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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| くれる | くれる | verb | to give to me | 友だちが手紙をくれました。 | My friend gave me a letter. |
| ケーキ | ケーキ | noun | cake | 誕生日にケーキを食べます。 | I eat cake on my birthday. |
| けが | けが | noun | injury | けがをして歩けません。 | I got injured and can't walk. |
| けれど | けれど | conjunction | but; though | 行きたいけれど、時間がありません。 | I want to go, but I don't have time. |
| けれど | けれども | conjunction | but; though | 行きたいけれども、時間がありません。 | I want to go, but I don't have time. |
| けれども | けれど | conjunction | but | 行きたいけれども、時間がありません。 | I want to go, but I don't have time. |
| けれども | けれども | conjunction | but | 行きたいけれども、時間がありません。 | I want to go, but I don't have time. |
| けんか | けんか | noun | fight | 兄とけんかしました。 | I had a fight with my older brother. |
| コース | コース | noun | course; route | このコースは初心者向けです。 | This course is for beginners. |
| コーラス | コーラス | noun | chorus; choir | 妹はコーラスに入っています。 | My younger sister is in the chorus. |
| こう | こう | adverb | like this | こうすればいいです。 | If you do it like this, it's fine. |
| こうして | こうして | expression | like this; in this way | こうして問題を解決します。 | We solve the problem like this. |
| ごくろうさま | ごくろうさま | expression | thank you for your hard work | 今日もごくろうさまです。 | Thank you for your hard work today, too. |
| こしらえる | こしらえる | verb | to make; to prepare | 母が夕食をこしらえました。 | My mother prepared dinner. |
| ごぞんじですか | ごぞんじですか | expression | do you know? | 田中さんを、ごぞんじですか。 | Do you know Mr. Tanaka? |
| ごちそう | ごちそう | noun | feast; treat | 今日はごちそうを食べました。 | I ate a feast today. |
| ごちそうさま | ごちそうさま | expression | thank you for the meal | ごちそうさまでした。 | Thank you for the meal. |
| こちらこそ | こちらこそ | expression | no, thank you; likewise | いえ、こちらこそありがとうございます。 | No, thank you; I should be the one thanking you. |
| コック | コック | noun | cook | コックが料理を作っています。 | The cook is making food. |
| こっそり | こっそり | adverb | secretly; quietly | 彼はこっそり出かけました。 | He went out secretly. |
| こと | こと | noun | thing; matter | 大切なことを忘れました。 | I forgot an important thing. |
| こないだ | こないだ | adverb | the other day | こないだ友だちに会いました。 | I met a friend the other day. |
| このあいだ | このあいだ | noun | the other day | このあいだ友だちに会いました。 | I met my friend the other day. |
| このごろ | このごろ | noun | these days | このごろ忙しいです。 | I have been busy these days. |
| こぼす | こぼす | verb | to spill | 水をこぼしました。 | I spilled the water. |
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.
