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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有効 vs 無効 vs 期限切れ vs 失効: Japanese Valid, Invalid, Expired, Lapsed, Disabled, and Expiration Status Words Explained
You pull out a coupon at the register and the cashier says 「このクーポンは期限切れです」. You try to use a promo code online and the screen flashes 「無効なコード」. Your Japanese driver's licence renewal letter mentions 「失効」 in bol... -
未対応 vs 対応中 vs 対応済み vs 保留: Japanese Task Status, Support Tickets, Pending Work, In Progress, Handled, and On Hold Explained
You have just joined a Japanese company and you are looking at the team's task board in Backlog or Notion. Every ticket has a status label — 未対応, 対応中, 対応済み, 保留 — and your manager expects you to update yours correctly. You kno... -
確定 vs 決定 vs 完了 vs 済み: Japanese Confirmed, Decided, Completed, Done, Finalized, and Status Words in Apps, Forms, and Business
You just completed an online booking on a Japanese travel site. Three different screens appear in sequence: 予約決定（よやくけってい）, then 予約確定（よやくかくてい）, then 登録完了（とうろくかんりょう）. Are these all saying the same t... -
同意 vs 承諾 vs 了承 vs 許可: Japanese Consent, Agreement, Acceptance, Understanding, Permission, and Business Email Nuance Explained
You sign up for a new Japanese app and a screen appears: 「利用規約に同意する」. You get a business email that ends with 「ご了承ください」. Your colleague asks you to 「この件を承諾してもらえますか」. And when you try to photograph a be... -
承認 vs 許可 vs 認証 vs 認可: Japanese Approval, Permission, Authentication, Authorization, Workflow, and Security Words Explained
You open a Japanese business app and the screen says 承認待ち. You try to install a mobile app and it asks for 許可. You log in and are prompted for 認証コード. Then a developer colleague mentions OAuth認可. Four different words — all va... -
アップロード vs ダウンロード vs インポート vs エクスポート: Japanese File Transfer, Data Import, Export, Cloud Storage, and App Vocabulary Explained
You open a Japanese app and see a button that says インポート. You tap it — and nothing happens. Then you spot another button: アップロード. Are they the same thing? You tap that instead. Now you have two copies of everything. If this so... -
保存 vs 登録 vs 送信 vs 提出: The Difference Between Save, Register, Send, Submit, and Form Actions in Japanese
You spend twenty minutes filling out a Japanese online form — your name, address, phone number, every field done carefully. You tap the button that says 保存（ほぞん） and feel relieved. Done. You close the tab and move on. Two weeks lat... -
更新 vs 変更 vs 修正 vs 編集: Japanese Update, Change, Fix, Revise, Edit, Profile Settings, App Updates, and Document Correction Words Explained
You open a Japanese app and see a button that says 更新. On the same screen, there is a link labeled 変更. In your email inbox, a customer service message asks you to 修正 a form you submitted. And somewhere in the settings menu, there i... -
通知 vs お知らせ vs 連絡 vs 案内: Japanese Notifications, Announcements, Messages, Contact, Guidance, and Business Communication Words Explained
You open a Japanese app and see a red badge labeled 通知（つうち）. You scroll a website footer and spot お知らせ. Your Japanese colleague sends an email starting with ご連絡いたします. An event invitation arrives with the header ご案内.... -
パスワード vs 暗証番号 vs PIN vs 認証コード: Japanese Password, Passcode, PIN, Verification Code, One-Time Password, and Login Security Words Explained
You open a Japanese banking app and the screen asks you for your 暗証番号（あんしょうばんごう）. You type in your email password. Nothing happens. A few seconds later: 暗証番号が間違っています。 Then an SMS arrives with a 認証コード（に...
