Log in to save your learning history.
Sign up
JLPT N2 Vocabulary
1,262words ・ 0Learned
Searches word and reading by partial match. Tick the box below to search meanings too
N2
改革
かいかく
To fundamentally change a system or structure to make it better. A written word used in political and social contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
快活
かいかつ
「快」 means pleasant, and 「活」 means lively; together they mean pleasantly lively. It describes a character or attitude that is bright and energetic. Used in expressions like 「快活に笑う」 or 「快活な少年」, it is a positive word expressing lively brightness.
AI-generated translation
N2
階級
かいきゅう
A rank on an ordered scale, fixed within an organization or a sport according to ability or achievement. As in 「軍隊の階級」「柔道の階級」, it refers to the graded steps of position. It also refers to a layer of people divided within society by status, property and the like; as in 「労働者階級」「階級社会」, it is used when speaking about society or history.
AI-generated translation
N2
海峡
かいきょう
A narrow sea passage between two landmasses. Often used as part of a place name, as in 「津軽海峡」.
AI-generated translation
N2
解雇
かいこ
「解」 means to undo, and 「雇」 means to hire; together they mean to undo an employment relationship. It refers to a company unilaterally dismissing someone who has been employed. Used in expressions like 「解雇する」 or 「不当解雇」, in situations of the employer ending the employment relationship. Frequently appears in legal and labor contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
介護
かいご
To care for an elderly or sick person, helping with eating, bathing, moving around, and the like.
AI-generated translation
N2
外交
がいこう
Building relations between countries and settling issues through talks; diplomacy. Used as in 外交官 (diplomat), 外交問題 (diplomatic issue).
AI-generated translation
N2
会合
かいごう
People gathering for consultation or discussion; also, the gathering itself. Covers a wider range of formality than 会議 (meeting) and is mostly used in writing.
AI-generated translation
N2
開催
かいさい
To hold and carry out a meeting, event, tournament, or the like.
AI-generated translation
N2
解釈
かいしゃく
Understanding and explaining the meaning of words or things in one's own way; interpretation. Used where the same thing can be understood differently by different people, as in 法律の解釈 (interpretation of the law), 良い方に解釈する (take it in a favorable way).
AI-generated translation
N2
改修
かいしゅう
To repair and fix up defective parts of a building or facility. Mainly applies to structures and facilities.
AI-generated translation
N1, N2
回収
かいしゅう
To collect and take back items that have already been distributed or used.
AI-generated translation
N2
怪獣
かいじゅう
A huge, frightening imaginary creature that appears in stories or movies.
AI-generated translation
N2
解除
かいじょ
To cancel a restriction or agreement that has been set, returning to the original free state. 「警報を解除する」「契約を解除する」.
AI-generated translation
N2
解析
かいせき
「解」 means to undo or break down, and 「析」 means to separate; together they mean to break apart and examine in detail. It refers to dividing a complex matter into elements and investigating its structure or content in detail. Used in expressions like 「データ解析」 or 「画像解析」, it is a formal word used in technical and research contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
回送
かいそう
(1) To move a vehicle to another location without carrying passengers or cargo. 「回送電車」. (2) To forward mail or the like that has arrived to a different address.
AI-generated translation
N1, N2
階層
かいそう
(1) A stratum formed when society is divided by status or income. 「富裕階層」. (2) A structure made up of layers stacked one on another. 「階層構造」.
AI-generated translation
N2
開拓
かいたく
It refers to opening up and expanding undeveloped land, or new fields and markets. Used in expressions like 「荒れ地を開拓する」, 「新市場を開拓する」, or 「販路を開拓する」, in situations of opening up for the first time a domain that no one has touched.
AI-generated translation
N2
会談
かいだん
To hold formal talks with an important counterpart in an official setting. Used in political and diplomatic contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
改定
かいてい
To newly re-establish a rule, fee, or the like. 「料金の改定」. A different word from 「改訂」, which has the same reading; this word applies to systems, prices, and the like.
AI-generated translation
N2
改訂
かいてい
To correct and update the content of a book or piece of writing. 「教科書の改訂」. Easily confused with 「改定」, which has the same reading, but this word applies to books and writing.
AI-generated translation
N1, N2
街道
かいどう
A main road connecting towns. Also used figuratively, as in 「出世街道」.
AI-generated translation
N2
介入
かいにゅう
「介」 means to come between, and 「入」 means to enter; together they mean to step in between. It refers to a third party stepping in to become involved in the affairs of the parties concerned. Used in expressions like 「軍事介入」 or 「司法介入」, it is a formal word for situations of external intervention. It frequently appears in political, international relations, and organizational contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
解任
かいにん
「解」 means to undo, and 「任」 means a duty or office; together they mean to undo an office. It refers to removing a person from an office or duty to which they had been appointed. Used in expressions like 「役員を解任する」, in situations where an organization unilaterally relieves someone of office. Frequently appears in legal and organizational contexts.
AI-generated translation
N2
介抱
かいほう
「介」 means to help or to come between, and 「抱」 means to embrace; together they mean to come between and care for someone in one's arms. It refers to caring for a sick person, an injured person, or someone unable to move due to drunkenness. Used in expressions like 「酔った友人を介抱する」, in situations of nursing someone temporarily weakened.
AI-generated translation
N2
解明
かいめい
「解」 means to unravel or to clarify, and 「明」 means to make clear; together they mean to unravel and make clear. It refers to investigating and making clear what has been unknown. Used in expressions like 「真相を解明する」 or 「事故原因の解明」, in situations of uncovering hidden facts.
AI-generated translation
N2
解約
かいやく
「解」 means to undo, and 「約」 means a contract; together they mean to undo a contract. It refers to canceling a contract that has been concluded. Used in expressions like 「契約を解約する」 or 「保険を解約する」, in situations of ending an agreement that has been established.
AI-generated translation
N2, N5
鍵
かぎ
key. A tool for opening or locking a door, etc. 「かぎをかける」 means to lock a door, etc.
AI-generated translation
N2
額
がく
An amount of money; also a frame for displaying a picture or photograph. Besides expressing the size of a sum, as in "保険料の額" or "多額の寄付", it is also used in the sense of a frame, as in "額に入れて飾る". The same "額" read as "ひたい" is a different word meaning the part of the face above the eyebrows.
AI-generated translation
N2
拡散
かくさん
It refers to things spreading and scattering over a wide range. Used in expressions like 「情報が拡散する」, 「ガスが拡散する」, or 「噂が拡散する」, in situations of spreading or being transmitted widely from one point to the surroundings.
AI-generated translation
N2
学識
がくしき
「学」 means learning, and 「識」 means knowledge; together they refer to knowledge obtained through learning. It refers to deep knowledge acquired through scholarship. Used in expressions like 「学識経験者」 or 「高い学識」, it is a formal word for specialized insight acquired through long years of research.
AI-generated translation
N2
革新
かくしん
「革」 means to renew, and 「新」 means new; together they mean to renew and make new. It refers to greatly reforming old institutions or structures. Used in expressions like 「技術革新」 or 「革新的な発想」, in situations of fundamentally changing how things have been. The word with the opposite meaning is 「保守」.
AI-generated translation
N2
学説
がくせつ
「学」 means learning or scholarship, and 「説」 means opinion or doctrine; together they refer to a doctrine in scholarship. It refers to a doctrine or view about a matter put forward through academic research. Used in expressions like 「新しい学説」 or 「対立する学説」, referring to a theory put forward by a researcher.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
隠れる
かくれる
To hide oneself so that others cannot find you. Example: 「木の陰に隠れる」 (to hide in the shade of a tree). Also used to mean not known to the world, as in 「隠れた名店」 (a hidden gem restaurant). 「隠れる」 is used when one becomes unseen oneself, and 「隠す」 when someone makes a person or thing unseen: 「子どもが隠れる」 versus 「子どもを隠す」.
AI-generated translation
N2〜N5
掛ける
かける
To hang or place something somewhere. Example: 「かべに絵を掛ける」 (to hang a picture on a wall). Also has various other uses, such as making a phone call or sitting in a chair.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
欠ける
かける
For part of something to break off and be missing. Example: 「茶わんが欠ける」 (a chip breaks off a rice bowl). Also used to mean lacking something necessary, as in 「常識に欠ける」 (to lack common sense), 「メンバーが一人欠ける」 (one member is missing).
AI-generated translation
N2
加減
かげん
To adjust the degree of something to just the right level; also, that condition itself.
AI-generated translation
N2
過酷
かこく
「過」 means excessive, and 「酷」 means cruel; together they mean cruelty that exceeds proper measure. It refers to a degree of severity that surpasses the limit one can endure. Used in expressions like 「過酷な労働」 or 「過酷な環境」, in situations where the burden on people or things becomes extremely heavy.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
飾る
かざる
decorate. To place or attach things so they look beautiful. Example: 「花を飾る」 (to decorate with flowers), 「部屋を飾る」 (to decorate a room). Also used to mean making something appear better than it really is, as in 「言葉を飾る」 (to embellish one's words).
AI-generated translation
N2
微か
かすか
It describes a manner in which sound, light, or smell is so small that it can only barely be perceived. Used in expressions like 「微かな音」 or 「微かに見える」, it expresses a faint and unclear sensation.
AI-generated translation
N2
過疎
かそ
「過」 means excessive, and 「疎」 means sparse; together they mean excessively sparse. It refers to a state in which a region's population has sharply decreased, making it difficult to maintain social life. Used in expressions like 「過疎化」 or 「過疎地域」, in contexts speaking of regional decline. The word with the opposite meaning is 「過密」.
AI-generated translation
N2
偏る
かたよる
It refers to overall balance breaking down and shifting to one side. Used in expressions like 「栄養が偏る」 or 「意見が偏る」, in situations where what should originally be even has tilted to one side.
AI-generated translation
N2
活性化
かっせいか
It refers to activity becoming lively, or to making it lively. Used in expressions like 「地域の活性化」 or 「経済を活性化する」, in situations of making the movement of an organization, a region, or a market vigorous.
AI-generated translation
N2
合致
がっち
「合」 means to fit, and 「致」 means to arrive precisely; together they mean to fit precisely as one. It refers to two or more matters fitting together exactly as one. Used in expressions like 「条件に合致する」 or 「証言と合致する」, it is a formal word used when content or conditions completely overlap.
AI-generated translation
N2
かつて
かつて
An adverb referring to a certain period in the past, meaning "formerly" or "long ago." Used in expressions like「かつてない規模」(an unprecedented scale)、「かつて栄えた街」(a town that once flourished). Although it can be written with the kanji「嘗て」, the hiragana form is more common.
AI-generated translation
N2
過程
かてい
The course something follows as it progresses toward a result.
AI-generated translation
N2
仮定
かてい
To tentatively treat something not yet certain as being true, and proceed on that basis.
AI-generated translation
N2〜N4
家庭
かてい
The place where family members, such as parents and children, live together. Example: 「家庭で作る料理」 (home-cooked food).
AI-generated translation
N2
叶える
かなえる
It refers to making a wish or dream come true. Used in expressions like 「夢を叶える」 or 「願いを叶える」, in situations of giving actual form to what one had hoped for.
AI-generated translation
N2
庇う
かばう
It refers to protecting someone from attack or criticism. Used in expressions like 「子を庇う」 or 「部下を庇う」, in situations of stepping in between to protect someone in a weaker position.
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.