JLPT N3 Vocabulary List

Over 2,400 words with readings, romaji, and English meanings

JLPT N3 sits between knowing some Japanese and being able to use it for real, and it is the level a lot of learners find hardest to reach. The support the beginner levels give you starts to fall away, and the amount of vocabulary jumps sharply.

What JLPT N3 covers

The words get more abstract and more grown-up: opinions and emotions, work and study vocabulary, the language of news headlines, and the nuance that lets you express how you feel about something, not just what happened. This is the biggest single jump in vocabulary at any level, around 2,200 new words, and the kanji count climbs to roughly 650.

Grammar and particles at this level

N3 grammar starts to carry nuance, not just plain meaning. You meet polite and humble language (keigo) properly, the full set of conditionals (ば, たら, なら and と, each used a little differently), and the passive and causative forms for describing things done to you or making someone do something. Sentences get longer, and how their parts fit together gets harder to follow.

How to study N3

N3 is where a lot of self-taught learners stall, usually from grinding vocabulary lists without doing much reading. The way through is to read a lot, at a level that is a little harder than feels comfortable. Learner news apps, simple blogs, and manga with furigana all work well. Words stick when you meet them in context, far more than from a flashcard on its own.

Planning to sit the N3 exam? Test dates, fees, and registration for your country are on the official JLPT website.

All N3 words

～山～さん～san

Mount ~, Mt ~ (suffix)

actually, to tell the truth

the other person, partner

to move away, to be apart

第～だい～dai～

ordinal prefix (No. ~)

to save (someone), to help

to decrease, to go down

我慢がまんgaman

patience, endurance

戻すもどすmodosu

to put (something) back

取れるとれるtoreru

to come off, to be removed

to get lost, to hesitate

それならsorenara

if so, if that's the case

announcement, presentation

to give up, to abandon

もったいないmottainai

wasteful, a waste

似合うにあうniau

to suit, to look good on

先日せんじつsenjitsu

the other day (formal)

小学生しょうがくせいshougakusei

dark (of colour), strong (of flavour)

禁止きんしkinshi

prohibition, ban

辞めるやめるyameru

to quit (a job), to resign

感動かんどうkandou

being deeply moved

仲なかnaka

relationship (between people), terms

体重たいじゅうtaijuu

body weight

材料ざいりょうzairyou

ingredients, materials

大会たいかいtaikai

tournament, competition

上司じょうしjoushi

boss, superior

賛成さんせいsansei

being in favour, agreement

少々しょうしょうshoushou

a little (formal), a moment

最低さいていsaitei

the lowest, the worst

父親ちちおやchichioya

father

結局けっきょくkekkyoku

in the end, after all

flight, service (transport)

passing (an exam), pass

着替えるきがえるkigaeru

to change one's clothes

姉妹しまいshimai

sisters

ほっとhotto

relieved, with a sigh of relief

救急車きゅうきゅうしゃkyuukyuusha

advertisement, advert

to apply (for), to sign up

工事こうじkouji

construction work, roadworks

転ぶころぶkorobu

to fall over, to trip

独身どくしんdokushin

single, unmarried

混ぜるまぜるmazeru

to mix (something), to stir

家事かじkaji

housework, household chores

観光客かんこうきゃくkankoukyaku

to celebrate, to congratulate

温めるあたためるatatameru

to warm (something) up, to heat up

to cool (something), to chill

支店してんshiten

branch (office or shop)

living a long life, longevity

名刺めいしmeishi

business card

一人暮らしひとりぐらしhitorigurashi

natto (fermented soybeans)

mistake, getting something wrong

釣りつりtsuri

fishing

ホームhoomu

platform (at a station)

so, therefore (polite)

in the city, within the city

こんなにkonnani

this much, so

付けるつけるtsukeru

to attach (something)

half a year, six months

market (street or food), marketplace

grade, level (of a test or rank)

通じるつうじるtsuujiru

to be understood, to be communicated

見かけるみかけるmikakeru

to happen to see, to catch sight of

集まりあつまりatsumari

get-together, gathering

partner (boyfriend or girlfriend), lover

親しいしたしいshitashii

close (of friends), intimate

to hug, to hold in one's arms

difference, distinction

外食がいしょくgaishoku

eating out

付くつくtsuku

to be attached, to stick

best friend, close friend

人数にんずうninzuu

number of people

黙るだまるdamaru

to keep quiet, to be silent

the way there, outward journey

to discuss, to talk over

不～ふ～fu～

un-, non- (prefix)

宇宙うちゅうuchuu

universe, outer space

to close (eyes or a book)

to put together, to match (something)

気づくきづくkizuku

to notice, to realise

袋ふくろfukuro

bag, sack

しょうがないshouganai

it can't be helped (casual)

意外いがいigai

unexpected, surprising

本物ほんものhonmono

the real thing, genuine

数えるかぞえるkazoeru

to count

皮かわkawa

skin (of an animal or fruit), peel

新鮮しんせんshinsen

fresh

冷めるさめるsameru

to cool down, to get cold (of food)

everyone, all members

断ることわるkotowaru

to refuse, to turn down

impressions, thoughts

前半ぜんはんzenhan

first half

鳴らすならすnarasu

to ring (something), to sound (something)

申し訳ないもうしわけないmoushiwakenai

I'm sorry (formal), inexcusable

計算けいさんkeisan

calculation, sums

勧めるすすめるsusumeru

to recommend, to advise

picking someone up, meeting (someone)

傷きずkizu

wound, cut

隠れるかくれるkakureru

to hide (oneself), to be hidden

上るのぼるnoboru

to go up (stairs or a slope)

割るわるwaru

to break (glass or china), to divide

suddenly, unexpectedly

汗あせase

sweat

無事ぶじbuji

safe and sound, safely

by chance, coincidence

そのうちsonouchi

one of these days, sooner or later

written character, letter

here and there, all over

身長しんちょうshinchou

height (formal), stature

right foot, right leg

後半こうはんkouhan

second half, latter half

PE, physical education

beautiful woman, beauty

気に入るきにいるkiniiru

to like, to be pleased with

お互いおたがいotagai

each other, one another

吐くはくhaku

to vomit, to be sick

全国ぜんこくzenkoku

the whole country, nationwide

to sell (well), to be sold

continuation, the rest (of a story)

奥おくoku

the back, the inner part

預けるあずけるazukeru

to leave (with someone), to deposit

to divide (something), to separate

経つたつtatsu

to pass (of time)

飽きるあきるakiru

to get tired of, to get bored of

amusement park, funfair

疲れつかれtsukare

tiredness, fatigue

応援おうえんouen

cheering (someone) on, support

丸まるmaru

circle (shape or mark)

生き物いきものikimono

creature, living thing

豆まめmame

beans, peas

俺おれore

I (casual male speech)

癖くせkuse

habit (usually bad), quirk

駅前えきまえekimae

in front of the station

動かすうごかすugokasu

to move (something)

流行るはやるhayaru

to be popular, to be in fashion

往復おうふくoufuku

return trip, round trip

居間いまima

living room

悪口わるくちwarukuchi

insults, speaking ill (of someone)

opposite, the other way round

組くみkumi

group, class (at school)

savings, saving money

面倒めんどうmendou

troublesome, a bother

仕方ないしかたないshikatanai

it can't be helped

持ち物もちものmochimono

belongings, things one has

大根だいこんdaikon

daikon, Japanese radish

穴あなana

hole

外すはずすhazusu

to take off (something), to remove

square (shape), rectangle

欠席けっせきkesseki

absence, not attending

梅雨つゆtsuyu

the rainy season (in Japan)

出会うであうdeau

to meet by chance, to come across

on purpose, deliberately

vending machine (casual)

to leave (something) behind

辺りあたりatari

surroundings, around

乗せるのせるnoseru

to give (someone) a lift

the way home, the road home

両替りょうがえryougae

money exchange, changing money

焼き鳥やきとりyakitori

yakitori, grilled chicken skewers

fault (for something bad), blame

牛丼ぎゅうどんgyuudon

beef bowl

つまりtsumari

in other words, that is

辛いつらいtsurai

hard (emotionally), painful

please give me (casual)

だがdaga

but, however (formal)

to add (something), to include

work (of art or literature)

to make sure, to check

機能きのうkinou

function, feature

監督かんとくkantoku

director (of a film), manager (of a team)

qualification, credentials

理想りそうrisou

ideal

特徴とくちょうtokuchou

characteristic, feature

feed (for animals), bait

to examine (a patient)

to be caught, to be arrested

carelessly, without thinking

成人せいじんseijin

adult (formal), coming of age

万一まんいちman'ichi

in the unlikely event, if by any chance

ぶつけるbutsukeru

to bump (something), to hit (against)

組み立てるくみたてるkumitateru

to assemble, to build (from parts)

きっかけkikkake

starting point, chance (to do something)

留守番るすばんrusuban

house-sitting, looking after the house

admission, entry (to a venue)

手帳てちょうtechou

pocket diary, planner

いたずらitazura

mischief, prank

本社ほんしゃhonsha

head office, headquarters

沖縄おきなわokinawa

Okinawa

規則正しいきそくただしいkisokutadashii

staying up all night, all-nighter

Sapporo (city in Hokkaido)

eating and drinking, food and drink

濡らすぬらすnurasu

to wet, to get (something) wet

けちkechi

stingy, mean (with money)

福岡ふくおかfukuoka

Fukuoka (city and prefecture)

to turn (something) towards, to aim

flower arranging (the art), ikebana

くわえるkuwaeru

to hold in one's mouth

produced in ~, grown in ~ (suffix)

それでもsoredemo

even so, nevertheless

to limit, to restrict

とんでもないtondemonai

outrageous, absurd

徐々にじょじょにjojoni

gradually, step by step

other people, stranger

to talk about, to tell

soon enough, before long

都市としtoshi

city

終えるおえるoeru

to finish (something)

そこでsokode

so, accordingly

少なくともすくなくともsukunakutomo

to let (something) pass

Other JLPT levels

JLPT N5 JLPT N4 JLPT N2 JLPT N1

JLPT N3 questions

Why is N3 considered the hardest jump?

The vocabulary roughly doubles compared to everything below it, around 2,200 new words, and the grammar shifts from stating facts to expressing nuance. Many learners plateau here simply because the volume is so much larger.

How many words and kanji does N3 need?

Roughly 2,200 new words for about 3,700 cumulative, and around 650 kanji. It is a serious step up from N4.

Is N3 enough to work in Japan?

For many service and casual roles, yes, and a lot of employers treat it as a baseline. More demanding professional work usually expects N2 or above.