JLPT N5 · Vocabulary

JLPT N5 vocabulary list

578 Japanese words at the N5 level — each with its reading, meaning, part of speech, example sentences, and a memory hook. Tap any word for the full breakdown.

Ah! Oh! (exclamation)

To meet, to see someone

Blue, the color blue

青いあおい

Red, the color red

赤いあかい

明るいあかるい

Bright, cheerful

To open, to become open

開けるあける

To open (something)

上げるあげる

To raise, to lift, to give

朝御飯あさごはん

明後日あさって

Day after tomorrow

明日あした

あそこあそこ

There, over there, that place

遊ぶあそぶ

To play, to hang out

暖かいあたたかい

Warm (weather, rooms, or feelings)

Head (body part or top)

新しいあたらしい

あちらあちら

Over there, that way (polite)

厚いあつい

Thick, or deep and heartfelt

あっちあっち

Over there, that way (casual)

あっちあっち

Over there, that way (casual)

After, later, or the rest

あなたあなた

My older brother (humble)

Older sister (one's own)

アパートアパート

That over there; um

浴びるあびる

To bathe, to shower, to be exposed to

危ないあぶない

Dangerous, risky, in danger

甘いあまい

Sweet, lenient, naive

余りあまり

Not very (with negation); leftover, remainder

洗うあらう

To wash, to cleanse

To exist (inanimate), to be

歩くあるく

That one (over there)

いいえいいえ

To say, to tell

いかがいかが

いくついくつ

How many; how old

いくらいくら

医者いしゃ

Doctor, physician

忙しいいそがしい

痛いいたい

一日いちにち

One day; all day

一番いちばん

Number one; best; first

五日いつか

Five days; fifth day of the month

一緒いっしょ

五ついつつ

Five things, count of five

いつもいつも

Always, usually

Now, the present moment

Meaning, significance

妹いもうと

Disagreeable, unpleasant

入口いりぐち

Entrance, entry

To be, to exist (animate)

入れるいれる

To put in, to insert

色々いろいろ

Various, all kinds of

Above, on top, over

後ろうしろ

Behind, back, rear

薄いうすい

Thin, pale, light, weak

歌ううたう

Home, house, my place

生まれるうまれる

うるさいうるさい

Noisy, annoying, loud

上着うわぎ

Picture, painting, drawing

映画えいが

映画館えいがかん

Movie theater, cinema

英語えいご

English language

エレベーターエレベーター

～円～えん

Yen (Japanese currency)

鉛筆えんぴつ

Honorable (honorific prefix)

美味しいおいしい

Delicious, tasty

多いおおい

大きいおおきい

大きなおおきな

大勢おおぜい

A crowd; a great number of people

お母さんおかあさん

Mother (polite)

お菓子おかし

Sweets, snacks, candy

お金おかね

起きるおきる

To wake up; to get up; to happen

To put; to place; to lay

奥さんおくさん

Wife (polite, of someone else)

お酒おさけ

Sake; alcohol; liquor

お皿おさら

伯父; 叔父さんおじさん

Uncle, middle-aged man

おじいさんおじいさん

Grandfather, old man

教えるおしえる

To teach, to tell, to instruct

To push, to press, to stamp

遅いおそい

お茶おちゃ

お手洗いおてあらい

Restroom, toilet, bathroom

お父さんおとうさん

Father (polite)

弟おとうと

Younger brother

男の子おとこのこ

Boy, male child

一昨日おととい

The day before yesterday

おととしおととし

Year before last

大人おとな

Adult, grown-up

お腹おなか

同じおなじ

Same, identical

お兄さんおにいさん

Older brother (polite, others')

お姉さんおねえさん

Older sister (polite)

伯母さん; 叔母さんおばさん

おばあさんおばあさん

Grandmother, old woman

お風呂おふろ

A bath, bathtub

お弁当おべんとう

覚えるおぼえる

To remember, to memorize

おまわりさんおまわりさん

Police officer (friendly term)

重いおもい

Heavy; serious, severe

面白いおもしろい

Interesting, funny, amusing

泳ぐおよぐ

降りるおりる

To get off, to alight, to descend

終るおわる

To finish, to end, to close

音楽おんがく

女の子おんなのこ

～回～かい

Counter for occurrences (~ times)

外国がいこく

Foreign country, abroad

外国人がいこくじん

Foreigner, non-Japanese person

会社かいしゃ

Company, firm, business

階段かいだん

Stairs, staircase, steps

買い物かいもの

Shopping, buying things

To buy, to purchase

返すかえす

To return something, give back

帰るかえる

To go home, to return (oneself)

Face (body part)

かかるかかる

To take (time, money), to cost

学生がくせい

～か月～かげつ

Counter for months

掛けるかける

To hang; to put on (glasses)

Umbrella; parasol

To lend; to rent out

Honorable person; way of doing

家族かぞく

Family, household members

片仮名かたかな

Katakana, angular Japanese syllabary

～月～がつ

Month of the year; ~th month

学校がっこう

カップカップ

Cup (drinking or measuring)

家庭かてい

Home, household, family (as a unit)

Corner (of a street, desk, object)

かばんかばん

Bag, briefcase, school bag

花瓶かびん

Vase for flowers

かぶるかぶる

To put on (hat, head)

カメラカメラ

火曜日かようび

辛いからい

Spicy, hot, salty

借りるかりる

～がる～がる

To show signs of feeling (attaches to adjective stems)

軽いかるい

Light, mild, slight

カレーカレー

Curry (curry and rice)

カレンダーカレンダー

～側～がわ

Side (of two or more parties)

可愛いかわいい

漢字かんじ

Kanji; Chinese character

黄色きいろ

Yellow (color, noun)

黄色いきいろい

Yellow (adjective)

消えるきえる

To vanish, to disappear

To listen, to hear, to ask

ギターギター

汚いきたない

Dirty, messy, unclean

喫茶店きっさてん

Café, coffee shop

切手きって

切符きっぷ

Ticket (train, bus, etc.)

昨日きのう

牛肉ぎゅうにく

牛乳ぎゅうにゅう

今日きょう

Today, this day

教室きょうしつ

兄弟きょうだい

Siblings, brothers and sisters

去年きょねん

嫌いきらい

To cut, to slice; to hang up (phone)

綺麗きれい

Pretty, clean, beautiful

Kilo (kilogram)

銀行ぎんこう

金曜日きんようび

下さいください

Please give me; please do

果物くだもの

Shoes, footwear

靴下くつした

Country, nation, hometown

曇りくもり

Cloudiness, cloudy weather

曇るくもる

To become cloudy, to become dim

暗いくらい

To come, to arrive

Black (the color)

黒いくろい

Black; dark-colored

警官けいかん

To erase, delete, turn off

結構けっこう

Splendid; enough, quite

結婚けっこん (する)

Marriage; to get married

月曜日げつようび

玄関げんかん

Entrance, entryway (of a house or building)

元気げんき

Healthy, energetic, lively; well

Counter for small items (apples, cups, eggs)

公園こうえん

交差点こうさてん

Intersection, crossing

紅茶こうちゃ

交番こうばん

Police box, neighborhood police station

Voice, sound of a person or animal

Afternoon, P.M.

九日ここのか

Ninth day of the month; nine days

九つここのつ

Nine (counting general items)

午前ごぜん

答えるこたえる

To answer, to reply

今年ことし

言葉ことば

Language; word; expression

子供こども

Child; children

御飯ごはん

Cooked rice; a meal

困るこまる

To be troubled; to have difficulty

今月こんげつ

今週こんしゅう

今週こんしゅう

今晩こんばん

Tonight; this evening

～歳～さい

Years old (age counter)

財布さいふ

Ahead, future, previous

To bloom, blossom

作文さくぶん

Essay, composition

To hold up, raise (umbrella, hand)

～冊～さつ

Counter for books, volumes

雑誌ざっし

Magazine, journal

砂糖さとう

寒いさむい

Cold (referring to weather)

さ来年さらいねん

The year after next

散歩さんぽ (する)

時間じかん

仕事しごと

辞書じしょ

静かしずか

質問しつもん

Question, inquiry

自転車じてんしゃ

自動車じどうしゃ

Automobile, car

字引じびき

Character dictionary, kanji dictionary

自分じぶん

Oneself, myself

閉まるしまる

To close, to be closed

締めるしめる

To tie, to fasten, to tighten

写真しゃしん

Photograph; picture

～週間～しゅうかん

Span of weeks; ~ weeks

授業じゅぎょう

Class; lesson; school instruction

宿題しゅくだい

Homework; assignment

上手じょうず

Skillful; good at

丈夫じょうぶ

Sturdy; durable; strong

醤油しょうゆ

食堂しょくどう

Cafeteria, dining hall

To know, to understand

White (the color)

白いしろい

～人～じん

Suffix for people / nationality

新聞しんぶん

水曜日すいようび

To breathe in, suck, or smoke

Liked, favorite; to like

少ないすくない

Few, scarce, not many

少しすこし

A little, a bit, slightly

涼しいすずしい

Cool, refreshing (weather)

To live, to reside somewhere

座るすわる

To sit, to take a seat

(One's) height, stature

生徒せいと

石鹸せっけん

背広せびろ

Men's suit (business)

狭いせまい

Narrow; cramped, not spacious

先月せんげつ

先週せんしゅう

先週せんしゅう

先生せんせい

Teacher; doctor, master

洗濯せんたく

Washing, laundry

全部ぜんぶ

All, entire, whole

掃除そうじ (する)

Cleaning, sweeping

Outside, exterior

～台～だい

Counter for vehicles and machines

大学だいがく

College, university

大使館たいしかん

大丈夫だいじょうぶ

All right; OK; safe; no problem

大好きだいすき

Love; like very much

大切たいせつ

Important; precious; dear

台所だいどころ

大変たいへん

Very; difficult; tough; terrible

高いたかい

High; tall; expensive

沢山たくさん

Many; much; a lot

To take out; to hand in; to send

To stand up, to stand

建物たてもの

Building, structure

楽しいたのしい

Enjoyable, fun, pleasant

頼むたのむ

To request, to ask a favor

多分たぶん

Perhaps, probably, maybe

食べ物たべもの

Food, things to eat

食べるたべる

誰かだれか

Someone, anybody

誕生日たんじょうび

段々だんだん

Gradually, little by little

小さいちいさい

小さなちいさな

近いちかい

違うちがう

To be different; to be wrong

近くちかく

Nearby; in the neighborhood

地下鉄ちかてつ

Subway, underground train

(My own) father

茶色ちゃいろ

茶色ちゃいろ

茶碗ちゃわん

～中～ちゅう

During, while ~ing; throughout

丁度ちょうど

Just, exactly, right

一日ついたち

First day of the month

使うつかう

疲れるつかれる

To get tired; to become fatigued

To arrive at; to reach

作るつくる

To make; to create

勤めるつとめる

To work for; to serve (a company)

冷たいつめたい

Cold (to touch)

強いつよい

Strong, powerful

出かけるでかける

To go out, to leave

手紙てがみ

出口でぐち

To exit, to appear

天気てんき

電気でんき

Electricity, electric light

電車でんしゃ

電話でんわ

Telephone, phone call

Door (Japanese-style)

Counter for occurrences; degree; point

動物どうぶつ

十(〜を) とお

遠いとおい

十日とおか

Tenth day of the month; ten days

～時～とき

When; at the time of

時々ときどき

Sometimes; from time to time

時計とけい

Place; spot; location

図書館としょかん

Next to; next door

To fly; to jump

止まるとまる

To stop; to come to a halt

友達ともだち

土曜日どようび

鶏肉とりにく

To take; to get; to obtain

Inside, middle, among

長いながい

無くすなくす

To lose something, to misplace

夏休みなつやすみ

Summer vacation, summer holiday

七つななつ

Seven things, seven years old

七日なのか

Seven days; the seventh day of the month

名前なまえ

習うならう

To learn; to take lessons in

並ぶならぶ

To line up; to stand in a row

並べるならべる

To line up; to place side by side

West (direction)

～日～にち

Counter for days; date of the month

日曜日にちようび

荷物にもつ

Luggage; baggage; parcel

Garden; yard; courtyard

～人～にん

Counter for people

To take off (clothes or shoes)

温いぬるい

Lukewarm; tepid

温いぬるい

Lukewarm; tepid

To sleep, to go to bed

～年～ねん

~ years, year(s)

登るのぼる

To climb, to ascend

飲み物のみもの

Drink, beverage

To drink, to take (medicine)

To get on, to ride, to board

～杯～はい

Counter for cupfuls

灰皿はいざら

入るはいる

To enter, to fit into

葉書はがき

始まるはじまる

To begin, to start

初め; 始めはじめ

Beginning, start

初めてはじめて

For the first time

走るはしる

二十歳はたち

Twenty years old

働くはたらく

To work, to labor

二十日はつか

Twentieth day of the month

Flower, blossom

Talk, conversation, story

話すはなす

To speak, to talk

(One's own) mother

早いはやい

Spring (season)

Clear, sunny weather

晴れるはれる

To be sunny, to clear up

Half, half-past

番号ばんごう

Number, series of digits

晩御飯ばんごはん

Dinner, evening meal

半分はんぶん

～匹～ひき

Counter for small animals

To pull; to draw; to subtract

低いひくい

飛行機ひこうき

Left; left-hand side

Person; man; human

一つひとつ

One thing, one (general counter)

一月ひとつき

一人ひとり

One person, alone

Free time, leisure, spare time

病院びょういん

病院びょういん

病気びょうき

Illness, sickness, disease

病気びょうき

Illness, sickness, disease

平仮名ひらがな

Hiragana, the basic Japanese syllabary

昼御飯ひるごはん

Lunch, midday meal

広いひろい

Spacious, wide, broad

封筒ふうとう

To blow (wind, breath)

二つふたつ

Two things, two years old

豚肉ぶたにく

二人ふたり

二日ふつか

Two days; second day of the month

太いふとい

Thick; fat; bold

To fall (rain, snow)

古いふるい

Old (of things), aged

～分～ふん

~ minutes (time counter)

文章ぶんしょう

Sentence; text; composition

Unskillful, poor at

勉強べんきょう (する)

Study, studying

便利べんり

Convenient, handy

帽子ぼうし

Other, the rest, besides

欲しいほしい

細いほそい

Thin, slender, fine

本棚ほんだな

本当ほんとう

～枚～まい

Counter for flat things

毎朝まいあさ

毎月まいげつ

Every month, monthly

毎週まいしゅう

Every week, weekly

毎日まいにち

Every day, daily

毎年まいねん

Every year, yearly, annually

毎晩まいばん

Every night, nightly

Before, in front, ahead

曲るまがる

To turn, to bend, to curve

Town, city, street

丸い; 円いまるい

Round, circular

万年筆まんねんひつ

万年筆まんねんひつ

磨くみがく

To brush (teeth), to polish

Right hand side

短いみじかい

Short (length or duration)

見せるみせる

To show, to display

Road, street; way

三日みっか

Three days; third day of the month

三つみっつ

皆さんみなさん

Everyone, all of you

To see, to watch, to look

六日むいか

Six days; the sixth of a month

向こうむこう

Over there, the other side

難しいむずかしい

Difficult, hard

六つむっつ

Six (small things)

眼鏡めがね

Glasses, eyeglasses

木曜日もくようび

To hold, to carry; to possess

Gate (large, formal)

問題もんだい

Problem, question, issue

~ shop, ~ store

八百屋やおや

Greengrocer; vegetable shop

野菜やさい

易しいやさしい

Easy; simple; plain

安いやすい

Cheap; inexpensive

休みやすみ

Day off; rest; absence

休むやすむ

To rest; to take a break; to be absent

八つやっつ

Eight things; eight years old

夕方ゆうがた

Evening, late afternoon

夕飯ゆうはん

Dinner, evening meal

郵便局ゆうびんきょく

昨夜ゆうべ

有名ゆうめい

Famous, well-known

八日ようか

Eighth day of the month; eight days

洋服ようふく

Western-style clothes

Side, beside, width

四日よっか

Four days; the fourth of the month

四つよっつ

Four (counting things)

To call, to invite

弱いよわい

来月らいげつ

来週らいしゅう

来年らいねん

留学生りゅうがくせい

International student

両親りょうしん

料理りょうり

Cooking, cuisine, dish

旅行りょこう

冷蔵庫れいぞうこ

Refrigerator, fridge

練習れんしゅう (する)

Practice, training

廊下ろうか

Corridor, hallway

若いわかい

Young, youthful

分かるわかる

To understand, to comprehend

忘れるわすれる

私わたくし

I (formal), private affairs

渡すわたす

To hand over, to pass

渡るわたる

To cross over, to go across

悪いわるい

Bad, poor, at fault

Other levels

N4 vocabulary N3 vocabulary N2 vocabulary N1 vocabulary