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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 基礎 | きそ | noun | foundation; basis | 基礎をしっかり学びましょう。 | Let's learn the basics well. |
| 堅 | かたい | adjective | hard; firm | このパンは堅いです。 | This bread is hard. |
| 堅い | かたい | adjective | hard; firm | このパンは堅いです。 | This bread is hard. |
| 報告 | hōkoku | noun | report | 先生に 報告します。 | I will report to the teacher. |
| 場合 | ばあい | noun | case; situation | 雨の場合は中止です。 | In case of rain, it will be canceled. |
| 場所 | ばしょ | noun | place; location | 静かな場所で勉強したい。 | I want to study in a quiet place. |
| 塊 | かたまり | noun | mass; lump | 氷の塊があります。 | There is a lump of ice. |
| 塗る | ぬる | verb | to paint; to spread | 壁を白く塗った。 | I painted the wall white. |
| 塩辛い | しおからい | adjective | salty | このスープは塩辛いです。 | This soup is salty. |
| 塵芥 | ごみ | noun | trash; garbage | ごみを出します。 | I take out the trash. |
| 境界 | きょうかい | noun | boundary; border | 川が町の境界です。 | The river is the town boundary. |
| 増える | ふえる | verb | to increase | 人が増えた。 | The number of people increased. |
| 壁 | かべ | noun | wall | 壁に絵があります。 | There is a picture on the wall. |
| 壊す | こわす | verb | to break; to damage | コップを壊しました。 | I broke the cup. |
| 壊れる | こわれる | verb | to break; to be broken | 時計が壊れました。 | The clock broke. |
| 売り切れ | うりきれ | noun | sold out | その本は売り切れだ。 | That book is sold out. |
| 売り切れる | うりきれる | verb | to sell out | チケットはすぐ売り切れる。 | The tickets sell out quickly. |
| 売り場 | うりば | noun | sales area; counter | 本の売り場は2階です。 | The book section is on the second floor. |
| 売る | uru | verb | to sell | この店で野菜を売っています。 | They sell vegetables at this store. |
| 売上 | うりあげ | noun | sales | 今月の売上が増えた。 | This month's sales increased. |
| 売行き | うれゆき | noun | sales; demand | この本は売行きがいいです。 | This book is selling well. |
| 変 | へん | adjective | strange; odd | その音は変だ。 | That sound is strange. |
| 変える | かえる | verb | change; switch | 予定を変えました。 | I changed the plan. |
| 変わる | かわる | verb | to change | 季節が変わりました。 | The season changed. |
| 変更 | henkō | noun | change; modification | 予定に 変更が ありました。 | There was a change in the schedule. |
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.
