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JLPT N2 Vocabulary
1,210words ・ 0Learned
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N2
披露
ひろう
Refers to showing or announcing something to others for the first time. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「新作を披露する (to unveil a new work)」「腕前を披露する (to display one's skills)」「結婚披露宴 (a wedding reception)」. 「披」 means to open, 「露」 means to reveal; together they express "opening and bringing out". It refers to the act of publicly disclosing one's works, skills, or new information to others, and appears frequently in formal occasions such as weddings, stage performances, and product launches.
AI-generated translation
N2
風刺
ふうし
Refers to criticizing the faults or contradictions of society or persons indirectly by mocking them. Used in expressions like 「風刺画 (a satirical cartoon)」「社会風刺 (social satire)」「風刺の効いた作品 (a sharply satirical work)」. 「風」 means indirectly, 「刺」 means to pierce; together they express a method of criticism that is not direct. It is established as an expressive technique in literature, manga, drama, and comedy, and is used widely in critical contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
不可欠
ふかけつ
Refers to what cannot be done without — what is necessary to such a degree that without it the whole cannot stand. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「不可欠な要素 (an indispensable element)」「不可欠の存在 (an indispensable presence)」「必要不可欠 (absolutely indispensable)」. 「可」 means "able", 「不可」 means "unable", and the word can be read as "cannot be lacking". It is used widely in contexts emphasizing importance, appearing frequently in academic papers, business documents, and explanatory articles.
AI-generated translation
N2
不可避
ふかひ
Refers to what cannot be avoided — what will happen no matter what, or what one has no choice but to face. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「不可避な事態 (an unavoidable situation)」「衝突は不可避だ (a clash is inevitable)」「不可避の運命 (an inescapable fate)」. 「避」 means "to avoid", and the word can be read as "cannot be avoided". It is mostly used in scenes describing the arrival of negative events, appearing frequently in news reports, analyses, and forecasts.
AI-generated translation
N2
普及
ふきゅう
To spread widely and become common among the general public.
AI-generated translation
N2
伏線
ふくせん
Refers to something subtly arranged in advance to prepare for later developments in a story or discussion. Used in expressions like 「伏線を張る (to lay a foreshadowing)」「伏線を回収する (to pay off the foreshadowing)」. 「伏」 means to conceal, 「線」 means a line; together they express a thread that is not visible on the surface but supports later developments. It is used in contexts discussing the structure of novels and films, or the strategy of negotiations and debates.
AI-generated translation
N2
武骨
ぶこつ
Refers to a rough, unrefined appearance. Used in expressions like 「武骨な男 (a rugged man)」「武骨な手 (rugged hands)」「武骨な作り (a plain build)」. Originally pointing to the unadorned manner befitting a warrior, in modern usage it is used both for a personality that is unrefined but sincere, and for items that are practical with little decoration. It is a neutral evaluative word that can be taken either negatively or positively, often used with the nuance of valuing sincerity and straightforwardness.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
不自由
ふじゆう
Lacking necessary things or freedom, and being troubled by it. Example: 「お金に不自由しない」 (not lacking money). Also used for the body not moving as one wishes, as in 「目が不自由だ」 (visually impaired).
AI-generated translation
N2
扶助
ふじょ
Refers to lending help to support someone. It is a formal word denoting economic or social assistance. Used in expressions like 「相互扶助 (mutual aid)」「生活扶助 (livelihood assistance)」. Both 「扶」 and 「助」 mean "to help", forming a compound that stacks two characters to emphasize the meaning. It is used widely in the names of legal, administrative, and other systems.
AI-generated translation
N2
腐食
ふしょく
Refers to metals and the like gradually degrading and being damaged from the surface through chemical reactions. Used in expressions like 「金属の腐食 (the corrosion of metal)」「腐食が進む (corrosion progresses)」. It can also be used metaphorically for the degradation of organizations and institutions. 「腐」 means to rot, 「食」 means to erode; together they express the process of "rotting and being eaten away".
AI-generated translation
N2
侮辱
ぶじょく
Refers to looking down on another and committing words or acts that wound their personality and dignity. Used in expressions like 「侮辱を受ける (to be insulted)」「侮辱罪 (the crime of insult)」「公衆の面前で侮辱する (to insult someone in public)」. 「侮」 means to make light of, 「辱」 means to shame; together they express "to belittle and shame". It is established as a legal term (the crime of insult), and is an important word used widely from everyday conversation to legal documents.
AI-generated translation
N2
武装
ぶそう
To equip oneself with weapons and gear for fighting.
AI-generated translation
N2
附属
ふぞく
Refers to being attached to and belonging to a main entity, or such an attached thing. Used in expressions like 「附属品 (an accessory)」「附属病院 (an attached hospital)」. Both 「附」 and 「属」 mean "to be attached", expressing a relationship of "being incidental to the main entity". It can also be written 「付属」 with the same meaning. It is a formal word expressing the relationship between schools, institutions, and components.
AI-generated translation
N2
札
ふだ
A small piece of paper or board on which a name, number, price, or the like is written and attached as a marker. Used as in "番号の書かれた札を受け取る" (to receive a tag with a number on it), "荷札", or "名札". The same "札" read as "さつ" is a different word meaning paper money.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
舞台
ぶたい
stage. A raised platform for presenting plays, dances, etc. Example: 「舞台に立つ」 (to stand on stage). Also used to mean the setting/background of a story, as in 「京都を舞台にした小説」 (a novel set in Kyoto).
AI-generated translation
N2
物価
ぶっか
The general level of prices for goods and services in society. Used for overall price movements across society, as in 物価が上がる (prices rise), not for the price of a single item.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
ぶつかる
ぶつかる
To collide with force. Example: 「車が壁にぶつかる」 (a car crashes into a wall). Also used when opinions conflict or schedules overlap, as in 「意見がぶつかる」 (opinions clash), 「日程がぶつかる」 (schedules conflict). 「ぶつかる」 is used when something strikes against something else, while 「ぶつける」 is used when a person makes something strike: compare 「車が壁にぶつかる」 with 「車を壁にぶつける」.
AI-generated translation
N2
赴任
ふにん
Refers to going to one's assigned post and taking up duty. Used in expressions like 「海外赴任 (overseas posting)」「単身赴任 (a posting away from one's family)」. 「赴」 means to go off to, 「任」 means duty; together they express "going to one's post". It is widely used in contexts describing transfers of employees, public officials, teachers, and the like.
AI-generated translation
N2
扶養
ふよう
Refers to taking care of someone's livelihood and supporting them, namely sustaining their life through economic means. Used in expressions like 「扶養家族 (dependent family members)」「扶養義務 (the duty to support)」. 「扶」 means to help, 「養」 means to nurture; together they express "to help and nurture". It is a formal word appearing frequently in legal, tax, and social-security contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
振る
ふる
To shake or swing something. Example: 「手を振る」 (to wave a hand), 「首を振る」 (to shake one's head). Also used to mean rejecting a romantic partner, as in 「彼女に振られる」 (to be dumped by one's girlfriend).
AI-generated translation
N2, N3, N5
古い
ふるい
A state of much time having passed since something was made. The antonym is 「新しい」 (new).
AI-generated translation
N2
古びる
ふるびる
Refers to becoming aged with the passage of time and losing the appearance of newness. Used in expressions like 「古びた建物 (a weathered building)」「古びた写真 (an aged photograph)」「古びた看板 (a faded signboard)」. It expresses a state in which objects show changes such as fading, dimming, or wear, and is a word formed by combining 「古い (old)」 with 「びる (a suffix meaning "to become in a state of ~")」. It implies the process of gradually taking on age — not becoming old suddenly, but the appearance of having passed through time.
AI-generated translation
N2
雰囲気
ふんいき
Refers to the atmosphere or air given off by a place or person, which can be sensed. It points to an impression that cannot be clearly stated but is conveyed from the whole. Used in expressions like 「和やかな雰囲気 (a peaceful atmosphere)」「店の雰囲気 (the ambience of a shop)」. Both 「雰」 and 「囲気」 mean "what surrounds an essence", and the compound expresses "the air or feeling that fills the surroundings". It is used widely in expressing impressions of places, groups, or persons.
AI-generated translation
N2
分解
ぶんかい
To break something that forms a single whole down into its constituent parts.
AI-generated translation
N2
奮起
ふんき
Refers to summoning up one's spirit and tackling a task. Used in expressions like 「奮起を促す (to urge someone to rouse themselves)」「敗戦を機に奮起する (to rouse oneself on the occasion of a defeat)」「再起奮起 (rising again with renewed vigor)」. 「奮」 means to enliven one's spirit, 「起」 means to rise; together they express "to rouse one's spirit and rise". It expresses the appearance of pulling up sunken feelings and moving toward action, and is used widely in contexts of encouragement, sports, and recovery from defeat.
AI-generated translation
N2
分岐
ぶんき
Refers to a single flow or path dividing into several branches. It is used not only for physical roads or railway lines, but also for the branching points of discussions, choices, or careers. Used in expressions like 「分岐点 (a turning point)」「議論が分岐する (a discussion branches off)」. 「分」 means to divide, 「岐」 means a fork in the road. It is also widely used as a metaphor to express critical points of judgment or moments of transition.
AI-generated translation
N2
噴出
ふんしゅつ
Refers to gushing out forcefully from the inside by inner power. Used in expressions like 「溶岩の噴出 (a lava eruption)」「不満の噴出 (an outpouring of discontent)」「問題が噴出する (problems erupt)」. It has both physical senses (volcanoes, hot springs, water pipes) and metaphorical senses in which complaints, problems, or doubts surface all at once. In the metaphorical sense, it expresses the force of suppressed things bursting forth together.
AI-generated translation
N2, N4
文章
ぶんしょう
Something in which several sentences are connected to convey a single piece of content.
AI-generated translation
N2
奮戦
ふんせん
Refers to fighting with all one's might. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「孤軍奮戦 (a lone-handed fight)」「最後まで奮戦する (to fight valiantly to the end)」「奮戦むなしく敗れる (to be defeated in spite of a gallant fight)」. 「奮」 means to summon up one's spirit, 「戦」 means to fight; together they express "to fight summoning all one's strength". It is widely used in contexts of competitions, sports, and battles, and carries the implication of evaluating the very posture of giving one's all, regardless of the outcome.
AI-generated translation
N2
紛争
ふんそう
Refers to disputes arising between nations, groups, or individuals from conflicts of interest or opinion. Used in expressions like 「国際紛争 (international conflict)」「労使紛争 (labor disputes)」「紛争解決 (dispute resolution)」. 「紛」 means to become tangled, 「争」 means to contend; together they express a state of opposition between parties that cannot be easily resolved. It is a formal word covering broadly from armed conflict to legal disputes, used widely in news reports and contexts of international relations and labor issues.
AI-generated translation
N2
奮闘
ふんとう
Refers to fighting and striving with all one's might. It expresses the appearance of tenaciously tackling something in a difficult situation. Used in expressions like 「孤軍奮闘 (lone-handed struggle)」「奮闘努力 (strenuous effort)」. 「奮」 means to enliven one's spirit, 「闘」 means to fight; together they express "summoning up one's spirit and fighting". It is used in scenes of giving one's all regardless of the object, whether in competitions, work, or nursing.
AI-generated translation
N2
奮発
ふんぱつ
Refers to spending money with a willingness to splurge. Also refers to summoning up one's spirit. Used in expressions like 「奮発して時計を買う (to splurge on a watch)」「一念奮発 (a sudden surge of resolve)」. 「奮」 means to make one's spirit vigorous, 「発」 means to start; together they express "to summon up one's spirit". In everyday life it is most often used for boldness in spending, in contexts that positively describe an extravagance for a special occasion.
AI-generated translation
N2
分布
ぶんぷ
Something existing spread across several locations; the extent of that spread.
AI-generated translation
N2
分別
ふんべつ
Refers to the power to grasp the logic of matters and exercise appropriate judgment without acting rashly. Used in expressions like 「分別のある大人 (a mature, thoughtful adult)」「分別がつく年齢 (an age at which one can exercise discretion)」「分別を欠いた行動 (rash action)」. It often refers to the calm judgment found in those who have accumulated experience with age, appearing frequently in contexts that contrast it with the rashness of the young. Since the same characters are also read 「ぶんべつ (sorting, as in garbage separation)」, the reading must be distinguished by context.
AI-generated translation
N2
分別
ぶんべつ
Separating things by type. Used in situations of sorting according to fixed criteria, as in "ごみを分別する" (to separate the garbage) or "資源ごみの分別". The same "分別" read as "ふんべつ" is a different word meaning the power to grasp the logic of matters and judge appropriately.
AI-generated translation
N2
平易
へいい
Refers to content or expression being easy and understandable. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「平易な言葉で説明する (to explain in easy language)」「平易な文章 (a plain piece of writing)」「平易に解説する (to explain plainly)」. It is used when evaluating the clarity of an explanation or description, with 「難解 (difficult to understand)」 as its antonym. It is used widely in educational, publishing, and explanatory contexts, and is established as a more formal written word than 「易しい」.
AI-generated translation
N2
平穏
へいおん
Refers to a state in which there are no incidents, disturbances, or upheavals, and things are calm. Used in expressions like 「平穏な暮らし (a peaceful life)」「平穏に過ぎる日々 (days that pass peacefully)」「平穏無事 (peaceful and uneventful)」. It is used to describe daily life or the flow of time, and is used in contexts where the absence of special events is positively evaluated. Whereas 「平和」 refers to the absence of war at the national or social level, 「平穏」 tends to refer to the everyday tranquility of individuals or local communities.
AI-generated translation
N2
閉口
へいこう
Refers to being utterly at a loss in the face of another's words or a situation and becoming thoroughly fed up. Used in expressions like 「閉口する (to be at a loss)」「閉口させられる (to be made fed up)」. The original meaning is "to be unable to retort and close one's mouth", from which the senses "to be at a loss as to how to handle" and "to be fed up" developed. It is a somewhat casual word expressing perplexity at the level of having difficulty managing rather than deep despair, and can be used even in everyday conversation.
AI-generated translation
N2
平然
へいぜん
Refers to an appearance of remaining unshaken and composed even when faced with serious circumstances. It is a formal word used in forms like 「平然と」「平然たる態度 (a composed attitude)」「平然としている (to remain unperturbed)」. It expresses the appearance of maintaining calm in a scene where one ought to be shaken, and is used both positively and negatively. Positively it is the evaluation of 「胆力がある (having nerve)」「冷静沈着 (cool and collected)」; negatively it carries the critical implication of 「無神経 (insensitive)」「悪びれない (showing no remorse)」.
AI-generated translation
N2
閉幕
へいまく
Refers to an event, tournament, play, conference, etc. coming to an end. Used in expressions like 「閉幕を迎える (to reach the closing)」「閉幕の辞 (closing address)」「大会が閉幕する (the tournament closes)」. The original meaning is the lowering of the theater curtain to end a performance, from which the meaning extended to the conclusion of events in general. Paired with 「開幕」, it is a word that formally expresses the ending of some time-limited event.
AI-generated translation
N2
隔たり
へだたり
Refers to the distance, gap, or difference between two things. Used in expressions like 「両者の間に大きな隔たりがある (there is a great gap between the two)」「世代の隔たり (a generation gap)」「意見の隔たり (a divergence of opinion)」. It points broadly to physical distance, the passage of time, and differences in thinking or position, and is often used especially in the psychological, abstract sense of "gap". It implies the existence of an element that separates the two parties.
AI-generated translation
N2
隔てる
へだてる
Refers to placing something between two things and separating them in terms of distance, space, or time. Used in expressions like 「川を隔てる (to be separated by a river)」「歳月を隔てる (to be separated by years)」「壁を隔てて声がする (a voice is heard through the wall)」. It is used for physical partitions, intervals of time, and even psychological distance. It is often used adverbially in the form 「〜を隔てて (separated by ~)」, appearing frequently in contexts that describe the relationship between two things.
AI-generated translation
N2
別段
べつだん
Refers to anything especially noteworthy to mention. Used in expressions like 「別段の事情 (any particular circumstances)」「別段気にしていない (not particularly bothered)」. It is mostly used together with negative expressions such as 「ない」「なかった」, and its central use is adverbial, expressing the sense of "nothing in particular". It is used in formal styles; in everyday conversation it is usually replaced with 「特に (in particular)」.
AI-generated translation
N2
別途
べっと
Refers to being separate from the main thread or main body, and added on. Used in expressions like 「別途請求 (to be billed separately)」「別途連絡する (to contact separately)」「別途料金がかかる (a separate fee applies)」. It indicates that something is handled separately from a certain item or main body, and is a formal word appearing widely in business documents, contracts, and notices. In everyday conversation it can be replaced with 「別に」 or 「別で」, but in writing 「別途」 has become standard.
AI-generated translation
N2
経る
へる
Refers to passing through time, places, or stages. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「歳月を経る (years pass)」「審査を経て採用される (to be hired after passing a screening)」「東京を経て大阪に向かう (to go via Tokyo to Osaka)」. It has three meanings — the passage of time, passing through a place, and going through procedures or stages — and the reading must be distinguished by context. The adverbial usage in the form 「〜を経て (after passing through)」, indicating a preceding stage, is especially common, and appears frequently in formal styles.
AI-generated translation
N2
変革
へんかく
Refers to fundamentally changing the structures of society, organizations, or systems. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「意識の変革 (a change in consciousness)」「構造変革 (structural reform)」「社会変革 (social transformation)」. It expresses change that reaches the structure itself, rather than surface-level adjustment or partial improvement, and is often discussed from a long-term, historical perspective. It appears frequently in political, business, and social-theory contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
返還
へんかん
Refers to returning something one has borrowed or been entrusted with to its original owner. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「土地の返還 (the return of land)」「優勝旗の返還 (the return of the championship flag)」. It is used in situations where ownership or possession reverts to its former place, and is often discussed in connection with public or symbolic objects such as national treasures, prizes, or items in trust. For the everyday returning of objects, 「返す」 is used.
AI-generated translation
N2
偏見
へんけん
Refers to a biased view of a particular target held without sufficient grounds. It generally points to negative assumptions. Used in expressions like 「偏見を持つ (to have prejudice)」「偏見を捨てる (to abandon prejudice)」「偏見に満ちた発言 (a prejudiced remark)」. Whereas 「先入観 (preconception)」 can be used positively or negatively, 「偏見」 is used almost always negatively. It is an important word appearing frequently in contexts of discrimination and social problems.
AI-generated translation
N2
弁明
べんめい
Refers to explaining one's circumstances and reasons in response to criticism, suspicion, or accusation, in an attempt to clear up misunderstanding. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「弁明の機会 (an opportunity to explain oneself)」「弁明に努める (to make efforts to defend oneself)」「弁明の余地がない (no room for excuse)」. It is synonymous with 「釈明」「弁解」, but tends to refer to explanation in more public, formal settings. It appears frequently in contexts discussing law, politics, and organizational scandals.
AI-generated translation
N2
法案
ほうあん
Refers to a draft being deliberated in the Diet at a stage where it has not yet become law. Used in expressions like 「法案を提出する (to submit a bill)」「法案が可決される (a bill is passed)」「法案を撤回する (to withdraw a bill)」. It is a formal word related to politics and legislation, appearing frequently in news reports. Once passed, it becomes a 「法律 (law)」, and at that point is no longer called a 「法案」.
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.