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JLPT N2 Vocabulary
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N2
郷愁
きょうしゅう
「郷」 means hometown, and 「愁」 means sorrow or melancholy; together they refer to a wistful longing for one's hometown. It refers to the feeling of longing for one's hometown or old times. Used in expressions like 「郷愁を誘う」 or 「郷愁にひたる」. It is a somewhat formal word with literary and sentimental tones, frequently appearing in poetry and essays.
AI-generated translation
N2
凝縮
ぎょうしゅく
「凝」 means to congeal, and 「縮」 means to shrink; together they mean to congeal and contract. It refers to compressing content or elements into one and raising their density. Used in expressions like 「思いを凝縮する」 or 「人生を凝縮した作品」. It is a somewhat formal word frequently appearing in literature and criticism.
AI-generated translation
N2
強制
きょうせい
To force someone to do something regardless of their will.
AI-generated translation
N2
行政
ぎょうせい
The governmental function carried out by the state or local public bodies based on laws and policies.
AI-generated translation
N2
境地
きょうち
(1) A state or stage of mind reached after effort. 「悟りの境地」. (2) The position or situation one finds oneself in.
AI-generated translation
N2
協調
きょうちょう
「協」 means to cooperate, and 「調」 means to harmonize; together they mean to combine forces and maintain harmony. It refers to yielding to each other and joining forces. Used in expressions like 「協調性」 or 「国際協調」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in organizational management and diplomacy, expressing the attitude of avoiding conflict and connecting with others.
AI-generated translation
N2
協定
きょうてい
An agreement reached through discussion between countries or organizations.
AI-generated translation
N2
郷土
きょうど
「郷」 means hometown, and 「土」 means earth or land; together they refer to the land where one was born and raised. It refers to the land of one's birth and upbringing, or to the distinctive culture of a particular region. It is a somewhat formal word frequently appearing in compounds like 「郷土料理」, 「郷土史」, or 「郷土愛」, used more broadly than 「故郷」 in formal contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
脅迫
きょうはく
「脅」 means to threaten, and 「迫」 means to press in; together they mean to threaten and press. It refers to threatening someone to make them do something. Used in expressions like 「脅迫状」 or 「脅迫罪」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in crime news and legal contexts, clearly referring to an illegal act.
AI-generated translation
N2
共鳴
きょうめい
It refers to deeply agreeing with another's opinion or way of thinking. Used in expressions like 「○○の主張に共鳴する」. It is a somewhat formal word for assent, derived from the meaning of sound physically resonating.
AI-generated translation
N2
強要
きょうよう
「強」 means to force, and 「要」 means to demand; together they mean to forcibly demand. It refers to making someone do something against their will. Used in expressions like 「自白を強要する」 or 「協力を強要する」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in legal and human rights contexts, implying unjust pressure.
AI-generated translation
N2
享楽
きょうらく
「享」 means to receive or to savor, and 「楽」 means to enjoy; together they mean to fully savor enjoyment. It refers to enjoying pleasure to one's heart's content. Used in expressions like 「享楽にふける」 or 「享楽的な生活」. It is a formal word with a slightly negative tone, referring to the pursuit of pleasure without moderation.
AI-generated translation
N2
郷里
きょうり
It refers to the land where one was born and raised. Used in expressions like 「郷里に帰る」 or 「遠い郷里」. It is nearly synonymous with 「故郷」, but is a formal word used in more formal writing.
AI-generated translation
N2
強烈
きょうれつ
「強」 means strong, and 「烈」 means intense; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to stimulation or impression being extremely strong. Used in expressions like 「強烈な印象」 or 「強烈な光」. It is a somewhat formal word expressing extreme intensity, both physically and as a sensation.
AI-generated translation
N2
虚偽
きょぎ
「虚」 means empty or false, and 「偽」 means to falsify; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to making what is not true appear as if it were true. Used in expressions like 「虚偽の申告」 or 「虚偽の証言」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in legal and administrative contexts, used clearly in a negative sense.
AI-generated translation
N2
拒絶
きょぜつ
「拒」 means to refuse, and 「絶」 means to cut off; together they mean to refuse and cut off. It refers to strongly rejecting and not accepting. Used in expressions like 「面会を拒絶する」 or 「拒絶反応」. It is a formal word with a stronger and more decisive nuance than 「拒否」.
AI-generated translation
N2
許諾
きょだく
「許」 means to permit, and 「諾」 means to consent or accept; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to accepting and granting another's request or wish. Used in expressions like 「使用許諾」 or 「著作権許諾」. It is a formal specialized term frequently appearing in contract and copyright contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
拠点
きょてん
「拠」 means a base or foothold, and 「点」 means a point or place; together they mean a point that serves as a base. It refers to the central location that serves as a foothold for activity. Used in expressions like 「海外拠点」 or 「研究拠点」. It is a formal word for the central place of activity in broad fields such as business, military, and research.
AI-generated translation
N2
拒否
きょひ
「拒」 means to refuse, and 「否」 means to deny; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to rejecting a request or proposal without accepting it. Used in expressions like 「協力を拒否する」 or 「拒否権」. It is a somewhat formal word used widely in both everyday life and official contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
許容
きょよう
It refers to the range that one can accept and permit. Used in expressions like 「許容範囲」 or 「許容する」, it is a somewhat formal word used in situations of speaking about rules, standards, or tolerance.
AI-generated translation
N2
切り替える
きりかえる
It refers to stopping the state or method up to that point and changing to another. Used in expressions like 「気持ちを切り替える」 or 「方針を切り替える」, it is a verb expressing a shift in situation.
AI-generated translation
N2
規律
きりつ
「規」 means rule, and 「律」 means law; the word combines two synonymous characters. It refers to rules that must be followed to maintain the order of an organization or group. Used in expressions like 「規律を守る」 or 「規律正しい」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in contexts that value order, such as the military, schools, and companies.
AI-generated translation
N2
切り抜ける
きりぬける
The original meaning is the action of cutting through with a blade and passing out. From this, it came to be used metaphorically for somehow getting past a difficult situation and escaping. Used in forms like 「危機を切り抜ける」 or 「難局を切り抜ける」, it means escaping a predicament through one's own ingenuity and effort.
AI-generated translation
N2
器量
きりょう
「器」 means a vessel, and 「量」 means capacity; together they refer to the capacity of a vessel. From this, it came to be used metaphorically for the ability to accomplish things well and the breadth of a person's character. Used in expressions like 「器量がある」 or 「器量を試される」. It is a formal word used to evaluate leaders or people in positions of responsibility.
AI-generated translation
N2, N5
きれい
きれい
Being beautiful. Example: 「きれいな花」 (a beautiful flower). Also used to mean not being dirty, as in 「きれいな手」 (clean hands). The kanji 「綺麗」 is usually written in hiragana in daily life.
AI-generated translation
N2
疑惑
ぎわく
Suspicion about whether something is really correct, or whether someone has done something wrong.
AI-generated translation
N2
均質
きんしつ
It refers to the property or quality being the same throughout the whole. Used in expressions like 「均質な製品」 or 「均質化」. It is a formal word frequently appearing in industrial and scientific contexts, often used in quality control situations.
AI-generated translation
N2
均等
きんとう
It refers to all being equal with no differences. Used in expressions like 「均等に配分する」 or 「機会均等」. It is a somewhat formal word expressing fairness in distribution, opportunity, or ratio.
AI-generated translation
N2
区域
くいき
It refers to a fixed range of land or space partitioned for a particular purpose. Used in expressions like 「立入禁止区域」 or 「居住区域」, it is a formal word that partitions and indicates a geographical or spatial range.
AI-generated translation
N2
食い違う
くいちがう
It refers to two or more things being misaligned and not matching. Used in expressions like 「意見が食い違う」 or 「証言が食い違う」, in situations where statements or perceptions do not match. It can also be used for physical misalignment of joinery.
AI-generated translation
N2
食い止める
くいとめる
It refers to preventing a bad situation from spreading further. Used in expressions like 「被害を食い止める」 or 「進行を食い止める」, in situations of stopping ongoing harm or momentum partway through.
AI-generated translation
N2
区画
くかく
It refers to a range of land or space divided by a fixed boundary line. Used in expressions like 「区画整理」 or 「住宅区画」, it refers to a domain demarcated on a map.
AI-generated translation
N2
区切り
くぎり
A break in things, or the point at which a continuous task reaches a stopping point. Used in expressions like 「区切りをつける」 or 「区切りがいい」, it is an abstract noun used in situations of partitioning the stages of work or of life.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦言
くげん
「苦」 means bitter, and 「言」 means words; together they mean words that taste bitter to the ear. It refers to advice given out of consideration for the listener, though hard for them to hear. Used in expressions like 「苦言を呈する」 or 「苦言を聞く」, it is a formal word for stern advice from a senior or experienced person.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦し紛れ
くしまぎれ
It refers to actions or remarks given in the moment without thinking about consequences, due to extreme distress. Used in expressions like 「苦し紛れの言い訳」, it indicates the desperate response given when one is driven into a corner.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦渋
くじゅう
「苦」 means bitter, and 「渋」 means astringent; the word shifts from the taste sensations of bitterness and astringency to mental anguish. It refers to suffering and being troubled. Used in expressions like 「苦渋の決断」 or 「苦渋に満ちた表情」, it is a formal word for inner anguish faced when confronting problems with no easy answer.
AI-generated translation
N2
駆除
くじょ
「駆」 means to drive away, and 「除」 means to remove; together they mean to drive away and remove. It refers to removing creatures that cause harm. Used in expressions like 「害虫駆除」 or 「ネズミの駆除」, in situations of eliminating pests, harmful animals, or weeds that are harmful to humans.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦笑
くしょう
A bitter laugh in which feelings of perplexity or exasperation outweigh amusement. Used in expressions like 「苦笑を浮かべる」, it refers to the weak laugh shown in situations where laughing is the only thing one can do.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦情
くじょう
A complaint one voices to another party about trouble or dissatisfaction one has experienced.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦心
くしん
To rack one's brains and go through difficulty in order to accomplish something.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦戦
くせん
「苦」 means hardship, and 「戦」 means battle; together they mean a difficult battle. It refers to opponents or circumstances in matches, competitions, or work being so tough that things do not progress as intended. Used in expressions like 「苦戦を強いられる」 or 「販売が苦戦する」, it is often used in sports and business contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
愚痴
ぐち
It refers to repeatedly grumbling with dissatisfaction about things that are useless to talk about. Used in expressions like 「愚痴をこぼす」 or 「愚痴を言う」, in situations of letting out complaints that lead to no solution.
AI-generated translation
N2
口数
くちかず
The amount of words a person speaks. Used in expressions like 「口数が少ない」 or 「口数が多い」, it is an everyday word used in situations of expressing a person's character or mood through how much they speak.
AI-generated translation
N2
口出し
くちだし
It refers to adding unnecessary opinions or interference to matters with which one is not directly involved. Used in expressions like 「口出しをするな」 or 「他人に口出しする」, it is a noun used in critical contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
朽ち果てる
くちはてる
It refers to completely rotting to the point of losing its original form. Used in expressions like 「朽ち果てた廃屋」, it describes the state of an object that has rotted and decayed to the utmost over a long period. It is also used metaphorically in the sense of fame fading away.
AI-generated translation
N2
口元
くちもと
The area around the mouth, the surroundings of the mouth. Used in expressions like 「口元が緩む」 or 「口元を覆う」, in situations of describing it as a body part where expression or emotion appears.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦痛
くつう
It refers to physical or mental suffering or pain. Used in expressions like 「苦痛を訴える」 or 「苦痛に耐える」, it is used broadly from medical settings to everyday life.
AI-generated translation
N2
屈辱
くつじょく
「屈」 means to bow down, and 「辱」 means humiliation; together they express humiliation so great that one is forced to bow down. It refers to the unbearable shame and resentment felt when one's pride is hurt. Used in expressions like 「屈辱を味わう」 or 「屈辱に耐える」, it refers to the deep mental pain suffered in situations of defeat or insult.
AI-generated translation
N2
屈折
くっせつ
It refers to something that had been moving straight bending and turning. In addition to the physical phenomenon of the path of light or sound changing, it is also used for the manner of the psyche being complexly distorted, as in 「屈折した感情」.
AI-generated translation
N2
苦闘
くとう
It refers to fighting while suffering in the face of difficulty. Used in expressions like 「悪戦苦闘」 or 「苦闘の末に勝利する」, it is a formal word used in situations of struggling earnestly in conditions that are not at all easy.
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.