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JLPT N2 Vocabulary
1,210words ・ 0Learned
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N1, N2
機関
きかん
An organization or system created for a particular purpose. 教育機関 (educational institution), 報道機関 (news organization). Also refers to a device that converts energy into power (蒸気機関 "steam engine").
AI-generated translation
N2
危機
きき
「危」 means dangerous, and 「機」 means a sign or critical situation; together they refer to a dangerous situation. It refers to an imminent dangerous state that could lead to a bad outcome. Used in expressions like 「危機に陥る」 or 「危機を脱する」. It is a somewhat formal word also frequently appearing in compounds like 「経済危機」 or 「環境危機」.
AI-generated translation
N2
聞き流す
ききながす
It refers to lightly letting another's words pass without taking them seriously. Used in expressions like 「忠告を聞き流す」 or 「悪口を聞き流す」, it is a verb used both in negative and positive senses.
AI-generated translation
N2
危急
ききゅう
「危」 means dangerous, and 「急」 means imminent; together they mean that danger is imminent. Used in expressions like 「危急の事態」 or 「危急存亡」, it is a formal word used in urgent and serious situations. It is used more in journalism and historical writing than in everyday conversation.
AI-generated translation
N2
戯曲
ぎきょく
A script written to be performed on stage. A literary work made up of dialogue and stage directions.
AI-generated translation
N2
聞き分ける
ききわける
It refers to listening and distinguishing among multiple sounds or voices, or to understanding and accepting what the other person says. Used in expressions like 「物音を聞き分ける」 or 「言うことを聞き分ける」, it is a verb used in multiple senses.
AI-generated translation
N2
喜劇
きげき
A play with a happy ending, intended to make people laugh. The word with the opposite meaning is 「悲劇」.
AI-generated translation
N2
起源
きげん
The origin from which something first arose; the beginning.
AI-generated translation
N2
棄権
きけん
To voluntarily refrain from exercising a right one holds. Used in elections and competitions.
AI-generated translation
N2
着こなす
きこなす
It refers to wearing clothing skillfully so that it suits oneself. Used in expressions like 「スーツを着こなす」 or 「個性的な服を着こなす」, it is a somewhat formal verb used when speaking about fashion.
AI-generated translation
N2
気丈
きじょう
It refers to maintaining a strong heart without complaining, even when facing sorrow or difficulty. Used in expressions like 「気丈に振る舞う」 or 「気丈な人」. It is a somewhat formal word used when positively evaluating someone in adverse circumstances.
AI-generated translation
N2
規制
きせい
It refers to the government and the like restricting specific acts or activities. Used in expressions like 「規制を設ける」 or 「規制を強化する」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in legal and administrative contexts, with many compound words such as 「規制緩和」 or 「自主規制」.
AI-generated translation
N2
偽装
ぎそう
「偽」means to deceive, 「装」means to disguise; together they express disguising through deception. Refers to making something appear as something else in order to deceive. Used in expressions like「身分を偽装する」(to disguise one's identity)、「偽装工作」(camouflage operation). The character「擬装」may also be used, but「偽装」is the common form in modern usage. A formal word frequently appearing in crime reports and political contexts, often implying malicious intent.
AI-generated translation
N2
偽造
ぎぞう
「偽」 means to falsify, and 「造」 means to make; together they mean to make through falsification. It refers to making fake items resembling real ones. Used in expressions like 「偽造紙幣」 or 「偽造書類」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in crime news and legal contexts, clearly referring to an illegal act.
AI-generated translation
N2
気遣い
きづかい
「気」 means feeling, and 「遣う」 means to use; together they mean to use one's feelings, that is, to think of others and pay attention to them. Used in expressions like 「お気遣いありがとうございます」 or 「細やかな気遣い」. It is a word expressing polite consideration that smooths human relationships.
AI-generated translation
N2
規定
きてい
An official rule that determines how something is to be done.
AI-generated translation
N2
軌道
きどう
(1) The fixed path along which a celestial body or artificial satellite moves. 「地球の軌道」. (2) The course along which something proceeds smoothly. 「事業が軌道に乗る」.
AI-generated translation
N2
気長
きなが
「気」 means feeling, and 「長」 means long; together they describe maintaining one's feelings in a long, leisurely way. It refers to the disposition of being able to wait calmly without hurrying. Used in expressions like 「気長に待つ」 or 「気長な性格」. It is a somewhat formal word that positively expresses patience, and is the antonym of 「気短」.
AI-generated translation
N1, N2
気の毒
きのどく
Feeling sympathy for another person's misfortune or suffering. 気の毒に思う (feel sorry for someone). Also used for feeling apologetic about troubling someone (わざわざ来てもらって気の毒なことをした "I felt bad for making them come all this way").
AI-generated translation
N2
規範
きはん
「規」 means rule, and 「範」 means a model or pattern; together they refer to rules and models that should be followed. It refers to a standard that serves as a model for the conduct and judgment people should follow. Used in expressions like 「社会規範」 or 「行動規範」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in ethical, moral, and legal contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
寄付
きふ
To donate money or goods for public or charitable purposes.
AI-generated translation
N2
気風
きふう
「気」 means temperament, and 「風」 means local atmosphere; together they refer to the temperament and atmosphere unique to a place or group. It refers to the distinctive temperament and atmosphere commonly seen in a group or land. It is a somewhat formal word for speaking about the character of a region or organization, as in 「下町の気風」 or 「自由な気風」.
AI-generated translation
N2
起伏
きふく
(1) The ups and downs of terrain. 「起伏のある地形」. (2) The ups and downs of a matter or of one's emotions. 「感情の起伏が激しい」.
AI-generated translation
N2
気まぐれ
きまぐれ
「気」 means feeling, and 「まぐれ」 means to be unsettled or shaken; together they mean that one's feelings shift and do not settle. It refers to attitudes or actions changing easily according to the mood of the moment. Used in expressions like 「気まぐれな性格」 or 「気まぐれに立ち寄る」. It is a somewhat formal word leaning toward colloquial use, used both in mildly negative and mildly positive senses.
AI-generated translation
N2
気まずい
きまずい
It refers to a feeling in which the relationship with the other party becomes awkward and the atmosphere of that place becomes bad. Used in expressions like 「気まずい思いをする」 or 「気まずい雰囲気」, it is a word for friction in human relations.
AI-generated translation
N2
気まま
きまま
「気」 means feeling, and 「まま」 means as one wishes; together they mean to act as one's feelings move. It refers to behaving as one wishes without worrying about those around. Used in expressions like 「気ままな一人旅」 or 「気ままに暮らす」. It is a somewhat formal word with a positive nuance expressing freedom.
AI-generated translation
N2
気味
きみ
A feeling something gives you. Used as in いい気味だ (serves you right — an expression of pleasure at someone's failure). Also attached after other words, as in 風邪気味 (having a slight cold), 遅れ気味 (running a bit behind), to show a slight tendency; when attached, it is read with voicing as ぎみ.
AI-generated translation
N2
逆転
ぎゃくてん
A position, situation, or the like becoming the reverse of what it was before.
AI-generated translation
N2
客観
きゃっかん
To view things from a third party's standpoint, apart from one's own perspective and feelings. The word with the opposite meaning is 「主観」.
AI-generated translation
N2
救援
きゅうえん
To help people in trouble or a disaster-stricken area.
AI-generated translation
N2
急きょ
きゅうきょ
Doing something suddenly and hurriedly. The 「きょ」 is the kanji 「遽」, but it is not used in everyday writing, so this word is normally written in hiragana.
AI-generated translation
N2
究極
きゅうきょく
「究」 means to investigate to the utmost, and 「極」 means to reach the extreme; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to the final stage or highest state reached by pursuing something to its end. Used in expressions like 「究極の目的」 or 「究極の選択」. It is a somewhat formal word expressing the result of pursuing something to the limit.
AI-generated translation
N2
窮屈
きゅうくつ
It refers to a state of not being able to move freely due to space or constraints being strict. Used in expressions like 「窮屈な部屋」 or 「窮屈な思いをする」, it is a word used both physically and mentally.
AI-generated translation
N2
救済
きゅうさい
To help someone who is suffering or in trouble.
AI-generated translation
N2
給仕
きゅうじ
To serve food and drink and attend to guests at a meal; also, the person who does this. A somewhat old expression; nowadays 「接客」 is often used instead.
AI-generated translation
N2
急進的
きゅうしんてき
Describing the manner of trying to advance toward a goal all at once. Used in expressions like 「急進的な改革」 (radical reform) or 「急進的な意見」 (radical opinions) to express that change happens faster and on a larger scale than usual. Proceeding little by little is called 「漸進的」, though 「段階的」 (step-by-step) is more common in everyday use. Another word containing 「急進」 is 「急進派」, which refers to people who take such a position.
AI-generated translation
N2
急進派
きゅうしんは
People who take the position of changing the current way of doing things or the current system drastically and all at once. Often used in political contexts and typically contrasted with 「穏健派」 (the moderates), who seek gradual change. Another word containing 「急進」 is 「急進的」, which describes such a way of thinking or proceeding.
AI-generated translation
N2
急変
きゅうへん
「急」 means sudden, and 「変」 means to change; together they mean to change suddenly. It refers to a state or situation changing sharply and suddenly. Used in expressions like 「容態が急変する」 or 「事態が急変する」. It is a formal word expressing serious change in news and medical contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
給与
きゅうよ
Money paid by an employer for one's work; also, to give money or goods.
AI-generated translation
N2
急落
きゅうらく
「急」 means sudden, and 「落」 means to fall; together they mean to fall suddenly. It refers to prices or numerical values dropping sharply and suddenly. Used in expressions like 「株価が急落する」 or 「支持率が急落する」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in economic and political news, referring to sudden downward change.
AI-generated translation
N2
寄与
きよ
To exert effort for something and be of use to it. 「発展に寄与する」. A more formal, written word than 「貢献」, which has the same meaning.
AI-generated translation
N2
器用
きよう
It refers to being good at fine work using one's hands. Used in expressions like 「手先が器用」 or 「器用な人」. By metaphor it is also used in the sense of "skillful in social conduct," and is a somewhat formal word for evaluating people.
AI-generated translation
N2
凶悪
きょうあく
「凶」 means calamity or evil, and 「悪」 also means bad; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to being extremely vicious and brutal. Used in expressions like 「凶悪犯」 or 「凶悪事件」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in crime news, referring to serious wrongdoing involving human life.
AI-generated translation
N2
脅威
きょうい
「脅」 means to threaten, and 「威」 means imposing power; together they refer to the power to give threat and pressure. It refers to a power or danger so great that it makes others feel fear. Used in expressions like 「脅威を感じる」 or 「脅威にさらされる」. It is a formal word for serious danger in broad fields such as military, economy, and health.
AI-generated translation
N2
驚異
きょうい
「驚」 means to be amazed, and 「異」 means unusual or extraordinary; together they refer to something so extraordinary that it amazes people. Used in expressions like 「自然の驚異」 or 「驚異の記録」. It is a somewhat formal word with a sense of praise.
AI-generated translation
N2
教訓
きょうくん
A lesson learned from a failure or an experience that will be useful in the future.
AI-generated translation
N2
凝固
ぎょうこ
「凝」 means to congeal or solidify, and 「固」 means hard; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to a liquid or gas solidifying into a solid. Used in expressions like 「血液が凝固する」 or 「凝固剤」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in chemistry and medicine, referring to the change of state of matter.
AI-generated translation
N2
強硬
きょうこう
「強」 means strong, and 「硬」 means hard; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to pushing through one's opinion or attitude without yielding. Used in expressions like 「強硬な姿勢」 or 「強硬手段」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in negotiation, diplomacy, and political contexts, expressing an uncompromising attitude.
AI-generated translation
N2
強硬派
きょうこうは
「強硬」 is formed from 「強」 (strong) and 「硬」 (hard), and refers to a strong and unyielding stance. 「強硬派」 refers to people who refuse to compromise and try to push through their own opinions or positions. Used in expressions like 「党内の強硬派」 or 「強硬派が主導する」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in political and diplomatic contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
凶作
きょうさく
「凶」 means calamity or bad, and 「作」 means the state of crops or harvest; together they mean a poor harvest. It refers to the harvest of agricultural produce being extremely small. Used in expressions like 「凶作の年」 or 「米が凶作だった」. It is a formal word for crop failure due to abnormal weather or natural disasters, used in journalism and historical writing.
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.