JLPT N4 vocabulary list (632 words)
Updated: 2026-11-09
All 632 N4 words from the Shikken word list, most frequent first. Words, readings and meanings come from the JMdict dictionary. Download the list as CSV for free.
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Meanings are JMdict’s English glosses.
| # | Word · Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 彼 かれ | he; him |
| 2 | 君 きみ | you; buddy; pal |
| 3 | 君 くん | Mr; master; boy |
| 4 | くれる | to give; to let (one) have |
| 5 | なさる | to do |
| 6 | そんな | such; that sort of; that kind of; like that |
| 7 | 気 き | spirit; mind; heart |
| 8 | 必要 ひつよう | necessary; needed; essential; indispensable |
| 9 | そう | appearing that; seeming that; looking like; having the appearance of |
| 10 | 止める とめる | to stop; to turn off |
| 11 | 止める やめる | to stop (an activity); to cease; to discontinue; to end; to quit |
| 12 | 月 つき | Moon |
| 13 | いただく | to get someone to do something; to receive; to get; to accept; to take; to buy |
| 14 | 計画 けいかく | plan; project; schedule; scheme; program; programme |
| 15 | 付く つく | to be attached; to be connected with; to adhere; to stick; to cling |
| 16 | アメリカ | (United States of) America; United States; US; USA |
| 17 | うまい | skillful; skilful; skilled; good; expert; clever (expression, trick, etc.); apt; appropriate; delicious; tasty; good; nice |
| 18 | ほとんど | almost; nearly; mostly; practically; virtually; basically; just about; all but |
| 19 | 事故 じこ | accident; incident; trouble |
| 20 | 世界 せかい | the world; society; the universe |
| 21 | 子 こ | child; kid; teenager; youngster; young (non-adult) person |
| 22 | だから | so; therefore; accordingly; consequently; on those grounds; that is why; for that reason |
| 23 | もし | if; in case; supposing |
| 24 | すると | (and) then; and; thereupon; whereupon |
| 25 | 生活 せいかつ | life; living |
| 26 | 心 こころ | mind; heart; spirit |
| 27 | 立てる たてる | to stand (something) up; to put upright; to set up; to erect; to raise; to turn up; to plant |
| 28 | 建てる たてる | to build; to construct |
| 29 | すごい | amazing (e.g. of strength); great (e.g. of skills); wonderful; terrific; terrible; dreadful |
| 30 | 女性 じょせい | woman; female |
| 31 | 続ける つづける | to continue; to keep up; to keep on |
| 32 | ひどい | cruel; heartless; hard; harsh; severe; very bad; terrible; awful |
| 33 | 最近 さいきん | recently; lately; these days; nowadays; right now |
| 34 | 意見 いけん | opinion; view; comment |
| 35 | そんなに | so much; so; like that |
| 36 | 力 ちから | force; strength; might; vigour; vigor; energy |
| 37 | 泣く なく | to cry; to shed tears; to weep; to sob |
| 38 | 警察 けいさつ | police |
| 39 | テニス | tennis |
| 40 | 驚く おどろく | to be surprised; to be taken aback; to be amazed; to be astonished; to be shocked |
| 41 | 非常に ひじょうに | very; extremely; exceedingly |
| 42 | 試合 しあい | match; game; bout; contest |
| 43 | 行う おこなう | to perform; to do; to conduct oneself; to carry out |
| 44 | 彼女 かのじょ | she; her |
| 45 | 思う おもう | to think; to consider; to believe; to reckon |
| 46 | 彼ら かれら | they; them |
| 47 | 試験 しけん | examination; exam; test |
| 48 | 運転 うんてん | driving (a vehicle); operation (of a machine); running; working |
| 49 | 説明 せつめい | explanation; exposition; description; account; caption; legend |
| 50 | 夢 ゆめ | dream |
| 51 | 関係 かんけい | relation; relationship; connection |
| 52 | 場所 ばしょ | place; location; spot; position; area |
| 53 | 予定 よてい | plans; arrangement; schedule; program; programme; expectation; estimate |
| 54 | 最も もっとも | most; extremely |
| 55 | 自由 じゆう | freedom; liberty |
| 56 | 時代 じだい | period; epoch; era; age; the times; those days |
| 57 | 理由 りゆう | reason; grounds; pretext; excuse; motive |
| 58 | 妻 つま | wife |
| 59 | 最初 さいしょ | beginning; outset; first; onset |
| 60 | 反対 はんたい | opposition; resistance; antagonism; hostility; objection; dissent |
| 61 | 気持ち きもち | feeling; sensation; mood; state of mind |
| 62 | 会議 かいぎ | meeting; conference; session; assembly; council; convention; congress |
| 63 | 日 ひ | day; days |
| 64 | 息子 むすこ | son |
| 65 | 変わる かわる | to change; to be transformed; to be altered; to vary |
| 66 | 必ず かならず | always; without exception; necessarily; certainly; without fail; positively; invariably |
| 67 | 決して けっして | (not) ever; (not) by any means; (not) in the least; (not) in any way; (not) at all |
| 68 | 最後 さいご | last; final; latest; most recent; end; conclusion |
| 69 | 戦争 せんそう | war |
| 70 | 政治 せいじ | politics; government |
| 71 | 客 きゃく | customer; client; shopper; spectator; audience; tourist; sightseer; passenger; guest; visitor |
| 72 | 研究 けんきゅう | research; study; investigation |
| 73 | 運動 うんどう | exercise; physical training; workout; sports; athletics |
| 74 | 注意 ちゅうい | care; caution; precaution; looking out (for); watching out (for); attention; notice; heed |
| 75 | 失敗 しっぱい | failure; mistake; blunder |
| 76 | 心配 しんぱい | worry; concern; anxiety; uneasiness; fear |
| 77 | 生きる いきる | to live; to exist |
| 78 | 十分 じゅうぶん | enough; sufficient; plenty; adequate; satisfactory |
| 79 | 嬉しい うれしい | happy; glad; pleased; delighted; overjoyed |
| 80 | 開く ひらく | to open; to undo; to unseal; to unpack |
| 81 | 娘 むすめ | daughter |
| 82 | 音 おと | sound; noise |
| 83 | 危険 きけん | danger; peril; hazard |
| 84 | 簡単 かんたん | simple; easy; uncomplicated |
| 85 | 選ぶ えらぶ | to choose; to select; to pick (out) |
| 86 | 昔 むかし | the old days; the past; former times; a long time ago |
| 87 | ちゃん | suffix for familiar person |
| 88 | 社会 しゃかい | society; public; community; the world |
| 89 | 経済 けいざい | economy; economics |
| 90 | 男性 だんせい | man; male |
| 91 | 夫 おっと | husband |
| 92 | 空港 くうこう | airport |
| 93 | 皆 みな | everyone; everybody; all |
| 94 | 明日 あす | tomorrow |
| 95 | 間 あいだ | space (between); gap; interval; distance; stretch |
| 96 | 出発 しゅっぱつ | departure; leaving; setting off |
| 97 | 約束 やくそく | promise; agreement; arrangement; one's word; contract; pact |
| 98 | 教育 きょういく | education; schooling; training; instruction; teaching; upbringing |
| 99 | 高校 こうこう | senior high school; high school |
| 100 | 将来 しょうらい | future; (future) prospects |
| 101 | 歴史 れきし | history |
| 102 | 送る おくる | to send; to dispatch; to forward; to transmit; to ship; to remit; to see (someone) off; to escort; to accompany; to take |
| 103 | 小説 しょうせつ | novel; story; (work of) fiction |
| 104 | 食事 しょくじ | meal (e.g. lunch, dinner) |
| 105 | 気分 きぶん | feeling; mood |
| 106 | 連絡 れんらく | contacting; (making) contact; getting in touch; communication; correspondence; call; message |
| 107 | 準備 じゅんび | preparation; arrangements; getting ready; provision; setup; reserving |
| 108 | 今度 こんど | this time; now |
| 109 | 交通 こうつう | traffic; transportation |
| 110 | 原因 げんいん | cause; origin; source |
| 111 | 形 かたち | (physical) form; shape; figure |
| 112 | 僕 ぼく | I; me |
| 113 | 工場 こうじょう | factory; plant; mill; workshop |
| 114 | 安全 あんぜん | safety; security |
| 115 | 人口 じんこう | population |
| 116 | こと | thing; matter |
| 117 | うち | inside; within |
| 118 | 美しい うつくしい | beautiful; pretty; lovely; sweet; pure (heart, friendship, etc.) |
| 119 | 船 ふね | ship; boat; watercraft; vessel; seaplane |
| 120 | 興味 きょうみ | interest (in something); curiosity (about something); zest (for) |
| 121 | 普通 ふつう | normal; ordinary; regular; usual; common; average |
| 122 | 科学 かがく | science |
| 123 | 利用 りよう | use; utilization; utilisation; application |
| 124 | 経験 けいけん | experience |
| 125 | 親 おや | parent; parents; mother and father |
| 126 | 火 ひ | fire; flame; blaze |
| 127 | 途中 とちゅう | on the way; en route |
| 128 | 光 ひかり | light |
| 129 | 事務所 じむしょ | office |
| 130 | 特に とくに | particularly; especially; in particular; expressly |
| 131 | 為 ため | good; advantage; benefit; welfare |
| 132 | ケーキ | cake |
| 133 | それに | besides; in addition; also; moreover |
| 134 | ビル | multi-floor building; multi-storey building |
| 135 | 出席 しゅっせき | attendance; presence; appearance |
| 136 | 遠く とおく | far away; distant place; a (great) distance; a long way off; afar |
| 137 | ピアノ | piano (instrument) |
| 138 | 別 べつ | separate; different; another; extra; distinction; difference; discrimination |
| 139 | きっと | surely; undoubtedly; almost certainly; most likely (e.g. 90 percent) |
| 140 | 伝える つたえる | to convey; to report; to transmit; to communicate; to tell; to impart; to propagate; to teach; to bequeath |
| 141 | こう | in this way; like this; so; thus |
| 142 | おかげ | grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); blessing |
| 143 | それで | so; therefore; and; (and) then |
| 144 | 国際 こくさい | international |
| 145 | 社長 しゃちょう | company president; manager; director |
| 146 | 文化 ぶんか | culture; civilization; civilisation |
| 147 | 考える かんがえる | to think (about, of); to think over; to ponder; to contemplate; to reflect (on); to meditate (on) |
| 148 | 点 てん | point; aspect; matter; detail; part; respect; way; viewpoint; mark (in an exam, etc.); grade; score; points |
| 149 | 確か たしか | sure; certain; positive; definite |
| 150 | 地震 じしん | earthquake |
| 151 | 森 もり | forest |
| 152 | 壁 かべ | wall; partition |
| 153 | 技術 ぎじゅつ | technique; skill; technology; engineering |
| 154 | 特別 とくべつ | special; particular; extraordinary; exceptional; especial |
| 155 | 以上 いじょう | not less than ...; ... and over; ... and above; ... and upwards; ... or more; since ...; seeing that ...; now that ...; once ... |
| 156 | 一生懸命 いっしょうけんめい | very hard; with utmost effort; as hard as one can; with all one's might; for dear life; eagerly; desperately |
| 157 | 席 せき | seat |
| 158 | 残念 ざんねん | regrettable; unfortunate; disappointing; vexing |
| 159 | 法律 ほうりつ | law; legislation; act |
| 160 | 機会 きかい | chance; opportunity; occasion |
| 161 | 島 しま | island |
| 162 | 番組 ばんぐみ | program (e.g. TV); programme |
| 163 | 生産 せいさん | production; manufacture |
| 164 | 貿易 ぼうえき | (foreign) trade; (international) commerce; importing and exporting |
| 165 | 一杯 いっぱい | full; filled (with); brimming (with); crowded; packed; one cup (of); one glass (of); one bowl (of); cupful; glassful; bowlful; spoonful |
| 166 | 親切 しんせつ | kind; gentle; considerate; generous; friendly; nice |
| 167 | 代わり かわり | substitute; replacement; substituting; replacing |
| 168 | 急 きゅう | sudden; abrupt; unexpected |
| 169 | 空気 くうき | air; atmosphere |
| 170 | 産業 さんぎょう | industry |
| 171 | 輸入 ゆにゅう | import; importation; introduction |
| 172 | 見える みえる | to be seen; to be visible; to be in sight |
| 173 | 受ける うける | to undergo (e.g. surgery); to take (a test); to accept (a challenge); to receive; to get |
| 174 | 探す さがす | to search for; to look for; to hunt for; to seek |
| 175 | 合う あう | to come together; to merge; to unite; to meet; to fit; to match; to suit; to agree with; to be correct |
| 176 | あんな | that sort of; that kind of; like that; such; so |
| 177 | 空く すく | to become less crowded; to thin out; to get empty |
| 178 | 楽しみ たのしみ | anticipation; looking forward to; something to look forward to; enjoyment; pleasure; amusement; delight; joy; fun; diversion; hobby |
| 179 | コンピュータ | computer |
| 180 | 市 し | city |
| 181 | よろしい | good; OK; all right; fine; very well; will do; may; can |
| 182 | 続く つづく | to continue; to last; to go on |
| 183 | まず | first (of all); firstly; to begin with; before anything else |
| 184 | プレゼント | present; gift |
| 185 | けが | injury; wound |
| 186 | 始める はじめる | to start; to begin; to commence; to initiate; to originate |
| 187 | くださる | to give; to confer; to bestow |
| 188 | 髪 かみ | hair (on the head) |
| 189 | 首 くび | neck |
| 190 | 住所 じゅうしょ | address (of a home, business, etc.); residence; domicile |
| 191 | 卒業 そつぎょう | graduation; completion (of a course) |
| 192 | 味 あじ | flavor; flavour; taste |
| 193 | 比べる くらべる | to compare; to make a comparison (between) |
| 194 | 怒る おこる | to get angry; to get mad; to lose one's temper |
| 195 | 落ちる おちる | to fall; to drop; to come down; to crash; to collapse; to cave in; to give way |
| 196 | 世話 せわ | care; looking after; help; assistance; aid |
| 197 | 腕 うで | arm |
| 198 | 答え こたえ | answer; reply; response |
| 199 | 値段 ねだん | price; cost |
| 200 | 放送 ほうそう | broadcasting; broadcast; program; announcement |
| 201 | 訳 わけ | reason; cause; grounds |
| 202 | 嘘 うそ | lie; fib; falsehood; untruth |
| 203 | 笑う わらう | to laugh |
| 204 | 市民 しみん | citizen (of a country); citizenry |
| 205 | 輸出 ゆしゅつ | export; exportation |
| 206 | だめ | no good; not serving its purpose; useless; broken |
| 207 | 打つ うつ | to hit; to strike; to knock; to beat; to punch; to slap; to tap; to bang; to clap; to pound |
| 208 | 赤ちゃん あかちゃん | baby; infant |
| 209 | 訪ねる たずねる | to visit; to call on; to pay a visit to |
| 210 | 相談 そうだん | consultation; discussion; discussing; asking (someone) for advice |
| 211 | 競争 きょうそう | competition; contest; rivalry; race |
| 212 | 亡くなる なくなる | to die; to pass away |
| 213 | 動く うごく | to move; to stir; to shift; to shake; to swing |
| 214 | 用 よう | business; task; errand; engagement |
| 215 | はっきり | clearly; plainly; distinctly |
| 216 | 無理 むり | to work too hard; to try too hard; impossible |
| 217 | コンサート | concert |
| 218 | しばらく | for a while; for some time; it's been a long time; long time no see |
| 219 | 無くなる なくなる | to disappear (e.g. pain); to be lost (e.g. a dream, confidence); to be lost (e.g. luggage); to be missing |
| 220 | やっと | at last; finally |
| 221 | 招待 しょうたい | invitation |
| 222 | パソコン | personal computer; PC |
| 223 | あっ | ah; oh |
| 224 | ほど | extent; degree; measure |
| 225 | 金持ち かねもち | rich person; wealthy person |
| 226 | 場合 ばあい | case; occasion; situation; circumstances |
| 227 | 盗む ぬすむ | to steal |
| 228 | 線 せん | line; stripe; stria |
| 229 | 文学 ぶんがく | literature |
| 230 | 思い出す おもいだす | to recall; to remember; to recollect |
| 231 | 喜ぶ よろこぶ | to be delighted; to be glad; to be pleased; to rejoice |
| 232 | 運ぶ はこぶ | to carry; to transport; to move; to convey |
| 233 | 習慣 しゅうかん | habit |
| 234 | 翻訳 ほんやく | translation |
| 235 | 予約 よやく | reservation; appointment; booking; advance order |
| 236 | 規則 きそく | rule; regulation |
| 237 | 趣味 しゅみ | hobby; pastime |
| 238 | 教会 きょうかい | church; congregation |
| 239 | 星 ほし | star (usu. excluding the Sun); planet (usu. excluding Earth); heavenly body |
| 240 | 紹介 しょうかい | introduction; presentation; referral; showcase (of a product) |
| 241 | 血 ち | blood |
| 242 | 以内 いない | within; inside of; less than |
| 243 | すばらしい | wonderful; splendid; magnificent; amazing; superb |
| 244 | 返事 へんじ | reply; answer; response |
| 245 | 格好 かっこう | shape; form; figure; posture; pose |
| 246 | 仕方 しかた | way; method; means; resource; course |
| 247 | 部長 ぶちょう | head (chief, director) of a section or department |
| 248 | 過ぎる すぎる | to be excessive; to be too much; to be too ...; to pass (of time); to elapse |
| 249 | 例えば たとえば | for example; for instance; e.g. |
| 250 | つもり | intention; plan; purpose; expectation |
| 251 | 周り まわり | surroundings; neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity; people surrounding oneself; surrounding circumstances |
| 252 | 熱 ねつ | fever; temperature; heat |
| 253 | 終わり おわり | end; ending; close; conclusion |
| 254 | 今夜 こんや | this evening; tonight |
| 255 | 数学 すうがく | mathematics |
| 256 | いらっしゃる | to come; to go; to be (somewhere) |
| 257 | すっかり | all; completely; totally; entirely; thoroughly |
| 258 | ああ | like that; so |
| 259 | なかなか | very; considerably; easily; readily; fairly; quite; highly; rather |
| 260 | もちろん | of course; certainly; naturally |
| 261 | 台風 たいふう | typhoon; hurricane |
| 262 | 入院 にゅういん | hospitalization; hospitalisation |
| 263 | 見つける みつける | to find; to discover; to come across; to spot; to catch (someone doing) |
| 264 | 済む すむ | to finish; to end; to be completed; to be resolved |
| 265 | 怖い こわい | scary; frightening; eerie; dreadful |
| 266 | 寺 てら | temple (Buddhist) |
| 267 | 湖 みずうみ | lake |
| 268 | 故障 こしょう | fault; trouble; breakdown; failure; being out of order |
| 269 | 是非 ぜひ | certainly; without fail |
| 270 | 熱心 ねっしん | zealous; enthusiastic; ardent; fervent; keen; eager |
| 271 | 会話 かいわ | conversation; talk; chat |
| 272 | 医学 いがく | medicine; medical science |
| 273 | もらう | to get someone to do something; to receive; to take; to accept |
| 274 | 払う はらう | to pay (e.g. money, bill) |
| 275 | 優しい やさしい | tender; kind; gentle; graceful; affectionate; amiable |
| 276 | 戻る もどる | to turn back (e.g. half-way) |
| 277 | 決める きめる | to decide; to choose; to determine; to make up one's mind; to resolve; to set one's heart on; to settle; to arrange; to set; to appoint; to fix |
| 278 | 急ぐ いそぐ | to hurry; to rush; to hasten; to make something happen sooner |
| 279 | おかしい | strange; odd; funny; peculiar; weird; wrong; unusual; eccentric; funny; amusing; comical; laughable; ridiculous |
| 280 | 用意 ようい | preparation; arrangements; provision; getting ready; laying out (e.g. a meal) |
| 281 | 人形 にんぎょう | doll; puppet; marionette |
| 282 | 手伝う てつだう | to help; to assist; to aid |
| 283 | 深い ふかい | deep |
| 284 | 遅れる おくれる | to be late; to be delayed; to fall behind schedule; to be overdue |
| 285 | 正しい ただしい | right; correct |
| 286 | 楽しむ たのしむ | to enjoy; to take pleasure in; to have a good time; to have fun; to amuse oneself |
| 287 | 連れる つれる | to take (someone) with one; to bring along; to go with; to be accompanied by |
| 288 | 全然 ぜんぜん | (not) at all; (not) in the slightest |
| 289 | ガラス | glass; pane |
| 290 | びっくり | to be surprised; to be amazed; to be frightened; to be astonished; to get startled; to jump |
| 291 | うん | yes; yeah; uh huh |
| 292 | 石 いし | stone; rock; pebble |
| 293 | 二階建て にかいだて | two-storied building |
| 294 | 聞こえる きこえる | to be heard; to be audible; to reach one's ears |
| 295 | 起こす おこす | to raise; to raise up; to set up; to pick up; to stand (something) up |
| 296 | 上がる あがる | to rise; to go up; to come up; to ascend; to be raised |
| 297 | 倍 ばい | double; twice (as much) |
| 298 | 近所 きんじょ | neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity |
| 299 | 雲 くも | cloud |
| 300 | 指 ゆび | finger; toe; digit |
| 301 | 複雑 ふくざつ | complex; complicated; intricate; mixed (feelings) |
| 302 | 高校生 こうこうせい | senior high school student |
| 303 | 見つかる みつかる | to be found; to be discovered |
| 304 | 勝つ かつ | to win; to gain victory |
| 305 | 赤ん坊 あかんぼう | baby; infant |
| 306 | 案内 あんない | guidance; leading (the way); showing around |
| 307 | 運転手 うんてんしゅ | driver; chauffeur |
| 308 | 季節 きせつ | season; time of year |
| 309 | 入学 にゅうがく | admission (to a school or university); entrance; enrolment; enrollment; matriculation |
| 310 | 間に合う まにあう | to be in time (for) |
| 311 | 火事 かじ | fire; conflagration |
| 312 | 看護婦 かんごふ | (female) nurse |
| 313 | 葉 は | leaf; blade (of grass); (pine) needle; frond; foliage |
| 314 | 会場 かいじょう | assembly hall; meeting place; venue; site; grounds |
| 315 | 田舎 いなか | rural area; countryside; the sticks |
| 316 | 祖父 そふ | grandfather |
| 317 | 具合 ぐあい | condition; state |
| 318 | 集める あつめる | to collect; to assemble; to gather |
| 319 | 美術館 びじゅつかん | art museum; art gallery |
| 320 | 大事 だいじ | important; serious; crucial |
| 321 | もうすぐ | soon; shortly; before long; nearly; almost |
| 322 | そろそろ | soon; before long; any time now; momentarily |
| 323 | 止む やむ | to cease; to stop; to be over |
| 324 | しっかり | tightly (holding on); firmly; securely |
| 325 | 踊る おどる | to dance (orig. a hopping dance) |
| 326 | 工業 こうぎょう | (manufacturing) industry |
| 327 | 海岸 かいがん | seashore; coast; seaside; waterfront; beach |
| 328 | 留守 るす | absence; being away from home |
| 329 | 鏡 かがみ | mirror; looking-glass |
| 330 | 変える かえる | to change; to alter; to transform; to convert; to turn; to vary |
| 331 | 課長 かちょう | section manager; section chief |
| 332 | 向かう むかう | to face |
| 333 | かまう | to be an issue; to matter; to create inconvenience; to mind; to care about; to be concerned about; to have a regard for |
| 334 | 都合 つごう | circumstances; condition; convenience |
| 335 | 進む すすむ | to make progress; to move ahead (e.g. of work); to continue; to progress; to advance; to get on (with); to advance (spatially); to go forward; to move forward |
| 336 | 残る のこる | to remain; to be left |
| 337 | 校長 こうちょう | principal; head teacher; headmaster; headmistress |
| 338 | 変 へん | strange; odd; peculiar; weird; curious; eccentric; funny; suspicious; fishy |
| 339 | 逃げる にげる | to run away; to flee; to get away (e.g. from danger); to escape; to break out; to leave (e.g. one's spouse); to take cover |
| 340 | 遊び あそび | play; playing; game |
| 341 | 両方 りょうほう | both; both sides; both parties |
| 342 | 眠る ねむる | to sleep |
| 343 | 漫画 まんが | cartoon; comic; comic strip; manga |
| 344 | 以下 いか | the following; the below-mentioned; the rest; followed by ...; not exceeding ...; not more than ...; ... and under; ... and below; ... or fewer |
| 345 | 尋ねる たずねる | to ask; to enquire; to inquire |
| 346 | 育てる そだてる | to raise; to rear; to bring up |
| 347 | やはり | as expected; sure enough; just as one thought |
| 348 | やっぱり | as expected; sure enough; just as one thought |
| 349 | 小学校 しょうがっこう | primary school; elementary school; grade school |
| 350 | 林 はやし | wood; woods; forest; grove; copse; thicket |
| 351 | はず | should (be); bound (to be); expected (to be); must (be) |
| 352 | 通る とおる | to go by; to go past; to go along; to travel along; to pass through; to use (a road); to take (a route); to go via; to go by way of |
| 353 | 水泳 すいえい | swimming |
| 354 | 虫 むし | insect; bug; cricket; moth |
| 355 | 似る にる | to resemble; to look like; to be like; to be alike; to be similar; to take after |
| 356 | 港 みなと | harbour; harbor; port |
| 357 | 裏 うら | rear; back; behind; opposite side; bottom; other side; side hidden from view; undersurface; reverse side |
| 358 | できるだけ | as much as one can; as much as possible; if at all possible |
| 359 | 泥棒 どろぼう | thief; burglar; robber |
| 360 | 草 くさ | grass; weed; herb; thatch |
| 361 | 安心 あんしん | peace of mind; relief; (sense of) security; safety; assurance; confidence |
| 362 | 致す いたす | to do |
| 363 | 郊外 こうがい | suburb; residential area on the outskirt of a city; commuter belt |
| 364 | 邪魔 じゃま | hindrance; obstacle; nuisance; disturbance; interruption; interference |
| 365 | 動物園 どうぶつえん | zoo; zoological gardens |
| 366 | 日記 にっき | diary; journal |
| 367 | 焼く やく | to roast; to broil; to grill; to bake; to toast; to barbecue; to burn |
| 368 | 噛む かむ | to bite |
| 369 | 祖母 そぼ | grandmother |
| 370 | これから | from now on; after this; in the future; in future |
| 371 | レポート | report; paper |
| 372 | タイプ | type; kind; sort; style |
| 373 | 直る なおる | to get mended; to be repaired; to be fixed |
| 374 | 落とす おとす | to drop; to lose; to let fall; to shed (light); to cast (one's gaze); to pour in (liquid); to leave behind |
| 375 | 久しぶり ひさしぶり | a long time (since the last time); first in a long time |
| 376 | 帰り かえり | return; coming back |
| 377 | 表 おもて | face (i.e. the visible side of an object); front (of a building, etc.); obverse side (i.e. "head") of a coin |
| 378 | 包む つつむ | to wrap up; to pack; to bundle; to do up |
| 379 | 倒れる たおれる | to fall (over, down); to collapse; to take a fall; to topple; to be confined to bed (with an illness); to come down with; to break down (e.g. from overwork) |
| 380 | 割合 わりあい | rate; ratio; percentage; proportion |
| 381 | 決まる きまる | to be decided; to be settled; to be fixed; to be arranged |
| 382 | 背中 せなか | back (of the body) |
| 383 | たいてい | mostly; ordinarily; usually; generally |
| 384 | 迎える むかえる | to go out to meet; to receive; to welcome; to greet; to salute; to hail |
| 385 | 通う かよう | to go to (school, work, etc.); to attend; to commute; to frequent; to go to and from (a place); to go back and forth between; to run between (e.g. bus, train, etc.); to ply between |
| 386 | 駐車場 ちゅうしゃじょう | parking lot; car park; carpark; parking garage |
| 387 | 枝 えだ | branch; bough; limb; twig; sprig; spray |
| 388 | 米 こめ | (husked grains of) rice |
| 389 | 壊れる こわれる | to be broken; to break; to fall apart; to collapse; to be destroyed; to be damaged |
| 390 | 厳しい きびしい | severe; strict; rigid; unsparing; relentless |
| 391 | 道具 どうぐ | tool; implement; instrument; utensil; apparatus; device |
| 392 | 以外 いがい | excluding; except (for); apart from; other than; besides; in addition to |
| 393 | 湯 ゆ | hot water |
| 394 | 砂 すな | sand; grit; fine gravel |
| 395 | 講義 こうぎ | lecture |
| 396 | 一度 いちど | once; one time; on one occasion |
| 397 | 下げる さげる | to lower; to reduce; to bring down; to hang; to suspend; to wear (e.g. decoration) |
| 398 | とうとう | finally; at last; in the end; ultimately |
| 399 | スーツケース | suitcase |
| 400 | 毛 け | hair; fur; wool |
| 401 | 神社 じんじゃ | Shinto shrine |
| 402 | 増える ふえる | to increase; to multiply |
| 403 | 適当 てきとう | suitable; proper; appropriate; adequate; fit; fair |
| 404 | 贈り物 おくりもの | present; gift |
| 405 | 棚 たな | shelf; ledge; rack |
| 406 | 間違える まちがえる | to make a mistake (in); to commit an error; to get wrong; to do incorrectly |
| 407 | 先輩 せんぱい | senior (at school, work, etc.); superior; elder; older person; predecessor |
| 408 | 店員 てんいん | employee (of a store); shop assistant; clerk; salesperson |
| 409 | 中学校 ちゅうがっこう | junior high school; middle school; lower secondary school |
| 410 | 調べる しらべる | to examine; to look up; to investigate; to check up; to sense; to study; to inquire; to search |
| 411 | 恥ずかしい はずかしい | embarrassing; embarrassed; ashamed; humiliated; shy |
| 412 | スーツ | suit (clothing) |
| 413 | 壊す こわす | to break; to destroy; to demolish |
| 414 | 慣れる なれる | to get used to; to grow accustomed to; to become familiar with |
| 415 | 負ける まける | to lose; to be defeated; to be beaten; to be inferior (to); to be second (to); to be outdone (by) |
| 416 | 泊まる とまる | to stay at (e.g. hotel) |
| 417 | 匂い におい | smell; scent; odour; odor; stench |
| 418 | 水道 すいどう | water supply; water service; waterworks; tap water |
| 419 | 悲しい かなしい | sad; miserable; unhappy; sorrowful |
| 420 | 糸 いと | thread; yarn; string |
| 421 | 盛ん さかん | popular; widespread; prosperous; flourishing; thriving; successful |
| 422 | 真ん中 まんなか | middle; centre; center; midpoint; heart |
| 423 | 集まる あつまる | to gather; to collect; to assemble |
| 424 | 売り場 うりば | selling area; counter; section; department; sales floor |
| 425 | 直す なおす | to repair; to mend; to fix; to correct (a mistake, bad habit, etc.); to put right; to restore; to straighten (e.g. a tie); to tidy up (one's hair, make-up, etc.); to revive (one's spirits) |
| 426 | 新聞社 しんぶんしゃ | newspaper company |
| 427 | ベル | bell |
| 428 | たまに | occasionally; once in a while; now and then |
| 429 | 乾く かわく | to get dry |
| 430 | 景色 けしき | scenery; scene; landscape |
| 431 | ガス | gas (as a fuel) |
| 432 | サンドイッチ | sandwich |
| 433 | チェック | check; inspection; examination; looking over; scrutinizing; check (pattern); plaid |
| 434 | 丁寧 ていねい | polite; courteous; civil |
| 435 | 鳴る なる | to sound; to ring; to resound; to echo; to roar; to rumble |
| 436 | 細かい こまかい | small |
| 437 | 着物 きもの | kimono; Japanese traditional clothing (esp. full-length) |
| 438 | ずいぶん | very; extremely; surprisingly; fairly; quite; considerably; awfully; terribly |
| 439 | 引っ越す ひっこす | to move (house); to change residence |
| 440 | 喧嘩 けんか | quarrel; brawl; fight; squabble; scuffle; argument |
| 441 | 謝る あやまる | to apologize (apologise) |
| 442 | 指輪 ゆびわ | (finger) ring |
| 443 | 昼間 ひるま | daytime; during the day; time from sunrise until sunset; diurnal period |
| 444 | 字 じ | handwriting; penmanship; character (esp. kanji); letter; written text |
| 445 | 暮れる くれる | to get dark; to grow dark |
| 446 | 役に立つ やくにたつ | to be helpful; to be useful |
| 447 | 柔道 じゅうどう | judo |
| 448 | 公務員 こうむいん | public employee; government employee; public-sector worker; public servant; civil servant |
| 449 | 大分 だいぶ | considerably; greatly; a lot |
| 450 | 大体 だいたい | generally; on the whole; mostly; almost; nearly; approximately; roughly; about |
| 451 | 発音 はつおん | pronunciation |
| 452 | おもちゃ | toy |
| 453 | 塗る ぬる | to paint; to spread; to plaster; to apply (cream, lotion); to smear; to lacquer; to varnish; to put up (wallpaper) |
| 454 | 西洋 せいよう | the West; the Occident; Western countries |
| 455 | 申し上げる もうしあげる | to say; to tell; to state; to express; to offer; to extend (greetings, congratulations, etc.) |
| 456 | のど | throat |
| 457 | 割れる われる | to break; to be smashed |
| 458 | さっき | a short while ago; a moment ago; just now; some time ago |
| 459 | 踊り おどり | dancing; dance |
| 460 | 治る なおる | to get better; to get well; to recover (from an illness); to be cured; to be restored; to heal |
| 461 | 挨拶 あいさつ | greeting; greetings; salutation; salute; polite set phrase used when meeting or parting from someone |
| 462 | 承知 しょうち | acceptance; consent; assent; agreement; compliance; acknowledgment; acknowledgement; knowledge; awareness |
| 463 | 引き出し ひきだし | drawer |
| 464 | 遠慮 えんりょ | reserve; constraint; restraint; modesty; diffidence; hesitation; holding back; discretion; tact; thoughtfulness |
| 465 | 眠い ねむい | sleepy; drowsy; somnolent |
| 466 | 別れる わかれる | to separate (of a couple); to break up; to divorce; to part (usu. of people); to part from; to part with; to be apart from |
| 467 | 飾る かざる | to decorate; to ornament; to adorn |
| 468 | 隅 すみ | corner; nook; recess |
| 469 | 捕まえる つかまえる | to catch; to capture; to arrest; to seize; to restrain |
| 470 | 品物 しなもの | article; item; thing; goods; wares |
| 471 | 展覧会 てんらんかい | exhibition |
| 472 | 下がる さがる | to come down; to go down; to fall; to drop; to sink; to get lower |
| 473 | 食料品 しょくりょうひん | foodstuff; groceries |
| 474 | カーテン | curtain; curtains |
| 475 | アフリカ | Africa |
| 476 | どんどん | drumming (noise); beating; pounding; banging; booming; stamping |
| 477 | 痩せる やせる | to become thin; to lose weight; to slim |
| 478 | 大学生 だいがくせい | university student; college student |
| 479 | 地理 ちり | geography |
| 480 | 見物 けんぶつ | sightseeing; watching; viewing |
| 481 | 会議室 かいぎしつ | conference room; council room |
| 482 | 文法 ぶんぽう | grammar |
| 483 | 太る ふとる | to put on weight; to gain weight; to grow fat; to get stout |
| 484 | 支度 したく | preparation; arrangements |
| 485 | 受付 うけつけ | reception (desk); information desk; receptionist; information clerk |
| 486 | 苦い にがい | bitter (taste) |
| 487 | 布団 ふとん | futon; Japanese bedding consisting of a mattress and a duvet |
| 488 | 捨てる すてる | to throw away; to cast away; to dump; to discard |
| 489 | 回る まわる | to turn; to rotate; to revolve; to spin; to go around; to circle; to revolve around; to orbit |
| 490 | 騒ぐ さわぐ | to make noise; to make racket; to be noisy |
| 491 | 汽車 きしゃ | steam locomotive; steam train |
| 492 | それほど | to that degree; to that extent; that much |
| 493 | ガソリン | gasoline; petrol |
| 494 | この間 このあいだ | the other day; lately; recently; during this period |
| 495 | 注射 ちゅうしゃ | injection; jab; shot |
| 496 | ご存じ ごぞんじ | knowing; being aware (of) |
| 497 | 足りる たりる | to be sufficient; to be enough |
| 498 | 寂しい さびしい | lonely (e.g. person, feeling); lonesome; forlorn |
| 499 | 片付ける かたづける | to put in order; to tidy up; to clean up; to put away; to clear away |
| 500 | 坂 さか | slope; incline; hill |
| 501 | 手袋 てぶくろ | glove; mitten; mitt |
| 502 | 研究室 けんきゅうしつ | laboratory |
| 503 | お金持ち おかねもち | rich person; wealthy person |
| 504 | アジア | Asia |
| 505 | お宅 おたく | your house; your home; your family |
| 506 | 揺れる ゆれる | to shake; to sway; to rock; to swing; to tremble; to jolt; to pitch; to roll; to flicker |
| 507 | 旅館 りょかん | ryokan; traditional Japanese inn |
| 508 | 辞典 じてん | dictionary; lexicon |
| 509 | または | or; either ... or ... |
| 510 | 硬い かたい | hard; solid; tough |
| 511 | 電報 でんぽう | telegram |
| 512 | 踏む ふむ | to step on; to tread on; to trample on |
| 513 | 屋上 おくじょう | rooftop |
| 514 | 褒める ほめる | to praise; to commend; to compliment; to speak well of; to speak highly of |
| 515 | 講堂 こうどう | auditorium; lecture hall |
| 516 | 天気予報 てんきよほう | weather forecast; weather report |
| 517 | サラダ | salad |
| 518 | アルコール | alcoholic drink; alcohol; alcohol |
| 519 | なるほど | I see; that's right; indeed |
| 520 | 折れる おれる | to break; to be broken; to snap; to fracture |
| 521 | 絹 きぬ | silk |
| 522 | 下着 したぎ | underwear; undergarment; underclothes; lingerie |
| 523 | 触る さわる | to touch; to feel; to handle |
| 524 | 小鳥 ことり | small bird; little bird |
| 525 | 暖房 だんぼう | (indoor) heating |
| 526 | ひげ | moustache; mustache; beard; whiskers; sideburns; facial hair |
| 527 | 退院 たいいん | leaving hospital; discharge from hospital |
| 528 | 伺う うかがう | to call on someone; to call at a place; to pay a visit; to wait on someone; to ask; to inquire |
| 529 | 特急 とっきゅう | limited express (train for which a limited-express ticket is required) |
| 530 | 消しゴム けしゴム | eraser; rubber |
| 531 | 冷える ひえる | to grow cold; to get chilly; to cool down |
| 532 | 柔らかい やわらかい | soft; tender; supple; flexible; limber; limp |
| 533 | 折る おる | to break; to fracture; to break off; to snap off; to pick (e.g. flowers) |
| 534 | ステーキ | steak |
| 535 | ちっとも | (not) at all; (not) a bit; (not) in the least; (not) in the slightest |
| 536 | 汚れる よごれる | to get dirty; to become dirty |
| 537 | 濡れる ぬれる | to get wet |
| 538 | 花見 はなみ | cherry blossom viewing; flower viewing |
| 539 | 畳 たたみ | tatami mat; Japanese straw floor coverings |
| 540 | 歯医者 はいしゃ | dentist |
| 541 | 滑る すべる | to slide; to glide; to skate; to ski |
| 542 | 参る まいる | to go; to come |
| 543 | 珍しい めずらしい | rare; uncommon; unusual; curious |
| 544 | 冷房 れいぼう | air conditioning; air cooling |
| 545 | ソフト | soft |
| 546 | 飛行場 ひこうじょう | airfield; airport; aerodrome |
| 547 | ごみ | rubbish; trash; garbage; refuse; litter |
| 548 | 乗り換える のりかえる | to transfer (trains); to change (bus, train) |
| 549 | 申す もうす | to say; to be called |
| 550 | 投げる なげる | to throw; to hurl; to fling; to toss; to cast |
| 551 | おっしゃる | to say; to speak; to tell |
| 552 | 寝坊 ねぼう | sleeping in late; oversleeping |
| 553 | ワープロ | word processor |
| 554 | 急行 きゅうこう | express (train) |
| 555 | お礼 おれい | thanks; gratitude |
| 556 | 電灯 でんとう | electric light |
| 557 | 焼ける やける | to burn; to burn down; to go down in flames |
| 558 | この頃 このごろ | these days; nowadays; now; at present; recently; lately |
| 559 | いじめる | to ill-treat; to bully; to torment; to pick on; to tease; to be cruel to; to persecute |
| 560 | 届ける とどける | to deliver; to forward; to send |
| 561 | 下宿 げしゅく | boarding; lodging; board and lodging; room and board |
| 562 | 召し上がる めしあがる | to eat; to drink |
| 563 | 漬ける つける | to soak (in); to steep; to dip; to dunk |
| 564 | 祈る いのる | to pray; to say a prayer; to say grace; to wish; to hope |
| 565 | 億 おく | hundred million; 100,000,000; 10^8 |
| 566 | 高等学校 こうとうがっこう | senior high school; high school |
| 567 | まじめ | serious; earnest; sober; grave |
| 568 | 寄る よる | to stop by (while on one's way to another place); to drop by; to make a short visit; to approach; to draw near; to come near; to be close to |
| 569 | ジャム | jam |
| 570 | アルバイト | part-time job; side job |
| 571 | なるべく | as (much) as possible; as (much) as one can; wherever practicable; if possible |
| 572 | ハンドバッグ | handbag; purse |
| 573 | ぶどう | grape; grapevine |
| 574 | 拾う ひろう | to pick up; to gather |
| 575 | 取り替える とりかえる | to exchange; to swap; to barter; to trade |
| 576 | 光る ひかる | to shine; to glitter; to be bright |
| 577 | 差し上げる さしあげる | to give; to present; to offer |
| 578 | 用事 ようじ | business; things to do; engagement; errand; affairs |
| 579 | 乗り物 のりもの | vehicle; conveyance; (means of) transport |
| 580 | 家内 かない | (my) wife |
| 581 | 引き出す ひきだす | to pull out; to take out; to draw out; to withdraw (money); to draw |
| 582 | お祝い おいわい | congratulation; congratulations; celebration; festival |
| 583 | お土産 おみやげ | local specialty or souvenir bought as a gift while traveling (travelling) |
| 584 | 釣る つる | to fish; to angle; to catch |
| 585 | 不便 ふべん | inconvenience; inexpediency; unhandiness |
| 586 | 昼休み ひるやすみ | lunch break; noon recess; noon rest period |
| 587 | 写す うつす | to copy; to duplicate; to reproduce; to trace; to transcribe |
| 588 | 沸く わく | to grow hot (e.g. water); to boil |
| 589 | 移る うつる | to move (to another place or state); to change (e.g. of state, affiliation, scenery, etc.); to be transferred |
| 590 | 植える うえる | to plant; to grow; to raise |
| 591 | オートバイ | motorcycle; motorbike |
| 592 | お嬢さん おじょうさん | (another's) daughter; young lady |
| 593 | 知らせる しらせる | to notify; to advise; to inform |
| 594 | テキスト | textbook; text |
| 595 | 木綿 もめん | cotton (material) |
| 596 | けれど | but; however; although |
| 597 | 沸かす わかす | to boil; to heat (a liquid); to prepare (a bath, hot drink) |
| 598 | 足す たす | to add (numbers) |
| 599 | 拝見 はいけん | seeing; looking at |
| 600 | 味噌 みそ | miso; fermented condiment usu. made from soybeans |
| 601 | ファックス | fax; facsimile |
| 602 | ガソリンスタンド | gas station; petrol station; filling station |
| 603 | パート | part-time (work); part-timer |
| 604 | 忘れ物 わすれもの | lost article; thing left behind |
| 605 | お見舞い おみまい | visit (to someone affected by illness or misfortune); call; inquiry (about someone's health); expression of sympathy |
| 606 | 都 と | Metropolis (of Tokyo); (Tokyo) Metropolitan District; metropolitan prefecture |
| 607 | すり | pickpocket |
| 608 | 泳ぎ方 およぎかた | way of swimming |
| 609 | お祭り おまつり | festival; feast; carnival; matsuri |
| 610 | 浅い あさい | shallow; superficial |
| 611 | レジ | checkout (counter); cashier; (cash) register |
| 612 | 予習 よしゅう | preparation for a lesson |
| 613 | ご馳走 ごちそう | treat (esp. food and drink); entertainment; treating someone (to a meal); taking someone to dinner |
| 614 | 床屋 とこや | barbershop; barber shop; barber |
| 615 | アナウンサー | announcer; presenter; broadcaster; reporter |
| 616 | ステレオ | stereo (sound) |
| 617 | 込む こむ | to be crowded; to be packed; to be congested; to be thronged (with) |
| 618 | 復習 ふくしゅう | review (of learned material); revision |
| 619 | 押し入れ おしいれ | closet (built into the wall, usu. with sliding doors); (built-in) wardrobe |
| 620 | 降り出す ふりだす | to begin to rain; to begin to snow |
| 621 | おつり | change (for a purchase) |
| 622 | しかる | to scold; to chide; to rebuke; to reprimand |
| 623 | おいでになる | to be |
| 624 | アクセサリー | accessory (fashion); jewelry |
| 625 | サンダル | sandal |
| 626 | すっと | straight; quickly; directly; all of a sudden |
| 627 | エスカレーター | escalator |
| 628 | スクリーン | screen |
| 629 | 再来週 さらいしゅう | week after next |
| 630 | 再来月 さらいげつ | month after next |
| 631 | 御主人 ごしゅじん | your husband; her husband |
| 632 | ごらんになる | to see; to look; to watch |
About this list
- There has been no official JLPT vocabulary list since 2010. Levels come from comparing three public lists, including Jonathan Waller’s JLPT lists (tanos.co.uk); when they disagree, the word goes to the easier level.
- The order is by frequency — JMdict frequency markers and how often the word appears in Tatoeba sentences. It is the same order in which the Shikken app introduces new words.
- Spelling variants of one word (嘘 and うそ) count as one word. Counts per level and why lists disagree: How many words do you need for JLPT N3?
Sources and license
Words, readings, English meanings: JMdict (© Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, CC BY-SA 4.0). This list (table and CSV) is also published under CC BY-SA 4.0: credit “Shikken (shikken.app), JMdict (EDRDG)” and share under the same license.
FAQ
How many words are in JLPT N4?
There is no official number. The Shikken list has 632 N4 words.
Is this vocabulary list free?
Yes. The table and the CSV are free under CC BY-SA 4.0: you can share and adapt them with credit, under the same license.
Does the CSV open in Excel?
Yes. It is UTF-8 with a BOM; the lines starting with # at the top are the source credits.
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