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JLPT N2 Vocabulary
1,210words ・ 0Learned
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N2
候補
こうほ
Being named as having a possibility of being chosen for a certain position or selection; also, that person or thing.
AI-generated translation
N2
公募
こうぼ
To recruit widely from the general public.
AI-generated translation
N2
高慢
こうまん
「高」 means to view oneself as highly placed, and 「慢」 means to be arrogant or to belittle others. It describes the attitude of believing oneself to be superior and looking down on others. Used in expressions like 「高慢な態度」 or 「高慢にふるまう」, it is a formal word used to criticize a person's character.
AI-generated translation
N2
巧妙
こうみょう
It refers to means or mechanisms being made extremely well. Used in expressions like 「巧妙な手口」 or 「巧妙に仕組まれた」, it is especially often used when the means of a crime or scheme has been carefully crafted.
AI-generated translation
N2
拷問
ごうもん
「拷」 means to strike or torment, and 「問」 means to interrogate; together they mean to interrogate while inflicting torment. It refers to inflicting severe physical and mental pain in order to extract a confession. Used in expressions like 「拷問にかける」 or 「拷問を受ける」, in contexts strongly criticized as a human rights violation.
AI-generated translation
N2
高揚
こうよう
「高」 means high, and 「揚」 means to rise; together they mean for one's spirits to rise high. It refers to feelings or emotions becoming heightened and lively. Used in expressions like 「気分が高揚する」 or 「高揚感」, it is a formal word used when excitement or fervor wells up.
AI-generated translation
N2
公用
こうよう
(1) An errand for official work. 「公用で出かける」. A personal errand is called 「私用」. (2) Official use by a country or government office. 「公用語」.
AI-generated translation
N2
強欲
ごうよく
「強」 means strong, and 「欲」 means desire; together they mean strong desire. It refers to having extremely strong desire that knows no satisfaction. Used in expressions like 「強欲な人」 or 「強欲にまみれる」. It is a somewhat formal word used in negative evaluation, frequently appearing in literature and criticism.
AI-generated translation
N2
小売
こうり
To sell goods that have been purchased directly to consumers. Selling them in bulk to retail shops and the like is called 「卸売」.
AI-generated translation
N2
拘留
こうりゅう
「拘」 means to detain, and 「留」 means to hold; together they mean to detain and hold. It refers to the police temporarily holding a person for a short period. It is a legal term used in situations of temporarily detaining a suspect's person, as in 「拘留される」 or 「拘留期間」.
AI-generated translation
N2
考慮
こうりょ
To carefully weigh various circumstances together.
AI-generated translation
N2
護衛
ごえい
To stay by a person's or thing's side and protect it from danger; also, the person who does this.
AI-generated translation
N2
故郷
こきょう
It refers to the land where one was born and raised. Used in expressions like 「故郷に帰る」 or 「故郷を離れる」, it is a somewhat formal word for the place of one's roots, with the same meaning as ふるさと.
AI-generated translation
N2, N4
国際
こくさい
Something between countries. It is always attached to the front of another word, and 「国際」 alone never stands in a sentence. A plane that flies between countries is a 「国際線（こくさいせん）」, and ties between countries are 「国際関係（こくさいかんけい）」; there are also 「国際けっこん」 and 「国際くうこう」. In the form 「国際的（こくさいてき）」 it becomes a word that describes what something is like, as in 「国際的にゆうめいな店」.
AI-generated translation
N2
告示
こくじ
It refers to the state or public office widely informing the general public of matters that have been decided. Used in expressions like 「選挙の告示」 or 「告示する」, it is a formal word used in situations of official announcement.
AI-generated translation
N2
極上
ごくじょう
It refers to quality or degree being so good that it cannot be better. Used in expressions like 「極上の品」 or 「極上のひととき」, it is a somewhat formal word for the highest-grade things.
AI-generated translation
N2
酷評
こくひょう
「酷」 means cruel or severe, and 「評」 means to evaluate. It refers to criticizing a work or behavior severely and without mercy. Used in expressions like 「批評家に酷評される」 or 「酷評を浴びる」, in situations where a strongly negative evaluation is given.
AI-generated translation
N2
克服
こくふく
「克」 means to win over, and 「服」 means to make submit; the original meaning is to defeat an enemy and bring them under control. From this, it came to mean to overcome difficulties or weaknesses through effort. Used in expressions like 「病気を克服する」 or 「困難を克服する」, in contexts speaking about the results of overcoming obstacles.
AI-generated translation
N2
克明
こくめい
「克」 means to thoroughly accomplish, and 「明」 means to make clear; together they mean to make clear down to every corner. It refers to being precise to the smallest detail, without overlooking anything. Used in expressions like 「克明に記録する」 or 「克明な描写」, it is a formal word expressing thoroughness in reporting, observation, and description.
AI-generated translation
N2
心地
ここち
The feeling or sensation one experiences when doing something. When used on its own it is read 「ここち」, as in 「生きた心地がしない」. It is mostly used attached after other words, as in 「乗り心地」「居心地」「夢心地」, and in this case it is read with the voiced sound 「〜ごこち」.
AI-generated translation
N2
心当たり
こころあたり
Something that comes to mind; a rough idea or guess. 「心当たりがない」.
AI-generated translation
N2
心掛ける
こころがける
To always be mindful and make an effort to do something.
AI-generated translation
N2
試みる
こころみる
「試」 means to try, and 「みる」 means to try doing something. It refers to attempting something whose success is uncertain. Used in expressions like 「新しい方法を試みる」 or 「挑戦を試みる」, it is a formal verb expressing experimental action.
AI-generated translation
N2
快い
こころよい
Pleasant, feeling good; also describes accepting something willingly and readily. 「快い風」「快く承諾する」.
AI-generated translation
N2
誤差
ごさ
The difference between a correct value and the value actually measured.
AI-generated translation
N2
誇示
こじ
「誇」 means to boast, and 「示」 means to show; together they mean to display something boastfully. It refers to showing off one's power or position with self-satisfaction. Used in expressions like 「権力を誇示する」 or 「誇示するように」, it is a slightly critical word for behavior aimed at impressing others.
AI-generated translation
N2
孤児
こじ
It refers to a child who has lost their parents and has no guardian. Used in expressions like 「戦災孤児」 or 「孤児院」, it is a formal word used in contexts of social protection.
AI-generated translation
N2
こじれる
こじれる
It refers to a relationship or problem becoming complicated in a bad direction and difficult to resolve. Used in expressions like 「話がこじれる」 or 「関係がこじれる」, in situations of becoming entangled and worsening.
AI-generated translation
N2
故人
こじん
A person who has died. A different word from 「個人」 (each individual person), which has the same reading.
AI-generated translation
N1, N2
擦る
こする
To press something firmly against the surface of an object and move it. A different action from 「摩る」 (to stroke gently) or 「刷る」 (to print), which are also read 「する」.
AI-generated translation
N2
個性
こせい
A unique quality that belongs only to that person or thing, different from others. Used as in 「個性を生かす」.
AI-generated translation
N2
古代
こだい
Ancient times. One of the periods into which history is divided, coming after the primitive age and before the medieval age. 「古代ローマ」.
AI-generated translation
N2
こだわる
こだわる
The word originally had a somewhat negative meaning of being caught up in trivial matters and unable to be free of them. From this, it developed the meaning of being strongly attentive to one thing and not letting it go easily. It is still used negatively, as in 「過去にこだわる」, but in modern Japanese it is more often used positively to describe an attitude of standing by one's beliefs or preferences, as in 「味にこだわる」 or 「細部にこだわる」.
AI-generated translation
N2
誇張
こちょう
To express something in an exaggerated way, beyond what it actually is.
AI-generated translation
N2
骨格
こっかく
(1) The bone framework that supports the body. 「がっしりした骨格」. (2) The basic structure of a matter. 「計画の骨格」.
AI-generated translation
N2
孤独
こどく
It refers to the state of being lonely with no one around. Used in expressions like 「孤独を感じる」 or 「孤独な生活」, it expresses the emotional sensation of being alone.
AI-generated translation
N2
こなす
こなす
It refers to skillfully handling difficult work or a large volume of tasks. Used in expressions like 「仕事をこなす」 or 「英語を使いこなす」, it is a verb used in situations of putting one's ability to work to dispose of things.
AI-generated translation
N2
こなれる
こなれる
Originally it meant that food becomes digested, or that something is broken down into small pieces. From this, it developed the meaning of becoming accustomed and feeling natural. Used in expressions like 「文章がこなれる」 or 「演技がこなれてきた」, it describes a state in which awkwardness has been shed and skill has been gained.
AI-generated translation
N2
こもる
こもる
The basic meaning is to remain inside without going out, or for a filled state inside not to disperse. Specifically, it refers to a person shutting themselves indoors and not going outside, or to smoke, smells, or emotions filling the interior without dispersing. Used as 「家にこもる」 or 「熱気がこもる」.
AI-generated translation
N2
こらえる
こらえる
It refers to enduring something painful or an emotion without letting it show. Used in expressions like 「涙をこらえる」 or 「痛みをこらえる」, in situations of suppressing strong emotions or pain.
AI-generated translation
N2
孤立
こりつ
It refers to being separated from companions or surroundings and being alone. Used in expressions like 「孤立する」 or 「孤立を深める」, it is a formal word for a state of loneliness in social or geographical terms.
AI-generated translation
N2
こりる
こりる
It refers to thinking, from a failure or painful experience, that one never wants to do the same thing again. Used in expressions like 「失敗にこりる」 or 「こりずに挑戦する」, it is a verb expressing reflection or a lesson learned.
AI-generated translation
N2
婚姻
こんいん
It refers to a man and woman becoming husband and wife in legal terms. Used in expressions like 「婚姻届」 or 「婚姻関係」, it is a word that expresses marriage in a formal and institutional way.
AI-generated translation
N2
根気
こんき
「根」 refers to the root that supports things, and 「気」 means mental energy. It refers to the mental energy to continue something to the end without giving up. Used in expressions like 「根気がいる」 or 「根気よく」, in contexts of tasks that require patience.
AI-generated translation
N2
根拠
こんきょ
The basis on which a judgment or claim rests.
AI-generated translation
N2
献立
こんだて
A word referring to the combination or content of dishes in a meal. Expresses the overall composition of dishes served, as in「今晩の献立」「給食の献立」.
AI-generated translation
N2
今日
こんにち
The present age, the world of today. Used when describing something that has continued from some point in the past up to the present, as in "今日に至るまで" or "今日の日本". The greeting "こんにちは" also comes from this word. The same "今日" read as "きょう" is a different word referring to this very day.
AI-generated translation
N2
細工
さいく
The act of making small objects skillfully by hand, or the work itself. It also carries a negative meaning of dishonest manipulation. Used in forms like 「手の込んだ細工」「細工を施す」.
AI-generated translation
N2
採算
さいさん
A word expressing whether income exceeds expenditure to produce profit in business or transactions. Used in forms like 「採算が取れる」「採算が合う」. It refers to profit calculation and is applied to the profitability of a business rather than personal gain or loss.
AI-generated translation
N2
細心
さいしん
A word expressing careful attention down to the smallest details. Most commonly used in the form 「細心の注意」. It describes paying attention so as not to overlook even small mistakes in dangerous work or important procedures.
AI-generated translation
Vocabulary data on this site is based on the JMdict/EDICT project (© Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, CC BY-SA 4.0). JLPT level classification is our own assessment using AI (Claude) and is not an official JLPT standard.