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ALL LEVELS・N1–N5
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4,238words (N1–N5 total)
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N4
変
へん
strange. A state of being unusual and odd.
AI-generated translation
N3, N5
辺
へん
The area, the vicinity of a place. Example: 「この辺」 (around here).
AI-generated translation
N3
変化
へんか
change. A state or quality of something changing. Example: 「気温の変化」 (change in temperature).
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
N1
便宜
べんぎ
Refers to arranging things conveniently as the situation calls for, or such an arrangement itself. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「便宜を図る (to give favorable consideration)」「便宜上 (for convenience)」「便宜的な措置 (an expedient measure)」. In 「便宜を図る」 the meaning is to grant benefit to a particular party, and is sometimes used in contexts that criticize illicit favoritism. 「便宜上」 is an adverbial expression meaning "not officially, but as a present-day convenience".
AI-generated translation
N3, N5
勉強
べんきょう
study. To learn and remember something one doesn't know.
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
N1
偏向
へんこう
Refers to thinking, reporting, education, etc. leaning from neutrality toward a particular direction. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「偏向報道 (biased reporting)」「思想の偏向 (ideological bias)」「偏向した教育 (biased education)」. It is used widely in contexts that point out and criticize the unfairness of what should originally be impartial and neutral. It is often used in fields where neutrality is institutionally required, such as journalism, education, and the judiciary.
AI-generated translation
N3
変更
へんこう
To change something that had been decided. Example: 「予定を変更する」 (to change a plan). While 「変化」 includes natural change, 「変更」 refers to a change made intentionally by a person.
AI-generated translation
N3
弁護士
べんごし
lawyer. A legal expert who helps resolve disputes and assists in court trials.
AI-generated translation
N4
返事
へんじ
To respond to being called or asked something. It also refers to what one sends back as an answer after receiving a letter or an email. Examples: 「返事を書く」 (to write a reply), 「返事が来る」 (a reply arrives).
AI-generated translation
N1
変遷
へんせん
Refers to things gradually shifting and changing with the flow of time. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「時代の変遷 (the changes of an era)」「制度の変遷をたどる (to trace the development of a system)」「言葉の変遷 (the evolution of language)」. Rather than a single dramatic change, it refers to gradual progression over a long period, and is widely used in contexts describing the historical flow from past to present.
AI-generated translation
N1
偏重
へんちょう
Refers to placing excessive importance on one aspect of something while neglecting the other aspects. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「学歴偏重 (overemphasis on educational background)」「結果偏重 (overemphasis on results)」「成績偏重の教育 (education that overemphasizes grades)」. It is used frequently in contexts where biased emphasis is treated as problematic in matters that ought to maintain balance. It appears often in discussions of education, personnel evaluation, and journalistic style, and carries critical connotations.
AI-generated translation
N5
弁当
べんとう
A meal packed in a box, etc., to be eaten away from home. A polite form of 「弁当」.
AI-generated translation
N1
変貌
へんぼう
Refers to a great change in appearance or form. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「変貌を遂げる (to undergo a transformation)」「街が変貌する (the city is transformed)」「変貌ぶり (the extent of transformation)」. Its focus is on outward, overall change — the look or atmosphere of a building, townscape, or person — and is distinguished from 「変容」, which refers to inner change. It is often used in contexts emphasizing dramatic change over a short period.
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
N5
便利
べんり
convenient. Easy to use, being helpful. The antonym is 「不便」 (inconvenient).
AI-generated translation
N1
某
ぼう
A word that vaguely refers to a person, place, or time without specifying the name. It is a formal written word used in a prefix-like manner, as in 「某氏 (a certain Mr. X)」「某社 (a certain company X)」「某月某日 (on a certain date)」. It is used both when one wishes to anonymize intentionally and when the details are not clearly known. It appears frequently in news reports, official documents, and historical writings; in spoken language it is usually replaced with 「ある〜 (some...)」 or 「どこかの〜 (a certain...)」.
AI-generated translation
N4
方
ほう
direction, side. A word that points to one of two things. Used when comparing two things, as in "こちらの方が大きい" (this one is bigger). It can also express direction, as in "駅の方へ歩く" (to walk toward the station). It is often written in kana as "ほう". The same "方" read as "かた" becomes a different word, a polite way of saying "人" (person).
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
N4
貿易
ぼうえき
To buy and sell goods between countries.
AI-generated translation
N1
忘恩
ぼうおん
Refers to forgetting a kindness received and not trying to repay it. It is a formal written word used in expressions like 「忘恩の徒 (an ingrate)」「忘恩の行為 (an act of ingratitude)」, hardly used in everyday modern conversation. Against a background of Confucian and moral values, it is used in contexts that strongly denounce acts that turn one's back on indebtedness. It is a word often seen in literary works, biographies, and historical writings.
AI-generated translation
N1
崩壊
ほうかい
Refers to a building, organization, relationship, or system being broken and losing its original form. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「家庭の崩壊 (the collapse of a family)」「制度が崩壊する (a system collapses)」「ベルリンの壁の崩壊 (the fall of the Berlin Wall)」. It is used both for physical collapse and for abstract disintegration of organizations, nations, human relationships, or order. Rather than a temporary downturn, it expresses a decisive change in which the very structure ceases to be tenable.
AI-generated translation
N2
妨害
ぼうがい
Refers to deliberately interfering with another's actions or the progress of an affair. Used in expressions like 「業務を妨害する (to obstruct business operations)」「電波妨害 (radio jamming)」「公務執行妨害 (obstruction of public duties)」. Rather than mere careless interference, it points to intentional acts of obstruction, and has become established as a legal term. It is a formal word frequently used in news reports, legal documents, and business writing.
AI-generated translation
N1
傍観
ぼうかん
Refers to remaining inactive and merely watching from the sidelines despite being in a position where one ought to be directly involved. Used in expressions like 「事態を傍観する (to look on at events)」「傍観者 (a bystander)」. Rather than neutral "looking", the word often carries a critical implication, pointing to an attitude of inaction in situations where intervention is called for. It appears frequently in contexts that denounce indifference to social problems or incidents.
AI-generated translation
N1
放棄
ほうき
Refers to voluntarily abandoning and not exercising one's rights, responsibilities, or possessions. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「権利を放棄する (to renounce one's rights)」「育児を放棄する (to abandon child-rearing)」「試合を放棄する (to forfeit a match)」. It refers to the intentional act of letting go of a right one holds or a duty one ought to perform, and is widely used in legal, sports, and administrative contexts. It is distinguished from 「喪失 (loss)」 and 「剥奪 (deprivation)」 in that the cause of loss lies in one's own will.
AI-generated translation
N2
忘却
ぼうきゃく
Refers to something completely disappearing from memory. Used in expressions like 「忘却の彼方 (the far side of oblivion)」「歴史の忘却 (the forgetting of history)」「忘却される (to be forgotten)」. Unlike 「ど忘れ (a momentary lapse of memory)」, which simply means being unable to recall, this word denotes the process by which something is lost from memory through the long passage of time or deliberate neglect. It is a formal written word, frequently used in historical, philosophical, or literary contexts.
AI-generated translation
N1
暴挙
ぼうきょ
Refers to violent, reckless conduct that ignores common sense and reason. Used in expressions like 「暴挙に出る (to resort to a reckless act)」「許されざる暴挙 (an unpardonable outrage)」. It is a formal word that strongly condemns acts unacceptable in social or moral terms, and is more often used for acts by organizations or states than for private acts of violence by individuals. The style is biased toward news reports, editorials, and protest statements.
AI-generated translation
N2
防御
ぼうぎょ
Refers to protecting oneself or one's charge from attack or harm. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「敵の攻撃を防御する (to defend against an enemy attack)」「防御を固める (to strengthen one's defense)」「防御率 (earned run average)」. It refers to the act of defense against the attacking side in fields such as sports (especially as the performance index of baseball pitchers), the military, and cybersecurity. It is distinguished from 「防護」, which refers to protection from accidents, disasters, and hazardous substances; 「防御」 refers to defense against intentional attacks.
AI-generated translation
N2
暴言
ぼうげん
Refers to violent, rude speech that wounds or insults another person. Used in expressions like 「暴言を吐く (to spew abusive language)」「暴言を浴びせる (to hurl abusive words at someone)」. Heavier than merely 「ひどい言葉 (terrible words)」, it points to extreme remarks that society regards as problematic. It is a word that appears frequently in contexts where statements by politicians or public figures are reported in the news, and such remarks often become the subject of accountability demands.
AI-generated translation
N1, N2
冒険
ぼうけん
Boldly taking on something with an uncertain outcome despite danger; an adventure. 冒険小説 (adventure novel). Also used for an attempt whose success is uncertain (その計画は冒険だ "that plan is a gamble").
AI-generated translation
N2
防護
ぼうご
Refers to protecting one's body or possessions from dangers such as accidents, disasters, or hazardous substances. Used in expressions like 「防護服 (protective clothing)」「防護柵 (protective fence)」「放射線防護 (radiation protection)」. Unlike 「防御」, which refers to defending against attacks, 「防護」 is more often used for protection against unintentional harm such as accidents, pollution, or natural disasters, rather than against intentional, hostile attacks. It appears frequently in specialized contexts such as safety engineering, occupational hygiene, and the nuclear field.
AI-generated translation
N2, N3
方向
ほうこう
direction. Which way something faces. Example: 「駅の方向」 (the direction of the station). Also used to mean the course/policy of something, as in 「話の方向が変わる」 (the direction of the conversation changes).
AI-generated translation
N1
方策
ほうさく
Refers to concrete methods or means for solving a problem and achieving a goal. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「方策を講じる (to devise measures)」「対応方策 (response measures)」「方策を練る (to work out a plan)」. Compared to the vague 「方法 (method)」, it is a word that includes planning and concreteness, and is used widely in administrative, managerial, and policy contexts. It carries the nuance of presupposing a problem and indicating a prescription-like response to it.
AI-generated translation
N1
忙殺
ぼうさつ
Refers to the state of being so overwhelmed by work or errands that one has no time at all for anything else. As in 「仕事に忙殺される (to be swamped by work)」「雑務に忙殺される日々 (days buried under miscellaneous tasks)」, it is almost always used in the passive form 「忙殺される」, and is a formal word. Active usage is rare; the word expresses a passive situation of being overwhelmed by sheer workload rather than by one's own will. It is used in formal styles such as reports, letters, and newspaper articles.
AI-generated translation
N2
奉仕
ほうし
Refers to working for society or others without seeking any return. Used in expressions like 「地域に奉仕する (to serve the community)」「奉仕活動 (volunteer activity)」, it is a formal word. Originally meaning to serve the gods, Buddha, or one's lord, it has selflessness and devotion at its core. In commercial settings there is a derivative usage like 「ご奉仕価格 (special service price)」 referring to a special discount, but this is a secondary usage.
AI-generated translation
N5
帽子
ぼうし
hat. Something worn on the head.
AI-generated translation
N1
傍若無人
ぼうじゃくぶじん
Refers to behaving as one pleases as if no one were around, lacking consideration for others. It is a four-character idiom used in expressions like 「傍若無人な振る舞い (high-handed conduct)」「傍若無人に振る舞う (to behave as if no one else exists)」. Read in classical Chinese style as 「傍らに人無きが若し (as if there were no one beside one)」, its literal meaning is "as if there were no one beside you". It is used in contexts strongly criticizing an attitude that pays absolutely no regard to those around.
AI-generated translation
N2
報酬
ほうしゅう
Refers to money or its equivalent paid in return for work, labor, or achievement. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「報酬を得る (to receive remuneration)」「高額な報酬 (a high reward)」「成功報酬 (success-based remuneration)」, used widely in business documents, contracts, and tax matters, functioning as an umbrella concept covering wages, salaries, and honoraria. It also appears as a contrasting term in contexts that emphasize the absence of remuneration, such as 「ボランティア (volunteer work)」.
AI-generated translation
N2
報じる
ほうじる
Refers to news organizations such as newspapers, television, or news agencies conveying events to the public. Used in expressions like 「事件を報じる (to report an incident)」「速報で報じる (to report as breaking news)」「各紙が一斉に報じた (all newspapers reported simultaneously)」. It is not used for the act of an ordinary individual conveying information, but is a formal word expressing the organizational, public act by the reporting side. In classical usage it also has the meaning 「恩に報いる (to repay a debt of gratitude)」, but in modern usage the reporting sense is dominant.
AI-generated translation
N1
呆然
ぼうぜん
Refers to the appearance of standing dazed, with one's mind unable to function, when confronted with an unexpected event or a strong shock. Used in expressions like 「呆然と立ち尽くす (to stand stunned)」「呆然とする (to be stunned)」「呆然自失 (utterly stupefied)」. 「然」 is a suffix expressing a manner, and the word expresses 「a state as if dazed」. It refers to a temporary state of blank-mindedness in which both thought and reaction have come to a halt, caused by surprise, sorrow, loss, despair, and the like.
AI-generated translation
N4
放送
ほうそう
To send a program on TV or radio.
AI-generated translation
N2
膨大
ぼうだい
Refers to a quantity or scale that is extremely large. It is a formal na-adjective used in expressions like 「膨大な資料 (an enormous amount of material)」「膨大な費用 (huge expenses)」「膨大なデータ (massive data)」. Rather than physical size, it is often used for quantifiable objects such as volumes of information, amounts of money, or number of items, and frequently carries the nuance that there is 「処理しきれないほど多い (so much it cannot be fully handled)」. While 「莫大」 emphasizes the absolute magnitude of an amount or quantity, 「膨大」 carries a sense of having swollen up through accumulation.
AI-generated translation
N1
忙中
ぼうちゅう
Refers to the midst of being busy. It is a formal word known for the proverb 「忙中閑あり (even in the midst of busyness, there are moments of leisure)」, and is rarely used on its own — it almost always appears as a component of this set phrase. Carrying a classical-Chinese resonance, it is used in formal styles.
AI-generated translation
N2
膨張
ぼうちょう
Refers to size, quantity, or scale swelling and increasing. As in 「気体が膨張する (a gas expands)」「予算が膨張する (the budget balloons)」「人口が膨張する (the population swells)」, it is used broadly from physical volume increases to abstract expansions of budgets, organizations, debt, or population. Rather than indicating a natural increase, it carries the nuance of swelling beyond what was anticipated or permissible, and is often used with negative evaluation.
AI-generated translation
N3
包丁
ほうちょう
A knife used for cooking. Example: 「包丁で野菜を切る」 (to cut vegetables with a kitchen knife).
AI-generated translation
N2
法廷
ほうてい
Refers to the place where trials are held. Used in expressions like 「法廷に立つ (to stand in court)」「法廷で証言する (to testify in court)」「法廷闘争 (a legal battle)」. It is a formal word referring to the public venue where defendants, plaintiffs, judges, lawyers, and others gather to conduct legal proceedings. It appears frequently in news reports, legal documents, and novels. Whereas 「裁判所」 refers to the entire building of a court, 「法廷」 refers to the specific room or scene where proceedings are held.
AI-generated translation
N2
暴動
ぼうどう
Refers to a crowd collectively engaging in violent acts such as destruction and looting against a background of political or social discontent. Used in expressions like 「暴動が起きる (a riot breaks out)」「暴動を鎮圧する (to suppress a riot)」. It is a formal word referring to collective violence on a scale that threatens social order, rather than a fight between individuals or a small group. It is frequently used in news reports and historical writing.
AI-generated translation
N2
冒頭
ぼうとう
Refers to the very first part of a piece of writing, speech, event, or work. It is a formal word used in expressions like 「冒頭で挨拶する (to give greetings at the opening)」「冒頭の場面 (the opening scene)」「冒頭発言 (opening remarks)」. It refers to the beginning portion of some coherent whole such as a speech, book, film, or meeting. Rather than 「最初 (the very first)」, it is a word conscious of structural position, used in situations where one treats it as a specific segment, as in 「冒頭から/冒頭部分 (from the opening / the opening section)」.
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.