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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 空っぽ | からっぽ | adjective | empty | 冷蔵庫は空っぽだ。 | The refrigerator is empty. |
| 空中 | くうちゅう | noun | in the sky; airborne | 鳥が空中を飛んでいます。 | A bird is flying in the sky. |
| 空想 | くうそう | noun | fantasy; imagination | 子どものころ、空想が好きでした。 | When I was a child, I liked fantasy. |
| 空気 | くうき | noun | air | 部屋の空気がきれいです。 | The air in the room is clean. |
| 空港 | くうこう | noun | airport | 空港で友だちを待ちます。 | I wait for my friend at the airport. |
| 突く | つく | verb | to poke; to thrust | 彼は指で机を突いた。 | He poked the desk with his finger. |
| 窓 | mado | noun | window | 窓を開けてください。 | Please open the window. |
| 立てる | たてる | verb | stand up; set up | 旗を立てます。 | I raise the flag. |
| 競争 | きょうそう | noun | competition | 競争は大変です。 | Competition is tough. |
| 競馬 | けいば | noun | horse racing | 日曜日に競馬を見ます。 | I watch horse racing on Sunday. |
| 笑う | わらう | verb | laugh | みんなで笑いました。 | We all laughed. |
| 答 | こたえ | noun | answer | 答を書いてください。 | Please write the answer. |
| 答え | こたえ / kotae | noun | answer | 答えを書きました。 | I wrote the answer. |
| 算数 | さんすう | noun | arithmetic | 算数の宿題があります。 | I have arithmetic homework. |
| 簡単 | かんたん | adjective | easy; simple | この問題は簡単です。 | This problem is easy. |
| 米 | こめ | noun | rice | 毎日ご飯を食べます。 | I eat rice every day. |
| 粗い | あらい | adjective | rough; coarse | この紙は少し粗いです。 | This paper is a little rough. |
| 糸 | いと | noun | thread | この糸は赤いです。 | This thread is red. |
| 系統 | けいとう | noun | system; family line | この機械は古い系統です。 | This machine is an old type. |
| 約束 | やくそく | noun | promise | 約束を守ります。 | I keep my promise. |
| 紅葉 | こうよう | noun | autumn leaves | 山の紅葉がきれいです。 | The autumn leaves in the mountains are beautiful. |
| 納める | おさめる | verb | pay; submit | 税金を納めた。 | I paid my taxes. |
| 紙屑 | かみくず | noun | scrap paper; waste paper | 紙屑を捨ててください。 | Please throw away the waste paper. |
| 紙幣 | しへい | noun | paper money | 紙幣を財布に入れた。 | I put the bills in my wallet. |
| 索引 | さくいん | noun | index | 本の索引を見ました。 | I looked at the book's index. |
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.
