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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 朝 | asa | noun | morning | 朝ごはんを食べます。 | I eat breakfast in the morning. |
| 期限 | きげん | noun | deadline; time limit | この書類の期限は金曜日です。 | The deadline for this document is Friday. |
| 木綿 | もめん | noun | cotton | このシャツは木綿です。 | This shirt is cotton. |
| 材木 | ざいもく | noun | lumber; timber | 材木を運びます。 | We carry the lumber. |
| 来週 | raishū | noun | next week | 来週旅行します。 | I will travel next week. |
| 林 | はやし | noun | woods; grove | 家の近くに小さな林があります。 | There is a small grove near my house. |
| 果実 | かじつ | noun | fruit | 果実がよく熟れています。 | The fruit is nicely ripe. |
| 果物 | kudamono | noun | fruit | 果物を食べます。 | I eat fruit. |
| 枝 | えだ | noun | branch | 木の枝に鳥がいます。 | There is a bird on the tree branch. |
| 枯れる | かれる | verb | to wither; to die away | 花が枯れる。 | The flowers wither. |
| 架空 | かくう | noun | fictional; imaginary | それは架空の話です。 | That is a fictional story. |
| 柔らかい | やわらかい | adjective | soft; gentle | このパンは柔らかいです。 | This bread is soft. |
| 柔道 | じゅうどう | noun | judo | 兄は柔道をしています。 | My older brother does judo. |
| 校庭 | こうてい | noun | schoolyard | 子どもたちは校庭で遊んでいます。 | The children are playing in the schoolyard. |
| 校舎 | こうしゃ | noun | school building | 校舎は古いです。 | The school building is old. |
| 校長 | こうちょう | noun | principal | 校長が話しました。 | The principal spoke. |
| 格別 | かくべつ | adjective | especially; exceptional | 今日は格別に寒いです。 | It is especially cold today. |
| 桁 | けた | noun | number place | この数字は三桁です。 | This number has three digits. |
| 案内 | あんない | noun | guidance; information | 駅で道を案内しました。 | I guided them at the station. |
| 案外 | あんがい | adverb | unexpectedly | 案外寒かったです。 | It was unexpectedly cold. |
| 梯子 | はしご | noun | ladder | 梯子で屋根に上がった。 | I climbed onto the roof with a ladder. |
| 棚 | たな | noun | shelf | 本を棚に置きます。 | I put the book on the shelf. |
| 森 | もり | noun | forest | 森を歩きました。 | I walked through the forest. |
| 植える | うえる | verb | to plant | 庭に花を植えました。 | I planted flowers in the garden. |
| 植木 | うえき | noun | garden plant; potted plant | 植木に水をやった。 | I watered the potted plant. |
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.
