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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 交流 | こうりゅう | noun | exchange; interaction | 学生どうしの交流が大切です。 | Interaction among students is important. |
| 交通 | こうつう | noun | traffic | この道は交通が多いです。 | There is a lot of traffic on this road. |
| 交通機関 | こうつうきかん | noun | transportation | この町は交通機関が便利です。 | Transportation is convenient in this town. |
| 人 | hito | noun | person | あの人は先生です。 | That person is a teacher. |
| 人口 | じんこう | noun | population | この町の人口は多いです。 | This town has a large population. |
| 人形 | にんぎょう | noun | doll | 妹は人形で遊んでいる。 | My little sister is playing with a doll. |
| 今夜 | こんや | noun | tonight | 今夜は寒いです。 | It is cold tonight. |
| 今度 | こんど | noun | next time; this time | 今度、映画を見ましょう。 | Let's watch a movie next time. |
| 仕上がる | しあがる | verb | to be finished | 宿題が仕上がりました。 | The homework is finished. |
| 仕事 | shigoto | noun | work; job | 仕事が忙しいです。 | Work is busy. |
| 仕方 | しかた | noun | way; method | いい仕方を教えてください。 | Please teach me a good way. |
| 付く | つく | verb | to be attached; to stick | 机にほこりが付いています。 | Dust is stuck on the desk. |
| 代える | かえる | verb | to substitute for; replace | 水をお茶に代えます。 | I will replace water with tea. |
| 代る | かわる | verb | to replace; to take turns | 私が代るよ。 | I will take your place. |
| 代わり | かわり | noun | instead; substitute | 私の代わりに行ってください。 | Please go instead of me. |
| 以上 | いじょう | noun | more than; above | 3人以上来ました。 | More than three people came. |
| 以下 | いか | noun | below; less than | この店は10時以下は開きません。 | This store does not open before 10 o'clock. |
| 以内 | いない | noun | within; inside | 10分以内に戻ります。 | I will be back within 10 minutes. |
| 以外 | いがい | noun | except for; other than | 日本語以外も勉強しています。 | I am studying languages other than Japanese too. |
| 以後 | いご | noun | after this; from now on | 以後、気をつけます。 | I will be careful from now on. |
| 以降 | いこう | noun | after; since then | 来週以降は忙しいです。 | I will be busy from next week on. |
| 仮名 | かな | noun | kana | 仮名で名前を書きます。 | I write my name in kana. |
| 仮名遣い | かなづかい | noun | kana usage; spelling | 仮名遣いを勉強します。 | I study kana usage. |
| 仮定 | かてい | noun | assumption; hypothesis | 仮定を立てて考えます。 | I think by making an assumption. |
| 休息 | きゅうそく | noun | rest; break | 少し休息をとりましょう。 | Let's take a little rest. |
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.
