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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| おかけください | おかけください | expression | please sit down | どうぞおかけください。 | Please have a seat. |
| おかげさまで | おかげさまで | expression | thanks to you; fortunately | おかげさまで元気です。 | Thanks to you, I'm doing well. |
| おかしい | おかしい | adjective | strange; funny | 今日はなんだかおかしいです。 | Something feels strange today. |
| おかず | おかず | noun | side dish; accompaniment | 今日のおかずは魚です。 | Today's side dish is fish. |
| おきのどくに | おきのどくに | expression | I'm sorry to hear that | それはおきのどくに。 | I'm sorry to hear that. |
| おくさん | おくさん | noun | wife; someone's wife | 田中さんのおくさんは先生です。 | Mr. Tanaka's wife is a teacher. |
| おげんきで | おげんきで | expression | take care | お元気で。 | Take care. |
| おさきに | おさきに | expression | before you go | お先に失礼します。 | Excuse me for leaving before you. |
| おじゃまします | おじゃまします | expression | excuse me for coming in | おじゃまします。 | Excuse me for coming in. |
| おしゃれ | おしゃれ | noun | fashionable; stylish | その服はおしゃれだ。 | Those clothes are stylish. |
| おだいじに | おだいじに | expression | get well soon | お大事に。 | Get well soon. |
| おっしゃる | おっしゃる | verb | say (honorific) | 先生がそうおっしゃいました。 | The teacher said that. |
| おつり | おつり | noun | change; balance | おつりをください。 | Please give me the change. |
| おどかす | おどかす | verb | scare | 弟をおどかした。 | I scared my younger brother. |
| おととい | おととい | noun | the day before yesterday | おととい雨が降った。 | It rained the day before yesterday. |
| おととし | おととし | noun | the year before last | おととし日本へ行った。 | I went to Japan the year before last. |
| おとなしい | おとなしい | adjective | quiet; gentle | あの子はおとなしい。 | That child is quiet. |
| おねがいします | おねがいします | expression | please | お願いします。 | Please. |
| おはよう | おはよう | expression | good morning | おはよう。 | Good morning. |
| おまたせしまし | おまたせしまし | expression | sorry to keep you waiting | お待たせしました。 | Sorry to keep you waiting. |
| おまちください | おまちください | expression | please wait | ここでお待ちください。 | Please wait here. |
| おまちどおさま | おまちどおさま | expression | thank you for waiting | お待ちどおさま。 | Thank you for waiting. |
| おめでたい | おめでたい | adjective | auspicious; happy | 今日はおめでたい日だ。 | Today is an auspicious day. |
| おもちゃ | おもちゃ | noun | toy | 子どもがおもちゃで遊んでいます。 | The child is playing with a toy. |
| おやすみ | おやすみ | expression | good night | おやすみ。 | Good night. |
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.
