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 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: Common Kotowaza, Their Meanings, and How to Use Them
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... -
Japanese Travel Vocabulary: Essential Words and Phrases for Getting Around Japan
Picture this: you've just touched down at 空港（くうこう）— the airport — and the immigration officer holds out his hand and says something in rapid Japanese. You catch one word: パスポート. Relief washes over you, because you know exact... -
Japanese Hospital Vocabulary: What to Say When You’re Sick
You wake up in Tokyo feeling terrible — a pounding headache, a high fever, and no idea how to explain your symptoms in Japanese. This scenario is more common than you might think, and it is one of the most stressful language situations y... -
Japanese Housing Vocabulary: Apartment Terms, Room Types, and Real Estate Language
You found an apartment listing you love, but the ad says 「1LDK、エアコン付き、敏金なし」 and you have absolutely no idea what any of that means. Welcome... -
Japanese Transportation Vocabulary
You have landed at Narita Airport, luggage in hand, and now you need to get to your hotel in central Tokyo. There are signs everywhere — 新幹線（しんかんせん）, 地下鉄（ちかてつ）, バス乗り場（のりば）— but none of it makes... -
Japanese Food Vocabulary: 80+ Essential Words for Eating, Ordering, and Cooking in Japan
Learn over 80 Japanese food vocabulary words for restaurants, supermarkets, cooking, and menus. Each word includes reading, meaning, and real usage examples to help you eat confidently in Japan. -
On Yomi vs Kun Yomi: How Japanese Kanji Readings Work for Beginners
You look up 山 in the dictionary and find two completely different sets of readings: san and yama. You already know 山 means "mountain" — but which reading do you use, and when? Pick the wrong one and you'll mispronounce 富士山 (Fujisan,... -
Describing People in Japanese
Think about the last time you wanted to describe someone to a friend — their striking appearance, infectious laugh, or impressive work ethic. In everyday Japanese conversation, these moments come up constantly: telling a friend about the...
