You’ve graduated from survival Japanese-ordering ramen, introducing yourself, navigating train stations. Now you’re hungry for more: describing your weekend, explaining why you’re running late, and actually following a simple anime scene without subtitles. That’s N4 territory, and this vocabulary list is built exactly for it. We’ve gathered around 1500 practical words that show up on the JLPT N4 and in everyday life, skipping the obscure terms you’ll never use. It’s vocabulary that earns its keep. Pair these words with JLPT N4 grammar to build fuller sentences.
Ready for a little vocabulary adventure? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable JLPT N4 Japanese vocabulary list PDF PDF and the free downloadable printable JLPT N4 Japanese PDF flashcards.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Japanese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve already locked a few of these N4 words into memory? The quick quiz below will show you what you know and which ones could use a second glance-no pressure, just a friendly check-in.
Keep building your Japanese
Choose a practical next step when you are ready.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Reading | Type | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| た | た | particle | ta; past tense marker | 食べた。 | I ate. |
| たいてい | たいてい | adverb | usually; generally | たいてい7時に起きます。 | I usually get up at 7. |
| タイプ | タイプ | noun | type; style | 私のタイプです。 | You are my type. |
| だから | だから | conjunction | so; therefore | 雨です。だから、行きません。 | It's raining. So I won't go. |
| たまに | たまに | adverb | occasionally | たまに映画を見ます。 | I watch movies occasionally. |
| だめ | だめ | adjective | no good; not okay | ここではだめです。 | You can't do that here. |
| チェック | チェック | noun | check; inspection | 名前をチェックします。 | I check the name. |
| ちっとも | ちっとも | adverb | not at all | ちっとも眠くないです。 | I'm not sleepy at all. |
| ちゃん | ちゃん | suffix | -chan; dear | 花ちゃんは元気です。 | Hana-chan is doing well. |
| つき | つき | noun | moon | 今夜は月がきれいです。 | The moon is beautiful tonight. |
| つもり | つもり | noun | plan; intention | 明日は早く起きるつもりです。 | I plan to get up early tomorrow. |
| ディア | ディア | noun | dear; idea | そのディアはおもしろい。 | That idea is interesting. |
| テキスト | テキスト | noun | textbook; text | テキストを読みます。 | I read the text. |
| できるだけ | できるだけ | adverb | as much as possible | できるだけ早く来てください。 | Please come as early as possible. |
| テニス | テニス | noun | tennis | 週末にテニスをします。 | I play tennis on the weekend. |
| とうとう | とうとう | adverb | at last; finally | とうとう雨がやみました。 | At last, the rain stopped. |
| とこや | とこや | noun | barber shop | とこやで髪を切りました。 | I got my hair cut at the barber shop. |
| どんどん | どんどん | adverb | rapidly; steadily | 子どもはどんどん大きくなります。 | Children grow quickly. |
| なさる | なさる | verb | to do (honorific) | 先生が説明をなさいます。 | The teacher will explain. |
| なるべく | なるべく | adverb | as much as possible | なるべく早く来てください。 | Please come as early as possible. |
| なるほど | なるほど | expression | I see; indeed | なるほど、そういうことですか。 | I see, so that's how it is. |
| におい | におい | noun | smell; odor | この部屋はいいにおいがする。 | This room smells nice. |
| ぬれる | ぬれる | verb | to get wet | 雨で服がぬれた。 | My clothes got wet from the rain. |
| ねだん | ねだん | noun | price | この店はねだんが安い。 | This store's prices are cheap. |
| ねっしん | ねっしん | adjective | enthusiastic; eager | 彼は仕事にねっしんです。 | He is enthusiastic about his work. |
Free JLPT N4 Japanese Vocabulary PDF and Flashcard Downloads
Grab the purple button for the JLPT N4 Japanese vocabulary list PDF and the teal button for the JLPT N4 Japanese PDF flashcards. Both downloads are 100% free, with no signup required.
