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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 遅い | osoi | adjective | late; slow | 今日は帰りが遅いです。 | I will get home late today. |
| 遅れる | おくれる | verb | to be late | 電車が遅れました。 | The train was late. |
| 遊び | あそび | noun | play; fun | 子どもたちは遊びが好きです。 | Children like playing. |
| 運ぶ | はこぶ | verb | to carry; to transport | 荷物を運んでください。 | Please carry the luggage. |
| 運動 | うんどう | noun | exercise; sports | 毎朝運動します。 | I exercise every morning. |
| 運河 | うんが | noun | canal | この町には大きな運河があります。 | There is a big canal in this town. |
| 運転 | うんてん | noun | driving | 毎日車を運転します。 | I drive a car every day. |
| 運転手 | うんてんしゅ | noun | driver | あの運転手は親切です。 | That driver is kind. |
| 過ぎる | すぎる | verb | to pass; to go by | 電車が過ぎました。 | The train passed by. |
| 過剰 | かじょう | noun | excess | 水の過剰はよくありません。 | Too much water is not good. |
| 過半数 | かはんすう | noun | majority | 過半数が賛成しました。 | The majority agreed. |
| 過失 | かしつ | noun | mistake; fault | 彼の過失で事故が起きた。 | The accident happened because of his mistake. |
| 過程 | かてい | noun | process; course | 工事の過程を見ました。 | I watched the process of the construction. |
| 道 | michi | noun | road | この道は広いです。 | This road is wide. |
| 道具 | どうぐ | noun | tool; equipment | この道具は便利です。 | This tool is useful. |
| 遠い | tōi | adjective | far | 家は駅から遠いです。 | My house is far from the station. |
| 遠く | とおく | adverb | far away | 駅はここから遠くです。 | The station is far from here. |
| 遠慮 | えんりょ | noun | reserve; modesty | 遠慮しないでください。 | Please don't hesitate. |
| 遠足 | えんそく | noun | field trip; excursion | 明日は遠足です。 | Tomorrow is a field trip. |
| 遡る | さかのぼる | verb | to go back; to trace back | 原因をさかのぼって調べます。 | I will trace back and check the cause. |
| 適当 | てきとう | adjective | suitable; proper | このサイズが適当です。 | This size is suitable. |
| 遭う | あう | verb | to encounter; to suffer | 帰り道で雨に遭った。 | I got caught in the rain on the way home. |
| 選ぶ | えらぶ | verb | to choose | 好きな色を選んでください。 | Please choose your favorite color. |
| 郊外 | こうがい | noun | suburbs | 郊外に住んでいます。 | I live in the suburbs. |
| 郡 | ぐん | noun | county; district | この町は○○郡にあります。 | This town is in ○○ County. |
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.
