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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 辞典 | じてん | noun | dictionary | 辞典で調べます。 | I look it up in a dictionary. |
| 込む | こむ | verb | to be crowded | 駅が込んでいます。 | The station is crowded. |
| 迎える | むかえる | verb | to welcome; to meet and receive | 駅で友だちを迎えます。 | I meet my friend at the station. |
| 近々 | ちかぢか | adverb | soon; before long | 近々 会いましょう。 | Let's meet soon. |
| 近く | chikaku | adverb | nearby | 駅は近くにあります。 | The station is nearby. |
| 近所 | きんじょ | noun | neighborhood | 近所に公園があります。 | There is a park in the neighborhood. |
| 返事 | へんじ | noun | reply | まだ返事がない。 | There is still no reply. |
| 追い掛ける | おいかける | verb | to chase after | 犬が猫を追い掛けています。 | The dog is chasing the cat. |
| 追い越す | おいこす | verb | to pass; to overtake | 自転車が車を追い越しました。 | The bicycle passed the car. |
| 退く | どく | verb | to move aside; to step back | 少し 退いて ください。 | Please move back a little. |
| 退ける | どける | verb | to move aside; to remove | 箱を 退けて ください。 | Please move the box aside. |
| 退院 | たいいん | noun | leaving the hospital | 明日、退院します。 | I will leave the hospital tomorrow. |
| 送り仮名 | おくりがな | noun | okurigana; kana added to kanji | この漢字は送り仮名があります。 | This kanji has okurigana. |
| 送る | おくる | verb | to send | 母に手紙を送りました。 | I sent a letter to my mother. |
| 逃げる | にげる | verb | to escape; to run away | 猫が庭から逃げた。 | The cat ran away from the yard. |
| 逆さ | さかさ | noun | upside down | 写真が逆さです。 | The photo is upside down. |
| 逆様 | さかさま | noun | upside down | 本が逆様になっています。 | The book is upside down. |
| 途中 | とちゅう | noun | on the way;途中 | 今、駅に行く途中です。 | I am on the way to the station now. |
| 通う | かよう | verb | to go regularly | 毎日学校に通っています。 | I go to school every day. |
| 通る | とおる | verb | to pass through; to go through | この道を通ります。 | I go through this road. |
| 造る | つくる | verb | to make; to build | この町で新しい家を造る。 | We will build a new house in this town. |
| 連れる | つれる | verb | to take along; to bring | 子どもを連れて行きます。 | I will take the child with me. |
| 連絡 | れんらく | noun | contact; communication | あとで連絡します。 | I will contact you later. |
| 週末 | shūmatsu | noun | weekend | 週末は休みです。 | I am off on the weekend. |
| 進む | すすむ | verb | to advance; to proceed | 話が進みました。 | The discussion moved forward. |
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.
