JLPT N4 Vocabulary List

Over 900 words with readings, romaji, and English meanings

JLPT N4 builds on the basics from N5 and turns them into Japanese you can actually use. It is the level where you can start describing your day, making plans, shopping, asking for directions, and holding a simple back-and-forth conversation.

What JLPT N4 covers

The vocabulary spreads out into everyday life: hobbies, travel and transport, weather, work and school routines, shopping and money, and feelings. You add around 700 new words, including plenty of useful loanwords. The kanji count roughly triples to about 300, so reading starts to feel less like sounding out hiragana one character at a time and more like reading real Japanese.

Grammar and particles at this level

N4 grammar revolves around the te-form. It links actions, makes requests, describes what someone is doing, and asks permission, and it takes real practice before it becomes automatic. Around it you will meet plain and casual speech for the first time, the potential form for saying what you can do, and how to make comparisons.

How to study N4

The te-form is the main thing to get right at N4. Drill it until the conjugation comes without thinking, because most of the grammar that follows assumes you already know it. Beyond that, start reading very simple material like graded readers or children’s stories, so new words show up in real sentences instead of sitting alone on a flashcard.

Planning to sit the N4 exam? Test dates, fees, and registration for your country are on the official JLPT website.

All N4 words

to think (about), to consider

事ことkoto

thing(s), matter(s), fact

彼女かのじょkanojo

girlfriend, she

そんなsonna

such, like that, that sort of

to be visible, to be seen

君きみkimi

you (informal for men)

to receive, to take (an exam)

from now on, after this

～始める～はじめる～hajimeru

to begin doing (suffix)

生活せいかつseikatsu

living, life, to live

女性じょせいjosei

woman, female (formal)

to continue, to keep up

関係かんけいkankei

relation(ship), connection

生きるいきるikiru

to live

戻るもどるmodoru

to return, to come back

to carry out, to conduct

以上いじょうijou

more than, this is all

過ぎるすぎるsugiru

to exceed, to go beyond

and then, because of that

plan, project, schedule

可能性かのうせいkanousei

possibility

うまいumai

delicious, skillful, fortunate

最初さいしょsaisho

beginning, first

別べつbetsu

distinction, different

～ちゃん～chan

affectionate name suffix (chan)

送るおくるokuru

to send, to dispatch

向かうむかうmukau

to face, to go towards

to recall, to remember

残るのこるnokoru

to remain, to be left

to be surprised, to be astonished

進むすすむsusumu

to advance, to proceed

変えるかえるkaeru

to change, to alter, to vary

立てるたてるtateru

to stand up, to erect

to look for (something you want)

to be heard, to be audible

警察けいさつkeisatsu

police, police station

to resemble, to be similar

妻つまtsuma

wife (humble)

利用りようriyou

making use of, utilisation

other than, except for

study, research, investigation

plans, arrangement, schedule

to lead, to take (a person)

interest (in something)

無理むりmuri

unreasonable, impossible

不可能ふかのうfukanou

impossible

原因げんいんgen'in

cause, origin, source

to be delighted, to rejoice

to escape, to run away

歴史れきしrekishi

history

眠るねむるnemuru

to sleep, to fall asleep

火ひhi

fire, flame

約束やくそくyakusoku

arrangement, appointment, promise

通るとおるtooru

to pass (by), to go through

普通ふつうfutsuu

common, usual

尋ねるたずねるtazuneru

to inquire (same as 質問する)

to be helpful, to be useful

連絡れんらくrenraku

communication, contact, connection

壁かべkabe

wall

申し上げるもうしあげるmoushiageru

(humble)to say, to tell

運ぶはこぶhakobu

to transport, to carry

business meeting, conference

迎えるむかえるmukaeru

to welcome, to meet, to greet

to increase, to multiply

the other day, recently

技術ぎじゅつgijutsu

technique, technology, skill

特別とくべつtokubetsu

special

高校こうこうkoukou

high school, senior high school

直すなおすnaosu

to correct, to fix

小説しょうせつshousetsu

novel, work of fiction

(hon.) good, OK, all right

できるだけdekirudake

as much as possible, if possible

返事へんじhenji

a reply, an answer

試合しあいshiai

match, game, competition

反対はんたいhantai

oppose, opposition, resistance

to gather, to collect

to receive (humble), to eat or drink (modest)

慣れるなれるnareru

to grow accustomed to

集めるあつめるatsumeru

to collect, to gather

to lose, to be defeated

お礼おれいorei

thanks, expression of gratitude

一部いちぶichibu

one part, one portion, one section

島しまshima

island

並ぶならぶnarabu

to line up, to stand in a row

訳わけwake

reason, explanation

将来しょうらいshourai

(in the) future, prospects

to be, to come, to go (honorific)

double, twice as much

useless, no good, hopeless

表おもてomote

surface, front, outside

星ほしhoshi

star

お嬢さんおじょうさんojousan

(someone's) daughter (polite)

to go back and forth, to commute

科学かがくkagaku

science

社長しゃちょうshachou

president of a company

用意よういyoui

preparation, laying things out

ご存じごぞんじgozonji

knowing, acquaintance

急きゅうkyuu

urgent, sudden, steep

号ごうgou

number, edition, make, model

経済けいざいkeizai

economics, finance, economy

鳴るなるnaru

to sound, to ring

訪ねるたずねるtazuneru

to call on, to pay a visit to

字じji

letter, character

今夜こんやkon'ya

this evening, tonight

育てるそだてるsodateru

to raise, to bring up

very soon, in a few moments, days

足りるたりるtariru

to be sufficient, to be enough

どういうdouiu

what kind of, what sort of, what

法律ほうりつhouritsu

law

案内あんないannai

information, guidance

to suddenly start doing (suffix)

為ためtame

good, advantage, in order to

仕方しかたshikata

way (of doing something)

世話せわsewa

looking after, to look after

to collapse, to break down

空くあくaku

to open, to become empty (vacant)

回すまわすmawasu

to turn, to pass around

condition, state, health

以下いかika

less than, below

伺ううかがうukagau

to ask, to visit (humble)

建てるたてるtateru

to build

安心あんしんanshin

peace of mind, relief

参るまいるmairu

humble expression for 行く and 来る

珍しいめずらしいmezurashii

unusual, rare

投げるなげるnageru

to pitch, to cast away

quantity, amount, volume, number

to be found, to be discovered

driver (by occupation)

custom (in reference to culture)

失礼しつれいshitsurei

rudeness, discourtesy

attendance, being present

circumstances, convenience

after a long time, long time no see

文章ぶんしょうbunshou

sentence, text

おっしゃるossharu

-- honorific expression for いう --

格好かっこうkakkou

appearance, looks

踏むふむfumu

to step on, to tread on

地震じしんjishin

earthquake

やはりyahari

as expected, sure enough

office work, clerical work

虫むしmushi

insect

両方りょうほうryouhou

both sides, both parties

both hands, both arms

to be broken, to break

多数たすうtasuu

large number (of), many

中学生ちゅうがくせいchuugakusei

middle school student

市民しみんshimin

citizen

よろしくyoroshiku

best regards, please remember me

病やまいyamai

illness, disease

生産せいさんseisan

production, to produce

弾くひくhiku

to play (a piano, guitar)

to make a mistake, to get wrong

国際こくさいkokusai

international

兄さんにいさんniisan

older brother, elder brother

田舎いなかinaka

rural, countryside

業ぎょうgyou

work, business, company, agency

in the way, a nuisance

私自身わたしじしんwatashijishin

to disappear, to get lost

痛むいたむitamu

to hurt, to ache, to feel a pain

ってtte

(quoting) you said, they say

飾るかざるkazaru

to decorate, to adorn

棚たなtana

shelves, rack

男女だんじょdanjo

men and women, both sexes

治るなおるnaoru

to get better, to be cured

以内いないinai

within, less (no more) than

quarrel, brawl, fight, squabble

二重にじゅうnijuu

double layer, two layers

日記にっきnikki

diary, journal

皆様みなさまminasama

everyone (polite address)

to line up, to arrange

in the middle of ~, currently doing ~

海岸かいがんkaigan

coast, seashore

壊すこわすkowasu

to break, to break down

締めるしめるshimeru

to tie, to fasten, to tighten

適当てきとうtekitou

suitable, appropriate

senior members of a group

会場かいじょうkaijou

venue, meeting place

なさるnasaru

-- honorific expression for する --

光るひかるhikaru

to shine, to glitter

丁寧ていねいteinei

polite, courteous, careful

滑るすべるsuberu

to slide, to slip

役立つやくだつyakudatsu

to be useful, to be helpful

画面がめんgamen

screen (of a TV, computer, etc.)

to get down, to go, come down

地上ちじょうchijou

above ground, on the ground

折るおるoru

to snap, to break, to bend

to fire, to shoot, to release

社員しゃいんshain

company employee, staff member

遠慮えんりょenryo

restraint, reserve, hesitate

止むやむyamu

to cease, to stop

向けむけmuke

intended for ~, aimed at ~

proof, evidence, sign, testimony

代わりかわりkawari

substitute, replacement

承知しょうちshouchi

consent, acceptance

騒ぐさわぐsawagu

to make noise, to clamor

おもちゃomocha

a toy

陥るおちいるochiiru

to fall into (e.g. a hole)

to post, to paste, to attach

what, what sort of thing

北海道ほっかいどうhokkaidou

Hokkaido

ちっともchittomo

not at all (neg. verb)

乾くかわくkawaku

to get dry

褒めるほめるhomeru

to praise, to say nice things

line (of text), row, verse

植えるうえるueru

to plant

姉さんねえさんneesan

older sister, elder sister

英国えいこくeikoku

the United Kingdom, Britain

仲良くなかよくnakayoku

on good terms, getting along well

輸入ゆにゅうyunyuu

import

魔法まほうmahou

magic, witchcraft, sorcery, spell

直るなおるnaoru

to be fixed

うんun

yes (informal), all right (ok)

congratulation, celebration

still, much more, (not) yet

気持ち悪いきもちわるいkimochiwarui

bad feeling

顔色かおいろkaoiro

complexion, expression

奴隷どれいdorei

slave, servant

体調たいちょうtaichou

physical condition, state of health

焼けるやけるyakeru

to burn, to be roasted

party, group, troop, company

department (division) manager

中学校ちゅうがっこうchuugakkou

junior high school pupil

叱るしかるshikaru

to scold

米国べいこくbeikoku

the United States, the US

to grow cold, to cool down

many years, a long time

one's own home, our house

隅すみsumi

corner

昼間ひるまhiruma

daytime, during the day

-- humble expression for あげる --

天使てんしtenshi

angel

なるべくnarubeku

if possible, as much as possible

故障こしょうkoshou

breakdown, being out of order

getting oneself ready

to move house, to relocate

愛すあいすaisu

to love (older godan form)

暮れるくれるkureru

to get dark, to come to an end

生なまnama

raw, fresh (e.g. 生ビール draft beer)

～後～ご～go

after ~ (e.g. 放課後 after school)

witnessing, observing, sighting

to become pale, to turn pale

to lie down, to stretch out

New Year, New Year's Day

the West, Western countries

スマホsumaho

smartphone, smart phone

英えいei

United Kingdom, Britain

校長こうちょうkouchou

principal, headmaster

左側ひだりがわhidarigawa

left side, left-hand side

外見がいけんgaiken

outward appearance, looks

look!, see!, here!, there!

郊外こうがいkougai

suburb, outskirts

曇るくもるkumoru

to become cloudy, to become dim

やる気やるきyaruki

motivation, drive

用事ようじyouji

errand, business to attend to

Other JLPT levels

JLPT N5 JLPT N3 JLPT N2 JLPT N1

JLPT N4 questions

Why does N4 have fewer new words than N5?

Because much of N4 is about combining and conjugating words you already know rather than learning entirely new ones. The exam adds around 700 new vocabulary items, bringing the cumulative total to roughly 1,500.

How many kanji are in N4?

About 300 cumulative, including the roughly 100 from N5. That is enough to start reading short, simple texts without constant lookups.

Can I skip N4 and study for N3?

Many people do, especially if they only care about the higher certificates. But the N4 grammar, the te-form above all, is essential. Skip the exam if you like, but do not skip the material.