precious. Being extremely important and valuable. Example: 「貴重な経験」 (a valuable experience), 「貴重品」 (valuables).
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N3議長ぎちょう
chairperson. The person whose role is to run a meeting. Example: 「議長を務める」 (to serve as chairperson).
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N3希望きぼう
hope. To wish for things to turn out a certain way. That wish. Example: 「希望を持つ」 (to have hope), 「希望の大学」 (a desired university). The antonym is 「絶望」 (despair).
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N3基本きほん
basics. The most fundamental, important part of something. Example: 「基本を身につける」 (to master the basics), 「基本的な考え方」 (a basic way of thinking).
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N3決まりきまり
A rule that one is supposed to follow. Example: 「決まりを守る」 (to follow the rules). There is also 「決まり文句」 (a stock phrase always used the same way) and 「決まりが悪い」 (to feel embarrassed).
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N3奇妙きみょう
strange. A puzzling state that would not normally be expected. Example: 「奇妙な音」 (a strange sound), 「奇妙な話」 (a strange story).
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N3義務ぎむ
obligation. Something that has been decided must be done. Example: 「義務を果たす」 (to fulfill an obligation), 「義務教育」 (compulsory education). The antonym is 「権利」 (right).
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N3疑問ぎもん
To wonder whether something is really true, or why it is so. Example: 「疑問を持つ」 (to have a question/doubt), 「疑問に思う」 (to wonder), 「疑問点」 (a point of doubt).
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N3逆ぎゃく
reverse. Order or direction being opposite. Example: 「逆の方向」 (the opposite direction), 「順番が逆だ」 (the order is reversed). In the form 「逆に」, it means "on the contrary/conversely."
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N3休暇きゅうか
vacation. An extended period of time off from a company or school. Example: 「夏季休暇」 (summer vacation), 「休暇を取る」 (to take time off). More formal than 「休み」.
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N3休憩きゅうけい
break. To stop work or exercise for a short while and rest. Example: 「10分休憩する」 (to take a 10-minute break), 「休憩時間」 (break time).
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N3急激きゅうげき
A state in which change is sudden and intense. Example: 「急激な変化」 (a sudden change), 「気温が急激に下がる」 (the temperature drops sharply).
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N3吸収きゅうしゅう
absorption. To soak up moisture, etc. Example: 「スポンジが水を吸収する」 (a sponge absorbs water). Also used to mean taking in and making something one's own, as in 「知識を吸収する」 (to absorb knowledge).
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N3救助きゅうじょ
rescue. To help a person who is in a dangerous situation. Example: 「人命救助」 (lifesaving), 「救助隊」 (rescue team).
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N3急速きゅうそく
rapid. A state of advancing very quickly. Example: 「急速に発展する」 (to develop rapidly), 「急速な変化」 (a rapid change).
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N3共通きょうつう
common. Something that applies to any of two or more things. Example: 「共通の友人」 (a mutual friend), 「共通点」 (a common point), 「共通の話題」 (a shared topic).
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N3極端きょくたん
extreme. A state greatly deviating from the normal degree. Example: 「極端な意見」 (an extreme opinion), 「極端に少ない」 (extremely few).
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N3距離きょり
The length between two places or things. Also used when a relationship with a person is distant, as in 「距離を置く」 (to keep one's distance).
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N3鎖くさり
chain. Metal rings linked together to form something like a rope. Example: 「犬を鎖でつなぐ」 (to tie a dog with a chain).
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N3腐るくさる
rot. For food, etc., to go bad from age. Example: 「魚が腐る」 (fish rots). Also used to mean losing motivation, as in 「気持ちが腐る」 (to become dispirited).
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N3癖くせ
habit. A behavior peculiar to a person that they do unconsciously; often used for undesirable behaviors. Example: 「爪をかむ癖」 (a habit of biting one's nails), 「口癖」 (a pet phrase). While 「習慣」 can also be used for groups, 「癖」 is used for individuals, including animals. Also used to mean a trait different from the ordinary, as in 「癖のある字」 (handwriting with quirks).
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N3管くだ
tube. A long, thin pipe through which water or air, etc., passes. Example: 「ゴムの管」 (a rubber tube). Read as 「かん」 in words like 「血管」 (blood vessel) and 「水道管」 (water pipe).
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N3砕くくだく
crush. To break a hard object into small pieces. Example: 「氷を砕く」 (to crush ice). There is also the expression 「心を砕く」 (to take great pains over something). 「砕く」 is used when someone applies force to break something, and 「砕ける」 when it breaks apart of its own accord: 「氷を砕く」 versus 「氷が砕ける」.
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N3下りくだり
Heading from a high place to a low place. Example: 「下り坂」 (a downhill slope), 「下りの電車」 (a train heading away from the city center). The antonym is 「上り」 (going up).
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N3唇くちびる
lips. The soft part around the mouth. There is also the expression 「唇をかむ」 (to bite one's lip, i.e., to hold back frustration).
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N3配るくばる
distribute. To divide something up and give it to many people. Example: 「プリントを配る」 (to hand out worksheets). Also used to mean paying close attention to something, as in 「気を配る」 (to be attentive).
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N3組合くみあい
union. An organization formed by people who share the same purpose. Example: 「労働組合」 (labor union), 「組合に入る」 (to join a union).
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N3組むくむ
To combine separate things into one. Also used when cooperating with a person or making a plan, as in 「腕を組む」 (to fold one's arms), 「予算を組む」 (to put together a budget).
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N3悔しいくやしい
A frustrated, angry feeling that comes from losing or failing and being unable to accept it. Example: 「試合に負けて悔しい」 (frustrated at losing the match), 「悔しい思いをする」 (to feel frustration).
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N3悔やむくやむ
regret. To feel sorry, thinking one should have done otherwise at that time. Example: 「失敗を悔やむ」 (to regret a failure). 「悔いる」 is a formal word with the same meaning.
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N1, N3, N5暗いくらい
dark. Having little light, so things are hard to see. Example: 「暗いへや」 (a dark room). The antonym is 「明るい」 (bright).
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N3暮らすくらす
To live and spend one's days. Example: 「一人で暮らす」 (to live alone), 「幸せに暮らす」 (to live happily). The noun form is 「暮らし」 (life/living).
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N3繰り返すくりかえす
repeat. To do the same thing many times. Example: 「失敗を繰り返す」 (to repeat a mistake), 「同じ説明を繰り返す」 (to repeat the same explanation).
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N3狂うくるう
To go out of a normal state. Used to mean something not working correctly or not going as planned, as in 「時計が狂う」 (a clock goes out of order), 「計画が狂う」 (a plan goes awry).
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N3苦しいくるしい
A state in which the body or mind is in distress. Example: 「息が苦しい」 (it's hard to breathe), 「生活が苦しい」 (life is hard, i.e., not enough money), 「苦しい言い訳」 (a strained/unconvincing excuse).
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N3くるむくるむ
To wrap something entirely. Example: 「赤ちゃんを毛布でくるむ」 (to wrap a baby in a blanket). Nearly the same as 「包む」, but used when wrapping something soft around an object like winding it.
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N3暮れくれ
The time toward the end of a day, season, or year. Example: 「年の暮れ」 (the end of the year), 「日の暮れ」 (evening/dusk). The verb form is 「暮れる」.
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N3苦労くろう
hardship. To struggle through difficulty for something to work out well. Example: 「苦労して育てる」 (to raise something/someone through hard effort), 「ご苦労さま」 (thank you for your hard work).
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N3加えるくわえる
add. To add something further to what already exists. Example: 「塩を加える」 (to add salt), 「メンバーに加える」 (to add to the members). Also used as in 「熱を加える」 (to apply heat), 「力を加える」 (to apply force). 「加える」 is used when someone adds something, and 「加わる」 when something joins in: 「メンバーに加える」 versus 「メンバーに加わる」.
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N3詳しいくわしい
detailed. A state of being clearly understood down to fine points. Example: 「詳しい説明」 (a detailed explanation). Also used to mean knowing a lot about something, as in 「歴史に詳しい」 (knowledgeable about history).
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N3訓練くんれん
training. To have someone practice repeatedly so they can do something well. Example: 「避難訓練」 (an evacuation drill), 「犬を訓練する」 (to train a dog).
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N3景気けいき
economy. The state of the movement of money and business in society. Example: 「景気がいい」 (the economy is good), 「景気が回復する」 (the economy recovers).
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N3敬語けいご
A way of speaking that expresses respect for the other person. Includes honorific, humble, and polite language. Example: 「敬語を使う」 (to use honorific language).
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N3傾向けいこう
tendency. A tendency for something to lean in a certain direction. Example: 「増える傾向にある」 (there is a tendency to increase), 「若者の傾向」 (a tendency among young people).
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N3警告けいこく
warning. To give strong advance notice so a dangerous thing does not happen. Example: 「警告を受ける」 (to receive a warning), 「警告を無視する」 (to ignore a warning).
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N3芸術げいじゅつ
art. An activity that expresses beauty, such as painting, music, and literature. Example: 「芸術作品」 (a work of art), 「芸術家」 (an artist).
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N3契約けいやく
contract. To formally exchange a promise related to buying and selling, lending and borrowing, etc. Example: 「契約を結ぶ」 (to conclude a contract), 「契約書」 (a contract document).
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N3経由けいゆ
To pass through a certain place on the way to a destination. Example: 「香港経由でベトナムへ行く」 (to go to Vietnam via Hong Kong), 「経由地」 (a stopover point).
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N3経歴けいれき
The history of a person's past study or work.
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N3劇げき
drama. Something presented on a stage where actors play roles to tell a story. Example: 「劇を見る」 (to watch a play), 「学芸会で劇をする」 (to perform a play at a school event).
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