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Japanese Vocabulary Hub

Japanese Vocabulary (Kotoba) from Beginner to Advanced

Build your vocabulary from the basics. Study greetings, numbers, everyday words, five themed lists, and vocabulary for every JLPT level.

JLPT N5–N1 Vocabulary100-Word SeriesStart with the Basics

👋 Basic Greetings (Aisatsu)

Study Greetings and Introductions →

These five expressions are a practical starting point for everyday conversations.

JapaneseReadingMeaning
おはようございますOhayou gozaimasuGood morning
こんにちはKonnichiwaHello or good afternoon
こんばんはKonbanwaGood evening
ありがとうございますArigatou gozaimasuThank you
すみませんSumimasenExcuse me or sorry

🔢 Basic Numbers (Suuji)

Learn one through ten before studying quantities, time, and dates.

Study Japanese Numbers →
  1. 1.一 (Ichi) — One
  2. 2.二 (Ni) — Two
  3. 3.三 (San) — Three
  4. 4.四 (Yon / Shi) — Four
  5. 5.五 (Go) — Five
  6. 6.六 (Roku) — Six
  7. 7.七 (Nana / Shichi) — Seven
  8. 8.八 (Hachi) — Eight
  9. 9.九 (Kyuu / Ku) — Nine
  10. 10.十 (Juu) — Ten
The numbers 4, 7, and 9 have more than one reading. The reading depends on the counter and context.

💬 Everyday Vocabulary

Use these pronouns, time words, and weekdays in simple sentences.

Personal Pronouns

  • 私わたし (Watashi) — I or me
  • あなた (Anata) — You
  • 彼かれ (Kare) — He or him
  • 彼女かのじょ (Kanojo) — She or her

あなた is not always needed. A person’s name or title often sounds more natural in conversation.

Time and Days

  • 今いま (Ima) — Now
  • 昨日きのう (Kinou) — Yesterday
  • 今日きょう (Kyou) — Today
  • 明日あした (Ashita) — Tomorrow
  • 月曜日げつようび (Getsuyoubi) — Monday
  • 火曜日かようび (Kayoubi) — Tuesday
  • 水曜日すいようび (Suiyoubi) — Wednesday
  • 木曜日もくようび (Mokuyoubi) — Thursday
  • 金曜日きんようび (Kinyoubi) — Friday
  • 土曜日どようび (Doyoubi) — Saturday
  • 日曜日にちようび (Nichiyoubi) — Sunday
Study Time →Study Dates →

🎨 Basic Colors (Iro)

Learn common color words in their noun forms.

  • 赤あか (Aka) — Red
  • 青あお (Ao) — Blue
  • 白しろ (Shiro) — White
  • 黒くろ (Kuro) — Black
  • 黄色きいろ (Kiiro) — Yellow
  • 緑みどり (Midori) — Green

🏃 Body Parts (Karada)

These words are useful when talking about health and physical activities.

  • 頭あたま (Atama) — Head
  • 顔かお (Kao) — Face
  • 目め (Me) — Eye
  • 手て (Te) — Hand
  • 足あし (Ashi) — Foot or leg
  • お腹なか (Onaka) — Stomach

⚡ 10 Basic Verbs

Start forming sentences with actions from everyday life.

  • 食たべます (Tabemasu) — Eat
  • 飲のみます (Nomimasu) — Drink
  • 見みます (Mimasu) — See or watch
  • 聞ききます (Kikimasu) — Hear or listen
  • 行いきます (Ikimasu) — Go
  • 来きます (Kimasu) — Come
  • 寝ねます (Nemasu) — Sleep
  • 起おきます (Okimasu) — Wake up
  • 勉強べんきょうします (Benkyou shimasu) — Study
  • 働はたらきます (Hatarakimasu) — Work
See 100 Japanese Verbs →

✨ 10 Basic Adjectives

Use adjectives to describe people, objects, places, and conditions.

  • 大きいおおきい (Ookii) — Big
  • 小さいちいさい (Chiisai) — Small
  • 新しいあたらしい (Atarashii) — New
  • 古いふるい (Furui) — Old
  • 良いよい (Yoi) — Good
  • 悪いわるい (Warui) — Bad
  • 暑いあつい (Atsui) — Hot
  • 寒いさむい (Samui) — Cold
  • 面白いおもしろい (Omoshiroi) — Interesting
  • 難しいむずかしい (Muzukashii) — Difficult
See 100 Japanese Adjectives →

100 Japanese Words Series

Choose a group and study each word with its reading, meaning, and example sentence.

Doushi

100 Verbs

Actions for everyday activities.

Meishi

100 Nouns

People, objects, places, times, and ideas.

Keiyoushi

100 Adjectives

Words that describe qualities and conditions.

Fukushi

100 Adverbs

Words that express manner, time, and degree.

Hyougen

100 Expressions

Practical phrases for different situations.

JLPT N5–N1 Vocabulary

Use the level lists as study guides. The JLPT has not published a fixed official vocabulary list since the 2010 revision.

Open the JLPT Guide →
N5

Foundations for simple instructions and conversations.

Open the Vocabulary List →
N4

Words used across a wider range of everyday situations.

Open the Vocabulary List →
N3

Vocabulary for understanding general reading and conversation.

Open the Vocabulary List →
N2

Words for reading and conversation across broader topics.

Open the Vocabulary List →
N1

Nuanced vocabulary for understanding varied texts and conversations.

Open the Vocabulary List →

How to Study Vocabulary

Choose a study method you can repeat every day.

1

Recall Actively

Hide the meaning and retrieve the definition or Japanese word without looking at the answer.

2

Review at Intervals

Return to older words after increasingly longer gaps. Spend more time on words that remain difficult.

3

Use Words in Sentences

Write one short sentence for each new word. Connect it to an experience you can remember.

Questions about Japanese Vocabulary

How Many Words Should I Learn Each Day?

Choose a small number that leaves time for review. Five words used in sentences and revisited later are more useful than a long list read once.

Should I Learn Kanji with Vocabulary?

Learn a common written form with its reading. This pairing helps distinguish words that sound alike, such as 花 (hana, flower) and 鼻 (hana, nose).

Does the JLPT Have an Official Vocabulary List?

The JLPT has not published a fixed official vocabulary list since the 2010 revision. Jepang.org lists are study guides based on the abilities covered at each level. Read the official JLPT explanation ↗

Where Should a Beginner Start?

Start with greetings, numbers, everyday words, and the 100-word series. Continue with the N5 list if the JLPT is your goal.

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