JLPT N3 · Vocabulary
JLPT N3 vocabulary list
528 Japanese words at the N3 level — each with its reading, meaning, part of speech, example sentences, and a memory hook. Tap any word for the full breakdown.
作法さほう
Manners, etiquette, proper form様々さまざま
Various, varied, diverse冷ますさます
To cool something, to let cool覚ますさます
To awaken someone, to sober up冷めるさめる
To become cool; to wear off覚めるさめる
To wake up; to become sober左右さゆう
Left and right; both sides; influence皿さら
Plate, dish更にさらに
Furthermore, moreover, even more去るさる
To leave, to depart, to pass猿さる
Monkey, ape騒ぎさわぎ
Uproar, disturbance, commotion参加さんか
Participation, joining参考さんこう
Reference, consultation賛成さんせい
Approval, agreement, in favor酸性さんせい
Acidity, acidic property酸素さんそ
Oxygen氏し
Family name, clan, Mr.詩し
Poem, poetry幸せしあわせ
Happiness, blessing, fortuneジェット機ジェットき
Jet plane, jet aircraft四角しかく
Square, quadrangle, right angle直にじかに
Directly, in person, firsthand四季しき
The four seasons自殺じさつ
Suicide事実じじつ
Fact, truth, reality支出ししゅつ
Expenditure, expenses事情じじょう
Circumstances, situation, reasons詩人しじん
Poet自身じしん
Oneself, itself沈むしずむ
To sink; to feel depressed自然しぜん
Nature; natural, spontaneous思想しそう
Thought, idea, ideology舌した
Tongue次第しだい
Order, circumstances, depending on従うしたがう
To obey, follow, comply with親しいしたしい
Close, intimate, familiar質しつ
Quality, nature, character失業しつぎょう
Unemployment湿気しっけ
Moisture, humidity, dampness直じき
Soon, shortly, immediately時期じき
Time, season, period支給しきゅう
Provision, supply, allowance至急しきゅう
Urgent, pressing, immediate刺激しげき
Stimulus, stimulation, excitement資源しげん
Resources, natural resources事件じけん
Incident, affair, case時刻じこく
Time, hour, exact time実験じっけん
Experiment, test実現じつげん
Realization, materialization, implementation実行じっこう
Execution, implementation, practice実際じっさい
Actually, in fact, in reality実施じっし
Enforcement, implementation, carrying out湿度しつど
Humidity, moisture level実にじつに
Indeed, truly, really実はじつは
Actually, in fact, to tell the truth芝居しばい
Play, drama, acting芝生しばふ
Lawn, grass支払しはらい
Payment支払うしはらう
To pay死亡しぼう
Death, dying資本しほん
Capital, funds姉妹しまい
Sisters自慢じまん
Pride, boast失望しつぼう
Disappointment, despair実力じつりょく
Ability, real strength, competence支店してん
Branch office, branch store指導しどう
Guidance, leadership, coaching自動じどう
Automatic, self-moving児童じどう
Children, school-age children品しな
Article, goods, item, quality支配しはい
Rule, control, domination重体じゅうたい
Critical condition, seriously ill渋滞じゅうたい
Traffic congestion, jam重大じゅうだい
Serious, grave, important住宅じゅうたく
Housing, residence集団しゅうだん
Group, crowd集中しゅうちゅう
Concentration, focus収入しゅうにゅう
Income, revenue住民じゅうみん
Residents, inhabitants州しゅう
State, province銃じゅう
Gun, firearm周囲しゅうい
Surroundings, circumference収穫しゅうかく
Harvest, crop, yield宗教しゅうきょう
Religion重視じゅうし
Emphasis, regard as important就職しゅうしょく
Finding employment, getting a job修正しゅうせい
Amendment, correction, revision地味じみ
Plain, conservative, understated示すしめす
To show, to indicate, to demonstrate占めるしめる
To occupy, to account for, to make up湿るしめる
To be damp, to become moist下しも
Below, lower part, beneath霜しも
Frost借金しゃっきん
Debt, loan, borrowed money週しゅう
Week重要じゅうよう
Important, essential修理しゅうり
Repair, fixing主義しゅぎ
Principle, doctrine, -ism宿泊しゅくはく
Lodging, accommodation手術しゅじゅつ
Surgery, surgical operation首相しゅしょう
Prime Minister手段しゅだん
Means, method, measure主張しゅちょう
Claim, assertion, insistence出場しゅつじょう
Participation in a contest or event出身しゅっしん
Place of origin or background出版しゅっぱん
Publication, publishing首都しゅと
Capital city of a country主婦しゅふ
Housewife, homemaker主要しゅよう
Chief, main, principal需要じゅよう
Demand (economic), need種類しゅるい
Kind, sort, variety順じゅん
Order, turn, sequence瞬間しゅんかん
Moment, instant, second順調じゅんちょう
Smooth, going well, favorable順番じゅんばん
Turn, order, sequence使用しよう
Use, application, employment小しょう
Small, little, minor章しょう
Chapter, section; medal, decoration賞しょう
Prize, award, reward上じょう
Superior; upper; first volume (of a book)障害しょうがい
Obstacle; impediment; disability奨学金しょうがくきん
Scholarship; student loan乗客じょうきゃく
Passenger上京じょうきょう
To go up to Tokyo (the capital)状況じょうきょう
Situation; state of affairs; circumstances条件じょうけん
Condition(s); terms; requirement正午しょうご
Noon; midday (12:00)正直しょうじき
Honesty, integrity, frankness常識じょうしき
Common sense少女しょうじょ
Young girl少々しょうしょう
A little; a short while症状しょうじょう
Symptoms, condition生じるしょうじる
To occur, to arise, to be generated状態じょうたい
Condition, state, situation上達じょうたつ
Improvement, progress, advancement冗談じょうだん
Joke, jest上等じょうとう
First-class, excellent, top quality衝突しょうとつ
Collision, crash, clash of opinions商人しょうにん
Merchant, trader, dealer承認しょうにん
Approval, recognition, acknowledgment少年しょうねん
Boy, juvenile, youth商売しょうばい
Business, trade, commerce消費しょうひ
Consumption, expenditure職業しょくぎょう
Occupation, profession, employment食卓しょくたく
Dining table食品しょくひん
Food product, foodstuff植物しょくぶつ
Plant, vegetation食物しょくもつ
Food, nourishment食欲しょくよく
Appetite食料しょくりょう
Food, food supplies食糧しょくりょう
Provisions, rations, food supply商品しょうひん
Product, merchandise, goods for sale賞品しょうひん
Prize, award item消防しょうぼう
Firefighting, fire department情報じょうほう
Information, data, news証明しょうめい
Proof, verification省略しょうりゃく
Omission, abbreviation女王じょおう
Queen, female monarch職しょく
Job, employment, occupation書斎しょさい
Study, private office女子じょし
Woman, girl; female助手じょしゅ
Assistant, helper徐々にじょじょに
Gradually, little by little署名しょめい
Signature書物しょもつ
Books, written works女優じょゆう
Actress処理しょり
Processing, treatment人生じんせい
Life (one's whole life, from birth to death)親戚しんせき
Relative(s), family relations新鮮しんせん
Fresh (food, air) or novel (impressions)心臓しんぞう
Heart (the bodily organ)身体しんたい
The body (physical body, formal)身長しんちょう
Height, stature (of a person)慎重しんちょう
Careful, prudent, cautious審判しんぱん
Referee, umpire, judgment書類しょるい
Documents, official papers知らせしらせ
Notice, news, notification尻しり
Buttocks, bottom, rear知合いしりあい
Acquaintance印しるし
Mark, sign, symbol, evidence城しろ
Castle進学しんがく
Advancing to a higher school神経しんけい
Nerve, sensitivity真剣しんけん
Serious, earnest信仰しんこう
(Religious) faith, belief信号しんごう
Traffic light, signal人工じんこう
Artificial, man-made深刻しんこく
Serious, grave, severe診察しんさつ
Medical examination, consultation人種じんしゅ
Race (of people)信じるしんじる
To believe, trust人物じんぶつ
Character; person; notable figure進歩しんぽ
Progress; advancement; improvement親友しんゆう
Close friend; best friend; buddy信用しんよう
Trust; confidence; credit; faith信頼しんらい
Trust; reliance; confidence心理しんり
Psychology; mentality; state of mind人類じんるい
Humanity; mankind; the human race巣す
Nest; roost; den; hideout酢す
Vinegar図ず
Figure, drawing, illustration, chart水準すいじゅん
Level, standard推薦すいせん
Recommendation睡眠すいみん
Sleep数すう
Number, figure, count数字すうじ
Numeral, figure, digit末すえ
The end of, close刷るする
To print為るする
To do, to make鋭いするどい
Sharp, pointed, keenすれ違うすれちがう
To pass each other, to cross paths正せい
True, positive, regular生せい
Birth, life性せい
Sex, gender, nature姓せい
Surname, family name所為せい
Cause, fault, doing (of a bad result)税ぜい
Tax性格せいかく
Personality, character, nature正確せいかく
Accurate, exact, precise世紀せいき
Century請求せいきゅう
Claim, demand, bill, request税金ぜいきん
Tax, taxes, duty清潔せいけつ
Clean, neat, pure頭痛ずつう
Headache既にすでに
Already, previously全てすべて
All, everything, the whole済ませるすませる
To finish, to complete, to get done with角すみ
Corner墨すみ
Sumi ink, India ink (soot-based)澄むすむ
To clear, to become transparent清むすむ
To clear, to become transparent政府せいふ
Government, administration生物せいぶつ
Living thing, organism生命せいめい
Life整理せいり
Sorting, organization咳せき
Cough石炭せきたん
Coal責任せきにん
Responsibility, duty石油せきゆ
Petroleum, oil, kerosene製造せいぞう
Manufacture, production贅沢ぜいたく
Luxury, extravagance成長せいちょう
Growth, development生長せいちょう
Growth of living things制度せいど
System, institution青年せいねん
Youth, young man生年月日せいねんがっぴ
Date of birth製品せいひん
Manufactured goods, product世間せけん
Society; the public; the world説せつ
Theory; opinion; explanation積極的せっきょくてき
Positive; active; proactive設計せっけい
Design; plan; engineering layout絶対ぜったい
Absolutely; definitely; without fail愛あい
Love; affection相変わらずあいかわらず
As usual; as ever; still愛情あいじょう
Love; affection; fondness合図あいず
Sign, signal愛するあいする
To love相手あいて
Partner, counterpart, opponent遭うあう
To encounter (something bad)明かりあかり
Light, lamplight, illumination空きあき
Vacancy, opening, empty space明らかあきらか
Obvious, clear, evident諦めるあきらめる
To give up, abandon飽きるあきる
To get tired of, to lose interest in握手あくしゅ
Handshake悪魔あくま
Devil, demon, evil spirit明けるあける
To dawn, to become daylight揚げるあげる
To deep-fry; to lift up挙げるあげる
To raise; to list, to cite預かるあずかる
To keep or hold something for someone預けるあずける
To deposit, to entrust to someone当たり前あたりまえ
Natural, obvious, matter of course当たるあたる
To hit, to win a prize, to come true扱うあつかう
To handle, treat, deal with, manage集まりあつまり
Gathering, meeting, assembly, collection当てるあてる
To hit, guess, apply, allocate跡あと
Trace, mark, remains, footprint穴あな
Hole, pit, opening, gap油あぶら
Oil, grease, fat脂あぶら
Animal fat, grease誤りあやまり
Error, mistake粗あら
Defect, flaw, roughness嵐あらし
Storm, tempest争うあらそう
To dispute, to compete, to fight新たあらた
New, fresh, novel表すあらわす
To express, to represent, to indicate現すあらわす
To reveal, to bring to light, to manifest著すあらわす
To write or publish a book現れあらわれ
Appearance, sign, manifestation現れるあらわれる
To appear, to emerge, to become visible在る; 有るある
To be, to exist, to have或ある
A certain..., some...泡あわ
Bubble, foam, lather合わせるあわせる
To combine, to match, to put together慌てるあわてる
To panic, to be flustered哀れあわれ
Pity; miserable; moving案あん
Plan; idea; proposal案外あんがい
Unexpectedly; surprisingly暗記あんき
Memorization; learning by heart安定あんてい
Stability; equilibrium; steadiness胃い
Stomach委員いいん
Committee member意外いがい
Unexpected; surprising維持いじ
Maintenance, preservation意識いしき
Consciousness, awareness, senses異常いじょう
Abnormality, disorder, abnormal意地悪いじわる
Mean, malicious, unkind泉いずみ
Spring, fountain, source以前いぜん
Before, previously, in the past板いた
Board, plank, plate偉大いだい
Greatness, great, grand行きいき
Going; the outward trip行きゆき
Bound for; destination息いき
Breath; breathing勢いいきおい
Force; momentum; vigor生き物いきもの
Living thing; creature医師いし
Doctor; physician (formal)意思いし
Intention; will; purpose意志いし
Will; volition; determination一家いっか
Family, clan, household一種いっしゅ
A kind, a sort, a variety一瞬いっしゅん
A moment, an instant一生いっしょう
A lifetime, one's whole life一層いっそう
Much more, still more, all the more一体いったい
On earth, in the world; one body一致いっち
Agreement, conformity, match一般いっぱん
General, ordinary, public, average抱くいだく
To harbor or embrace (a feeling, idea)痛みいたみ
Pain, ache, soreness至るいたる
To reach, to arrive at, to extend to市いち
Market, fair位置いち
Position, location, placement一時いちじ
Temporarily, for a time一度にいちどに
All at once, in one go市場いちば
Market, marketplace, bazaar一方いっぽう
On the other hand; meanwhile; one side移動いどう
Movement, transfer, travel従兄弟いとこ
Cousin (male)従姉妹いとこ
Cousin (female)稲いね
Rice plant居眠りいねむり
Dozing off, nodding off命いのち
Life違反いはん
Violation, infringement, breach衣服いふく
Clothes, clothing, attire居間いま
Living room, family room今にいまに
Before long, soon, eventually今にもいまにも
At any moment, about to, soon否いや
No; the noes (votes)以来いらい
Since, ever since, henceforth依頼いらい
Request, commission, entrustment医療いりょう
Medical care, medical treatment岩いわ
Rock; boulder祝いいわい
Celebration; festival祝ういわう
To celebrate; to congratulate言わばいわば
So to speak; as it were印刷いんさつ
Printing; print印象いんしょう
Impression引退いんたい
Retirement引用いんよう
Quotation; citation上うわ
Upper, outer; surface (of something)魚うお
Fish受け取るうけとる
To receive, to get, to accept動かすうごかす
To move, to set in motion兎うさぎ
Rabbit, hare牛うし
Cow, cattle, ox失ううしなう
To lose, to be deprived of疑ううたがう
To doubt, to suspect, to distrust噂うわさ
Rumor, gossip運うん
Luck, fortune運転うんてん
Driving, operation柄え
Handle, grip (of a blade)永遠えいえん
Eternity, forever永久えいきゅう
Eternity, permanence影響えいきょう
Influence, effect営業えいぎょう
Business operations, sales延期えんき
Postponement, adjournment演技えんぎ
Acting, performance援助えんじょ
Assistance, aid, support演説えんぜつ
Speech, address演奏えんそう
Musical performance老いおい
Old age, the aged追い付くおいつく
To overtake, to catch up王おう
King追うおう
To chase or run after応援おうえん
Cheering, support, aid王様おうさま
King, monarch王子おうじ
Prince (royal)応じるおうじる
To respond to, comply with, match横断おうだん
Crossing (a street, a road)終えるおえる
To finish, to complete大いにおおいに
Greatly, very much, considerably馬うま
Horse; also the promoted bishop piece in shogi生まれうまれ
Birth, birthplace; one's origin or background有無うむ
Presence or absence; whether something exists or not梅うめ
Japanese plum (fruit or blossom)埋めるうめる
To bury; to fill a hole, gap, or vacant position裏切るうらぎる
To betray; to go back on a promise or trust羨ましいうらやましい
Envious; admiring of what someone else has売れるうれる
To sell; to be sold (potential/passive of 売る)恐らくおそらく
Perhaps, probably, likely恐れるおそれる
To fear, to be afraid of恐ろしいおそろしい
Terrible, dreadful, frightening教わるおそわる
To be taught, to learn fromお互いおたがい
Mutual, each other, one another穏やかおだやか
Calm, gentle, mild, peaceful男の人おとこのひと
Man, male person大人しいおとなしい
Quiet, docile, gentle, obedient覆うおおう
To cover or conceal大家おおや
Landlord, landlady丘おか
Hill沖おき
Open sea, offshore奥おく
Interior, inner part贈るおくる
To present or give as a gift起こるおこる
To occur, to happen押えるおさえる
To hold down, restrain, suppress幼いおさない
Young, childish, immature収めるおさめる
To store, to put away; to achieve納めるおさめる
To pay (taxes or dues); to deliver治めるおさめる
To govern, to rule, to subdueお辞儀おじぎ
A bow (of greeting or thanks)お洒落おしゃれ
Stylish, fashion-conscious; dressing upお喋りおしゃべり
Chatter, chat; talkative person汚染おせん
Pollution, contamination劣るおとる
To be inferior to, to fall short of鬼おに
Ogre, demon; 'it' (in tag)帯おび
Sash, band (kimono belt)お昼おひる
Lunch, noon, midday溺れるおぼれる
To drown, to be engulfed inお前おまえ
You (singular, casual; often masculine)お目に掛かるおめにかかる
To meet, to see (someone) — humble思い付くおもいつく
To think of, to hit upon (an idea)開始かいし
Start, commencement, beginning解釈かいしゃく
Interpretation, explanation, construal外出がいしゅつ
Going out, outing, leaving the house改善かいぜん
Improvement, betterment快適かいてき
Comfortable, pleasant, agreeable回復かいふく
Recovery, restoration, rehabilitation飼うかう
To keep, to raise (a pet), to own帰すかえす
To send back, to return (something)害がい
Harm, damage, injury会員かいいん
Member, membership絵画かいが
Picture, painting海外かいがい
Foreign countries, abroad, overseas会計かいけい
Bill, payment, accounting解決かいけつ
Settlement, solution, resolution会合かいごう
Meeting, assembly, gathering外交がいこう
Diplomacy, foreign affairs音おん
Sound, note, tone恩おん
Favor, obligation, debt of gratitude温暖おんだん
Warm, mild (climate)温度おんど
Temperature可か
Passable, acceptable, permitted蚊か
Mosquito課か
Section, department, division貝かい
Shell, shellfish化学かがく
Chemistry輝くかがやく
To shine, to glitter, to sparkle係かかり
Person in charge, clerk罹るかかる
To suffer from, to fall ill with限るかぎる
To restrict, to limit, to confine掻くかく
To scratch, to claw描くかく
To draw, to depict, to describe嗅ぐかぐ
To sniff, to smell家具かぐ
Furniture学がく
Learning, scholarship, knowledge額がく
Amount (of money); framed picture覚悟かくご
Resolution, readiness, preparedness確実かくじつ
Certain, reliable, definite学者がくしゃ
Scholar, academic学習がくしゅう
Study, learning隠すかくす
To hide, to conceal代えるかえる
To substitute, to replace替えるかえる
To exchange, to replace (people or things)換えるかえる
To convert, to exchange (by value)反るかえる
To warp, to bend backward香りかおり
Aroma, fragrance, scent画家がか
Painter, fine artist抱えるかかえる
To hold or carry in the arms; to bear a burden価格かかく
Price, monetary value過去かこ
Past (time before the present)籠かご
Basket, cage囲むかこむ
To surround, to enclose火災かさい
Fire (disaster), conflagration重なるかさなる
To be piled up, to overlap (intransitive)重ねるかさねる
To pile up, to layer (transitive)飾りかざり
Decoration, ornament貸しかし
Loan, lending (a thing lent)拡大かくだい
Enlargement, magnification, expansion確認かくにん
Confirmation, verification, checking学問がくもん
Scholarship, learning, academic study隠れるかくれる
To hide, to be hidden影かげ
Shadow, silhouette, shade陰かげ
Shade, shadow, gloom, behind-the-scenes欠けるかける
To chip, to wane, to be lacking or incomplete加減かげん
Adjustment, degree, condition; addition and subtraction菓子かし
Sweets; confectionery; snack家事かじ
Housework; household chores賢いかしこい
Clever; smart; wise歌手かしゅ
Singer (professional)数かず
Number; count; quantity稼ぐかせぐ
To earn income; to work hard for money数えるかぞえる
To count; to enumerate型かた
Mold; form; pattern; style過程かてい
Process, course of events課程かてい
Course, curriculum悲しむかなしむ
To be sad, to grieve, to mourn必ずしもかならずしも
Not necessarily, not always金かね
Money; gold, metal鐘かね
Bell, large chime可能かのう
Possible, feasible, practicable株かぶ
Stock, share; tree stump価値かち
Value, worth活気かっき
Liveliness, vigor, energy楽器がっき
Musical instrument学期がっき
School term, semester活動かつどう
Activity, action活躍かつやく
Active success, flourishing activity活用かつよう
Conjugation; practical use仮定かてい
Assumption, supposition, hypothesis被るかぶる
To wear on the head; to incur or suffer我慢がまん
Patience, endurance, perseverance上かみ
Upper part; first half; superior; upstream神かみ
God, deity, spirit雷かみなり
Thunder, lightning髪の毛かみのけ
Hair on the head科目かもく
School subject; course; examination item歌謡かよう
Song, ballad, popular tune