JLPT N5 is where real Japanese starts. You’ve nailed the kana, and now you’re ready for words that actually do useful work-ordering food, talking about your day, asking simple questions. This list packs roughly 800 practical N5 words you’ll meet on the exam and in daily chats, not dusty textbook fillers. Pair these words with JLPT N5 grammar to build complete beginner sentences.
Every entry gives you a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you see how the word behaves in the wild-not just a lonely translation. Audio playback is baked right in, because your ears need practice just as much as your eyes. Tap, listen, repeat.
Ready to give your Japanese study a little boost? Scroll all the way to the bottom for the free printable JLPT N5 Japanese vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable JLPT N5 Japanese flashcards—nice, tidy, and perfect for quick review.
Want more than one list? Browse our Japanese section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve already memorised a few N5 words? Give the quiz a quick spin-it’s a low‑stress way to spot which ones still need a second look.
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Browse the Full List
| Word | Reading | Type | Meaning | Example | Translation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 当たり | あたり | noun | hit; success | 今日は当たりが出た。 | I got a winning result today. | |
| 当たり前 | あたりまえ | adjective | natural; obvious | それは当たり前だ。 | That is obvious. | |
| 当て | あて | noun | aim; purpose | 何の当てもない。 | I have no aim or plan. | |
| 当てはまる | あてはまる | verb | to apply; to fit | このルールは彼に当てはまる。 | This rule applies to him. | |
| 当てはめる | あてはめる | verb | to apply; to adapt | 例に当てはめて考える。 | I think by applying it to an example. | |
| 当て字 | あてじ | noun | phonetic kanji | これは当て字です。 | This is phonetic kanji. | |
| 彼の | あの | pronoun | that; that one | あの人は先生です。 | That person is a teacher. | |
| 彼処 | あそこ | pronoun | there; over there | あそこに店があります。 | There is a shop over there. | |
| 彼方 | あちら | pronoun | that way; over there | あちらへ行きます。 | I will go that way. | |
| 彼方此方 | あちこち | adverb | here and there | 町のあちこちを歩いた。 | I walked around here and there in town. | |
| 待つ | まつ | verb | to wait | ここで待ちます。 | I will wait here. | |
| 後 | あと | noun | after; later | あとで行きます。 | I will go later. | |
| 後ろ | うしろ | noun | behind | 後ろに人がいます。 | There is a person behind me. | |
| 後回し | あとまわし | noun | postponement | その仕事は後回しにした。 | I put that work off. | |
| 御飯 | ごはん | noun | meal; rice | 朝ごはんを食べました。 | I ate breakfast. | |
| 忘れる | わすれる | verb | to forget | 宿題を忘れました。 | I forgot my homework. | |
| 忙しい | いそがしい | adjective | busy | 今日は忙しいです。 | I am busy today. | |
| 悪 | あく | noun | evil | 悪を許してはいけない。 | You must not allow evil. | |
| 悪い | わるい | adjective | bad | 今日は天気が悪いです。 | The weather is bad today. | |
| 悪化 | あっか | noun | worsening; deterioration | 病気が悪化した。 | The illness got worse. | |
| 悪口 | あっこう | noun | insult; slander | 人の悪口を言わないで。 | Don't say bad things about people. | |
| 悪日 | あくび | noun | unlucky day | 今日は悪日だ。 | Today is an unlucky day. | |
| 意味 | いみ | noun | meaning | この言葉の意味は何ですか。 | What is the meaning of this word? | |
| 愛想 | あいそ | noun | friendliness | 店員の愛想がいいです。 | The clerk is friendly. | |
| 愛憎 | あいにく | noun | love and hate | その話は愛憎を感じます。 | That story makes me feel love and hate. |
Free JLPT N5 Japanese Vocabulary List PDF and Flashcards
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