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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 貸間 | かしま | noun | room for rent | 駅の近くに貸間があります。 | There is a room for rent near the station. |
| 貿易 | ぼうえき | noun | trade | 日本は貿易が多い。 | Japan has a lot of trade. |
| 質問 | shitsumon | noun | question | 質問があります。 | I have a question. |
| 質問 / 答え | 質問 is a question, 答え is an answer. | noun | question / answer | 質問に 答えます。 | I answer the question. |
| 贈り物 | おくりもの | noun | present; gift | おくりものを買いました。 | I bought a present. |
| 赤ん坊 | あかんぼう | noun | baby | 赤ん坊が泣いています。 | The baby is crying. |
| 起す | おこす | verb | to wake up; to raise | 6時に子どもを起こします。 | I wake my child up at 6 o'clock. |
| 起床 | きしょう | noun | getting up; rising from bed | 毎朝6時に起床します。 | I get up at 6 every morning. |
| 超える | こえる | verb | to exceed; to go over | 去年の売り上げを超えました。 | We exceeded last year's sales. |
| 超す | こす | verb | to exceed; to pass | 去年の記録を超しました。 | I surpassed last year's record. |
| 趣味 | しゅみ | noun | hobby | あなたの趣味は何ですか。 | What is your hobby? |
| 足す | たす | verb | add | 砂糖を足します。 | I add sugar. |
| 足りる | たりる | verb | be enough | お金が足りません。 | I don't have enough money. |
| 足跡 | あしあと | noun | footprint | 雪の上に足跡があった。 | There were footprints on the snow. |
| 踊り | おどり | noun | dance | 祭りで踊りを見ました。 | I watched a dance at the festival. |
| 踊る | おどる | verb | dance | 子どもたちが踊っています。 | The children are dancing. |
| 踏む | ふむ | verb | to step on | 足を踏んだ。 | I stepped on my foot. |
| 蹴る | ける | verb | to kick | ボールを蹴りました。 | I kicked the ball. |
| 車庫 | しゃこ | noun | garage | 車は車庫に入れました。 | I put the car in the garage. |
| 車掌 | しゃしょう | noun | train conductor | 車掌が切符を確認しました。 | The train conductor checked the tickets. |
| 車輪 | しゃりん | noun | wheel | 自転車の車輪が曲がりました。 | The bicycle wheel bent. |
| 転がす | ころがす | verb | to roll; to turn over | ボールをころがしました。 | I rolled the ball. |
| 転がる | ころがる | verb | to roll; to lie around | ボールが道にころがっています。 | The ball is rolling on the road. |
| 輸入 | ゆにゅう | noun | import | この国は食べ物を輸入しています。 | This country imports food. |
| 輸出 | ゆしゅつ | noun | export | 日本は車を輸出しています。 | Japan exports cars. |
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.
