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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 厳重 | げんじゅう | adjective | strict; severe | この学校は規則が厳重です。 | This school has strict rules. |
| 参る | まいる | verb | to go; to come (humble) | 社長のところへ参ります。 | I will go to the president's office. |
| 友だち | tomodachi | noun | friend | 友だちと遊びます。 | I play with my friend. |
| 反る | かえる | verb | to bend backward; warp | 板が反っています。 | The board is warped. |
| 反対 | はんたい | noun | opposition; opposite | 私はその意見に反対です。 | I am against that opinion. |
| 叔母さん | おばさん | noun | middle-aged woman | おばさんが店にいた。 | A middle-aged woman was in the shop. |
| 叔父さん | おじさん | noun | uncle | 叔父さんはやさしい。 | My uncle is kind. |
| 取り替える | とりかえる | verb | to replace; to exchange | 古い電池を取り替えました。 | I replaced the old battery. |
| 受ける | うける | verb | to take; to receive | 試験を受けます。 | I will take the exam. |
| 受け持つ | うけもつ | verb | to be in charge of | 私はこのクラスを受け持つ。 | I am in charge of this class. |
| 受付 | うけつけ | noun | reception desk; front desk | 受付で名前を書きます。 | I write my name at the reception desk. |
| 受取 | うけとり | noun | receipt | 受取をもらった。 | I got a receipt. |
| 口実 | こうじつ | noun | excuse; pretext | 遅れた口実を言いました。 | I gave an excuse for being late. |
| 口紅 | くちべに | noun | lipstick | 彼女は口紅をつけています。 | She is wearing lipstick. |
| 古典 | こてん | noun | classic; classical literature | 古典を読むのが好きです。 | I like reading classics. |
| 句読点 | くとうてん | noun | punctuation marks | 句読点を正しく書きましょう。 | Let's write punctuation marks correctly. |
| 召し上がる | めしあがる | verb | to eat; to drink | どうぞ、召し上がってください。 | Please eat. |
| 可決 | かけつ | noun | approval; passage | その案は可決されました。 | The proposal was approved. |
| 台所 | daidokoro | noun | kitchen | 台所で料理します。 | I cook in the kitchen. |
| 台風 | たいふう | noun | typhoon | 台風が来ます。 | A typhoon is coming. |
| 右 | migi | noun | right | 右に曲がってください。 | Please turn right. |
| 司会 | しかい | noun | host; moderator | 会議の司会をします。 | I will moderate the meeting. |
| 各々 | おのおの | pronoun | each; every one | 各々の 意見を 聞きます。 | I will listen to each person's opinion. |
| 各地 | かくち | noun | various places; all over | 各地で雪が降りました。 | It snowed in many places. |
| 各自 | かくじ | noun | each person; individually | 各自で考えてください。 | Please think for yourself. |
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.
