higher-level school (often university) |
| 136 | 新鮮 | shinsen しんせん | Adjective, な-adjective | fresh |
| 137 | 支店 | shiten してん | Noun | branch office; branch store |
| 138 | 使用 | shiyou しよう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | use; application; employment; utilization. |
| 139 | 食品 | shokuhin しょくひん | Noun | food; food products |
| 140 | 書物 | shomotsu しょもつ | Noun | book; volume |
| 141 | 書類 | shorui しょるい | Noun | document; official papers |
| 142 | 書斎 | shosai しょさい | Noun | study; library; den; home office; reading room |
| 143 | 商売 | shoubai しょうばい | Noun | trade; business; commerce; transaction; occupation |
| 144 | 奨学金 | shougakukin しょうがくきん | Noun | scholarship; stipend; student loan |
| 145 | 正午 | shougo しょうご | Noun, Adverbial Noun | midday |
| 146 | 商品 | shouhin しょうひん | Noun | commodity; article of commerce; goods; stock; merchandise |
| 147 | 少女 | shoujo しょうじょ | Noun | little girl; maiden; young lady |
| 148 | 証明 | shoumei しょうめい | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | proof; verification; certification |
| 149 | 少年 | shounen しょうねん | Noun | boy; juvenile; young boy; youth; lad |
| 150 | 少々 | shoushou しょうしょう | Noun, Adverbial Noun | just a minute; small quantity |
| 151 | 招待 | shoutai しょうたい | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | invitation |
| 152 | 週 | shuu しゅう | Noun, Suffix | week |
| 153 | 集中 | shuuchuu しゅうちゅう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | concentration; focusing; centralization; integration |
| 154 | 集団 | shuudan しゅうだん | Noun | group; mass |
| 155 | 収穫 | shuukaku しゅうかく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | harvest; crop; fruits (of one's labors) |
| 156 | 週間 | shuukan しゅうかん | Noun | week |
| 157 | 週刊 | shuukan しゅうかん | Noun | weekly publication |
| 158 | 収入 | shuunyuu しゅうにゅう | Noun | income; receipts; revenue; salary |
| 159 | 速度 | sokudo そくど | Noun | speed; velocity; pace; rate |
| 160 | 少しも | sukoshimo すこしも | Adverb | anything of; not one bit (with negative sentence) |
| 161 | 大半 | taihan たいはん | Noun, Adverbial Noun | majority; more than half; most; largely; mainly |
| 162 | 大会 | taikai たいかい | Noun | convention; rally; conference; tournament; |
| 163 | 大した | taishita たいした | Pre-noun adjectival | considerable; great; important; significant; a big deal |
| 164 | 単なる | tannaru たんなる | Pre-noun adjectival | mere; simple; sheer |
| 165 | 多少 | tashou たしょう | Noun, Adverb | more or less; somewhat; a little; a few; some |
| 166 | 手品 | tejina てじな | Noun | magic trick; illusion |
| 167 | 哲学 | tetsugaku てつがく | Noun | philosophy |
| 168 | 徹夜 | tetsuya てつや | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | staying up all night |
| 169 | 土地 | tochi とち | Noun | plot of land; lot; soil |
| 170 | 都会 | tokai とかい | Noun | (big) city |
| 171 | 取れる | toreru とれる | Verb, Ichidan verb, Intransitive verb, Transitive verb | to come off; to be removed; to be obtainable |
| 172 | 取り上げる | toriageru とりあげる | Verb, Ichidan verb, Transitive verb | to pick up |
| 173 | 図書 | tosho としょ | Noun | books |
| 174 | 通学 | tsuugaku つうがく | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | commuting to school; school commute |
| 175 | 受け取る | uketoru うけとる | Verb, Godan verb, Transitive verb | to receive; to understand |
| 176 | 上手い | umai うまい | Adjective, い-adjective | skillful; delicious |
| 177 | 運転 | unten うんてん | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | operation; driving |
| 178 | 売れる | ureru うれる | Verb, Ichidan verb, Intransitive verb | to sell (well) |
| 179 | 分ける | wakeru わける | Verb, Ichidan verb, Transitive verb | to divide; to split; to part; to separate |
| 180 | 悪口 | waruguchi わるぐち | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | slander; bad-mouthing; abuse; insult; speaking ill (of) |
| 181 | 夜明け | yoake よあけ | Noun | dawn; daybreak |
| 182 | 余分 | yobun よぶん | Noun | extra; excess; surplus |
| 183 | 読み | yomi よみ | Noun | reading (of a kanji, situation, etc) |
| 184 | 夜中 | yonaka よなか | Noun, Adverbial Noun | middle of the night; dead of night |
| 185 | 宜しい | yoroshii よろしい | Adjective, い-adjective | (respectful) OK; all right |
| 186 | 唯一 | yuiitsu ゆいいつ | Noun, Adverbial Noun | only; sole; unique |
| 187 | 輸入 | yunyuu ゆにゅう | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | import; importation; introduction |
| 188 | 輸出 | yushutsu ゆしゅつ | Noun, Verb, Suru verb | export; exportation |
| 189 | 夕べ | yuube ゆうべ | Noun, Adverbial Noun | evening / last night; yesterday evening |
| 190 | 有利 | yuuri ゆうり | Noun, な-adjective | advantageous; favorable; profitable |
| 191 | 全国 | zenkoku ぜんこく | Noun | the whole country |
| 192 | 随分 | zuibun ずいぶん | Adjective, な-adjective, Adverb | very; extremely; surprisingly; considerably; awfully |