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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 打合せ | うちあわせ | noun | meeting; discussion | 明日、打合せがあります。 | There is a meeting tomorrow. |
| 払う | はらう | verb | to pay | ここでお金を払います。 | I pay money here. |
| 承る | うけたまわる | verb | to hear; to be told | ご注文を承ります。 | We will take your order. |
| 承知 | しょうち | noun | understanding; consent | そのことは承知しています。 | I understand that. |
| 技術 | ぎじゅつ | noun | technology; skill | 日本の技術は高いです。 | Japanese technology is advanced. |
| 投げる | なげる | verb | to throw | ボールを遠くへ投げた。 | I threw the ball far away. |
| 折る | おる | verb | break off; fold | 紙を折ります。 | I fold the paper. |
| 折れる | おれる | verb | break; snap | えんぴつが折れました。 | The pencil broke. |
| 押える | おさえる | verb | hold down; press | ドアを押えた。 | I held the door down. |
| 押し入れ | おしいれ | noun | closet; storage space | 布団を押し入れに入れます。 | I put the futon in the closet. |
| 担ぐ | かつぐ | verb | to carry on the shoulder | 荷物を担ぐ。 | I carry the luggage on my shoulder. |
| 招待 | しょうたい | noun | invitation | 友だちを招待しました。 | I invited my friend. |
| 拝む | おがむ | verb | to worship; to pray | 神社で神様を拝みました。 | I prayed to the god at the shrine. |
| 拝見 | はいけん | verb | to look at respectfully | 先生の写真を拝見しました。 | I looked at the teacher's photo respectfully. |
| 拡充 | かくじゅう | noun | expansion; enlargement | 設備を拡充します。 | We will expand the facilities. |
| 拡張 | かくちょう | noun | expansion; extension | 店を拡張しました。 | The store was expanded. |
| 括弧 | かっこ | noun | parentheses | この言葉は括弧に入れます。 | Put this word in parentheses. |
| 拾う | ひろう | verb | to pick up | 道でお金を拾った。 | I picked up money on the road. |
| 持参 | じさん | noun | bringing something with you | 明日は書類を持参してください。 | Please bring the documents tomorrow. |
| 指 | ゆび | noun | finger | 指をけがしました。 | I hurt my finger. |
| 指定 | してい | noun | designation; appointment | 席はここに指定されています。 | The seat is assigned here. |
| 指輪 | ゆびわ | noun | ring | この指輪はきれいです。 | This ring is beautiful. |
| 挙げる | あげる | verb | to raise; to mention | 手を挙げる。 | Raise your hand. |
| 挿す | さす | verb | to insert; to put in | 花を花びんに挿します。 | I put the flowers in the vase. |
| 捕まえる | つかまえる | verb | to catch | 警察がどろぼうを捕まえました。 | The police caught the thief. |
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.
