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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 姿勢 | しせい | noun | posture | 姿勢をよくしてください。 | Please keep good posture. |
| 威張る | いばる | verb | to brag; to be arrogant | 彼はいつも威張っている。 | He is always acting arrogant. |
| 娘 | むすめ | noun | daughter | 娘はピアノを習っています。 | My daughter is learning piano. |
| 娯楽 | ごらく | noun | amusement; entertainment | 週末は娯楽を楽しみます。 | I enjoy entertainment on weekends. |
| 嫌がる | いやがる | verb | to dislike; to hate | 子どもは薬を嫌がる。 | Children dislike medicine. |
| 子 | こ | noun | child | この子は元気です。 | This child is energetic. |
| 子孫 | しそん | noun | descendants | この家は子孫に受けつがれた。 | This house was passed down to the descendants. |
| 字 | じ | noun | character; letter | この字はむずかしいです。 | This character is difficult. |
| 孝行 | こうこう | noun | filial piety; being good to one's parents | 彼は親に孝行です。 | He is good to his parents. |
| 季節 | きせつ | noun | season | 春はいい季節です。 | Spring is a nice season. |
| 学会 | がっかい | noun | academic conference; society | 学会で発表しました。 | I gave a presentation at the conference. |
| 学力 | がくりょく | noun | academic ability | 彼は学力が高いです。 | He has high academic ability. |
| 学年 | がくねん | noun | school year; grade | 彼は三年生の学年です。 | He is in the third grade. |
| 学校 | gakkō | noun | school | 学校へ行きます。 | I go to school. |
| 学生 | gakusei | noun | student | あの学生は日本語が上手です。 | That student is good at Japanese. |
| 学科 | がっか | noun | subject; department | 私は理科の学科を選びました。 | I chose a science department. |
| 学級 | がっきゅう | noun | class; grade | この学級はにぎやかです。 | This class is lively. |
| 学術 | がくじゅつ | noun | academic study; scholarship | 学術の本を読みます。 | I read an academic book. |
| 学部 | がくぶ | noun | faculty; department | 私は文学部です。 | I am in the Faculty of Literature. |
| 安い | yasui | adjective | cheap | この店は安いです。 | This store is cheap. |
| 安い / 高い | 安い means cheap, 高い means expensive or high. | adjective | cheap / expensive; high | この かばんは 安いです。 | This bag is cheap. |
| 安全 | あんぜん | noun | safety; security | ここは安全です。 | This place is safe. |
| 安心 | あんしん | noun | relief; peace of mind | これで安心しました。 | Now I feel relieved. |
| 安易 | あんい | adjective | easy; simple | その考えは安易です。 | That idea is too easy. |
| 官庁 | かんちょう | noun | government office | 官庁で手続きをした。 | I completed the procedure at the government office. |
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.
