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.
Keep building your Japanese
Choose a practical next step when you are ready.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Reading | Type | Meaning | Example | Translation | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 水 | みず | noun | water | 水を飲みます。 | I drink water. | |
| 水曜日 | すいようび | noun | Wednesday | 水曜日に会いましょう。 | Let's meet on Wednesday. | |
| 汚い | きたない | adjective | dirty | この部屋は汚いです。 | This room is dirty. | |
| 池 | いけ | noun | pond | 池のそばで休みました。 | I rested by the pond. | |
| 河 | かわ | noun | river | 川で遊びます。 | I play in the river. | |
| 油絵 | あぶらえ | noun | oil painting | 彼は油絵を描きます。 | He paints oil paintings. | |
| 泳ぐ | およぐ | verb | swim | 海で泳ぎます。 | I swim in the sea. | |
| 洋服 | ようふく | noun | Western clothes | 新しい洋服を買いました。 | I bought new clothes. | |
| 洗う | あらう | verb | to wash | 手を洗います。 | I wash my hands. | |
| 洗濯 | せんたく | noun | washing; laundry | 今日は洗濯をします。 | I do the laundry today. | |
| 浅ましい | あさましい | adjective | shameful; miserable | そんなことは浅ましい。 | That kind of thing is shameful. | |
| 海 | うみ | noun | sea | 海で泳ぎます。 | I swim in the sea. | |
| 消える | きえる | verb | to disappear; to go out | 電気が消えました。 | The light went out. | |
| 消す | けす | verb | to turn off | 電気を消してください。 | Please turn off the light. | |
| 涼しい | すずしい | adjective | cool; refreshing | 今日は涼しいです。 | It is cool today. | |
| 渡す | わたす | verb | to hand over; to pass | 先生に本を渡します。 | I hand the book to the teacher. | |
| 渡る | わたる | verb | to cross; to go across | 橋を渡ります。 | I cross the bridge. | |
| 温い | ぬるい | adjective | lukewarm | このお茶はぬるいです。 | This tea is lukewarm. | |
| 溢れる | あふれる | verb | to overflow | コップから水が溢れる。 | Water overflows from the cup. | |
| 漢字 | かんじ | noun | kanji | 漢字を勉強します。 | I study kanji. | |
| 火曜日 | かようび | noun | Tuesday | 火曜日に会いましょう。 | Let's meet on Tuesday. | |
| 灰 | あく | noun | ashes | 火のあとに灰が残った。 | Ashes remained after the fire. | |
| 灰皿 | はいざら | noun | ashtray | 灰皿はここです。 | The ashtray is here. | |
| 炙る | あぶる | verb | to roast over a flame | 魚を炙る。 | I roast the fish over a flame. | |
| 無くす | なくす | verb | to lose; to misplace | かぎを無くしました。 | I lost my key. |
Free JLPT N5 Japanese Vocabulary List PDF and Flashcards
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