Start Your JLPT N4 Vocabulary Journey!

This is a complete list of the vocabulary you need to know to pass the JLPT N4 exam. In total, you should learn roughly 1500 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.

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1500+ Total Words
N4 JLPT Level
Medium Difficulty
📘 N4 Level: Beginner Japanese Proficiency

🎯 Pro Tip: Combine vocabulary study with grammar lessons for faster progress — try learning 10–15 new words per day and use them in sample sentences.

#ごいVocabularyTypeMeaning
1aExpressionAh; oh
2ああaaAdverbah; yes
3アフリカafurikaNoun, KatakanaAfrica
4上がるagaru
あがる
Verb, Godan verb, Intransitive verbto rise
5挨拶aisatsu
あいさつ
Noun, Suru verbto greet
6aji
あじ
Nounflavor; taste ; uniqueness; attractiveness; experience
7アジアajiaNoun, KatakanaAsia
8赤ちゃんakachan
あかちゃん
Nounbaby; infant
9赤ん坊akanbou
あかんぼう
Nounbaby; infant
10アクセサリーakusesariiNoun, Katakanaaccessory
11アメリカamerikaNoun, KatakanaAmerica
12アナウンサーanaunsaaNoun, Katakanaannouncer
13あんなannaPre-noun adjectivalsuch
14案内annai
あんない
Noun, Suru verbto guide
15安心anshin
あんしん
Noun, Adjective, な-adjective, Suru verbpeace of mind
16安全anzen
あんぜん
Noun, Adjective, な-adjectivesafety; security
17アルバイトarubaitoNoun, Suru verb, Katakanapart-time job
18アルコールarukooruNoun, Katakanaalcohol
19浅いasai
あさい
Adjective, い-adjectiveshallow
20遊びasobi
あそび
Nounplaying
21集まるatsumaru
あつまる
Verb, Godan verb, Intransitive verbto gather; to collect; to assemble
22集めるatsumeru
あつめる
Verb, Ichidan verb, Transitive verbto collect; to assemble; to gather
23謝るayamaru
あやまる
Verb, Godan verbto apologize
24bai
ばい
Noundouble
25番組bangumi
ばんぐみ
Nounprogram (e.g. TV)
26場所basho
ばしょ
Nounplace
27ベルberuNoun, Katakanabell
28美術館bijutsukan
びじゅつかん
Nounart gallery; art museum
29びっくりbikkuriAdverb, Suru verbto be surprised
30ビルbiruNoun, Katakanabuilding
31boku
ぼく
PronounI (used by males)
32貿易boueki
ぼうえき
Noun, Suru verbtrade
33部長buchou
ぶちょう
Nounmanager; head (chief, director) of a section or department
34ぶどうbudouNoungrapes
35文学bungaku
ぶんがく
Nounliterature
36文化bunka
ぶんか
Nounculture
37文法bunpou
ぶんぽう
Noungrammar
38ちゃんchanSuffixsuffix for familiar female person
39チェックchekkuNoun, Suru verb, Katakanato check
40chi
Nounblood
41chikara
ちから
Nounenergy; force; strength; might; power
42地理chiri
ちり
Noungeography
43中学校chuugakkou
ちゅうがっこう
Nounjunior high school; middle school
44注意chuui
ちゅうい
Noun, Suru verbcaution
45注射chuusha
ちゅうしゃ
Noun, Suru verbinjection
46駐車場chuushajou
ちゅうしゃじょう
Nounparking lot
47大分daibu
だいぶ
Adverbconsiderably; greatly; a lot
48大学生daigakusei
だいがくせい
Noununiversity student; college student
49大事daiji
だいじ
Adjective, な-adjectiveimportant; serious; crucial
50大体daitai
だいたい
Nounroughly
51暖房danbou
だんぼう
Noun, Suru verbheating
52男性dansei
だんせい
Nounman; male
53できるだけdekiru dakeAdverb, Expressionas much as possible
54電報denpou
でんぽう
Nountelegram
55電灯dentou
でんとう
Nounelectric light
56どんどんdondonAdverbrapidly; more and more
57泥棒dorobou
どろぼう
Nounthief
58動物園doubutsuen
どうぶつえん
Nounzoo; zoological gardens
59道具dougu
どうぐ
Nountool
60eda
えだ
Nounbranch
61遠慮enryo
えんりょ
Noun, Suru verbreserve; refraining
62選ぶerabu
えらぶ
Verb, Godan verb, Transitive verbto choose
63エスカレーターesukareetaaNoun, Katakanaescalator
64ファックスfakkusuNoun, Suru verb, Katakanafax
65不便fuben
ふべん
Noun, Adjective, な-adjectiveinconvenience
66増えるfueru
ふえる
Verb, Ichidan verb, Intransitive verbto increase
67深いfukai
ふかい
Adjective, い-adjectivedeep
68復習fukushuu
ふくしゅう
Noun, Verb, Suru verbreview (of learned material); revision
69複雑fukuzatsu
ふくざつ
Noun, Adjective, な-adjectivecomplexity; complication
70踏むfumu
ふむ
Verb, Godan verb, Transitive verbto step on
71fune
ふね
Nounship
72降り出すfuridasu
ふりだす
Verb, Godan verb, Intransitive verbto start to rain
73布団futon
ふとん
NounJapanese bedding, futon
74太るfutoru
ふとる
Verb, Godan verb, Intransitive verbto become fat
75普通futsuu
ふつう
Noun, Adverbusually
76ガラスgarasuNoun, Katakanaa glass
77ガソリンgasorinNoun, Katakanagasoline; petrol
78ガソリンスタンドgasorin sutandoNoun, Katakanapetrol station
79ガスgasuNoun, Katakanapetrol
80原因genin
げんいん
Noun, Suru verbcause
81下宿geshuku
げしゅく
Noun, Suru verblodging
82技術gijutsu
ぎじゅつ
Nounart,technology,skill
83ごちそうgochisouNoun, Suru verba feast
84ごみgomiNounrubbish
85ご覧になるgoran ni naru
ごらんになる
Verb, Godan verb, Expression(respectful) to see
86ご主人goshujin
ごしゅじん
Nounyour husband; her husband
87ご存じgozonji
ごぞんじ
Nounknowing
88具合guai
ぐあい
Nouncondition; health
89ha
Nounleaves; leaf
90拝見haiken
はいけん
Noun, Suru verbseeing; looking at
91歯医者haisha
はいしゃ
Noundentist
92はっきりhakkiriAdverbclearly
93運ぶhakobu
はこぶ
Verb, Godan verb, Transitive verbto carry
94花見hanami
はなみ
Noun, Verb, Suru verbcherry blossom viewing; flower viewing
95ハンドバッグhandobagguNoun, Katakanahandbag
96反対hantai
はんたい
Noun, Adjective, な-adjective, Suru verbopposition
97払うharau
はらう
Verb, Godan verb, Transitive verbto pay
98発音hatsuon
はつおん
Noun, Suru verbpronunciation
99hayashi
はやし
Nounwoods; forest
100恥ずかしいhazukashii
はずかしい
Adjective, い-adjectiveembarrassed