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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 見える | みえる | verb | to be visible; can be seen | 山が見えます。 | I can see the mountain. |
| 見つかる | みつかる | verb | to be found; to be discovered | 鍵が見つかりました。 | The key was found. |
| 見つける | みつける | verb | to find | いい店を見つけました。 | I found a good shop. |
| 見学 | けんがく | noun | visit and observe; field trip | 工場を見学しました。 | We visited and observed the factory. |
| 見物 | けんぶつ | noun | sightseeing | 京都で見物しました。 | I went sightseeing in Kyoto. |
| 規則 | きそく | noun | rule; regulation | 学校の規則を守ってください。 | Please follow the school rules. |
| 規律 | きりつ | noun | discipline; rules | この学校は規律が厳しいです。 | This school has strict discipline. |
| 規準 | きじゅん | noun | standard; rule | この規準に従ってください。 | Please follow this standard. |
| 親 | おや | noun | parent | 親に電話しました。 | I called my parent. |
| 親切 | しんせつ | adjective | kind; helpful | あの人はとても親切です。 | That person is very kind. |
| 親指 | おやゆび | noun | thumb | 親指をけがした。 | I hurt my thumb. |
| 観念 | かんねん | noun | idea; notion | その考えはもう観念した。 | I gave up on that idea. |
| 観測 | かんそく | noun | observation; measurement | 天気を観測する。 | We observe the weather. |
| 角度 | かくど | noun | angle | 角度を測ります。 | I measure the angle. |
| 解放 | かいほう | noun | release; liberation | その国は人質を解放しました。 | That country released the hostages. |
| 解散 | かいさん | noun | disbanding; breakup | そのグループは解散しました。 | That group broke up. |
| 解答 | かいとう | noun | answer sheet; solution | 答えは解答用紙に書きます。 | Write the answer on the answer sheet. |
| 解説 | かいせつ | noun | explanation | 先生が問題を解説しました。 | The teacher explained the problem. |
| 触る | さわる | verb | to touch | それに触らないでください。 | Please don't touch that. |
| 言い付ける | いいつける | verb | to tell; to order | 先生に宿題を言い付けられました。 | The teacher told me to do homework. |
| 言い出す | いいだす | verb | to bring up; to mention | 彼は急にその話を言い出しました。 | He suddenly brought up that topic. |
| 言付ける | ことづける | verb | to leave a message | 母によろしくとことづけました。 | I left a message to say hello to my mother. |
| 言葉遣い | ことばづかい | noun | wording; way of speaking | 彼の言葉遣いはていねいです。 | His way of speaking is polite. |
| 計画 | けいかく | noun | plan | 旅行の計画を立てます。 | I make a travel plan. |
| 討つ | うつ | verb | to attack; to fight | 昔、城を討つた。 | Long ago, they attacked the castle. |
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.
