Vocabulary– category –
Japanese vocabulary in context. Nuance between similar words, JLPT vocabulary by level, loanwords, and practical usage. Browse by level: N4/N5, N2/N3, N1/N2. Full overview at the Japanese Vocabulary Hub.
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Japanese Vocabulary Comparisons for English Speakers: Similar Words, Nuance, and Natural Usage
Many Japanese words translate to the same English word. 楽しい（たのしい）and 面白い（おもしろい）both mean “fun.” 知る（しる）and 分かる（わかる）both translate as “to know.” 早い（はやい）and 速い（はやい）b... -
Japanese Vocabulary Guide for English Speakers: Words, Usage, Comparisons, and Real Context
The complete Japanese vocabulary hub for English speakers. Covers core vocabulary by level, JLPT word counts, vocabulary comparisons (知る vs 分かる, 見る vs 見える, and 6 more pairs), commonly misused words, and how to build active vocabulary that you can actually use. -
How to Build Japanese Vocabulary You Can Actually Use: Words, Sentences, and Real Context
Learn how to build Japanese vocabulary you can actually use in conversation. Covers particle patterns, collocations, similar-word comparisons, the recognition vs active vocabulary gap, and a 30-day plan. -
JLPT N1 Vocabulary Guide: Advanced Japanese Words You Need to Know
JLPT N1 tests a wide range of advanced vocabulary — formal expressions, literary terms, abstract nouns, and compound words rarely heard in daily conversation. This guide introduces the key vocabulary types at N1 level and how to s... -
JLPT N3 Vocabulary: 30 Essential Words to Master Before the Exam
If N5 is the alphabet and N4 is "hello, how are you," then N3 is where Japanese finally starts to feel real. At this level the vocabulary stops being about concrete objects — pencils, doors, train stations — and shifts toward abstra... -
Japanese Job Vocabulary: How to Talk About Occupations and Work
One of the very first questions you will hear in any Japanese introduction is: 何のお仕事をされていますか？ (なんのおしごとをされていますか？ — "What kind of work do you do?"). Whether you are introducing yourself to a new colleague, cha... -
Japanese Hobbies Vocabulary: How to Talk About What You Like to Do
Picture this: you've just been introduced to a Japanese colleague, classmate, or host family member. After the usual greetings, they ask the question that trips up so many learners — 「趣味は何ですか？」(しゅみはなんですか？) — "What are... -
Japanese Weather Expressions: Vocabulary and Phrases for Every Season
Picture this: you are waiting at a bus stop in Osaka when the person next to you smiles and says, 今日はむし暑いですね。 You have no idea what they said — so you ju... -
japanese-proverbs.md
Imagine you have been studying Japanese for two years, but every time you try to speak, you feel like something is missing. Your grammar is solid, your vocabulary is growing — yet conversations with native speakers feel flat, as if you a... -
Japanese Workplace Vocabulary: Essential Words for the Japanese Office
Picture your first morning at a Japanese company. Your manager walks past and says, 「お疲れ様です」 — and you freeze. Is that a greeting? Are they saying you look tired? What are you supposed to say back? Japanese office culture comes w...
