Japanese: Vocabulary
High-frequency words by theme. Kanji where it’s normally used, kana, and romaji. Practise them on the practice page.
Core vocabulary by theme
High-frequency words, added October 2026. Words already in my notes above aren’t repeated. Practise them on the Japanese practice page.
Greetings and basics
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | hello, good afternoon | |
| おはよう | ohayō | good morning (casual) | |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | good evening | |
| さようなら | sayōnara | goodbye | |
| ありがとう | arigatō | thank you | |
| すみません | sumimasen | excuse me, sorry | |
| ごめんなさい | gomen nasai | I’m sorry | |
| はい | hai | yes | |
| いいえ | iie | no | |
| どうぞ | dōzo | please (go ahead), here you are | |
People and family
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 人 (ひと) | hito | person | |
| 男 (おとこ) | otoko | man, male | |
| 女 (おんな) | onna | woman, female | |
| 子供 (こども) | kodomo | child | |
| 男の子 (おとこのこ) | otoko no ko | boy | |
| 女の子 (おんなのこ) | onna no ko | girl | |
| 友達 (ともだち) | tomodachi | friend | |
| 家族 (かぞく) | kazoku | family | |
| 父 (ちち) | chichi | (my) father | お父さん otōsan for someone else’s |
| 母 (はは) | haha | (my) mother | お母さん okāsan for someone else’s |
| 兄 (あに) | ani | (my) older brother | |
| 姉 (あね) | ane | (my) older sister | |
| 弟 (おとうと) | otōto | younger brother | |
| 妹 (いもうと) | imōto | younger sister | |
| 息子 (むすこ) | musuko | son | |
| 娘 (むすめ) | musume | daughter | |
| 祖父 (そふ) | sofu | (my) grandfather | |
| 祖母 (そぼ) | sobo | (my) grandmother | |
| 夫 (おっと) | otto | (my) husband | |
| 妻 (つま) | tsuma | (my) wife | |
| 先生 (せんせい) | sensei | teacher | |
| 学生 (がくせい) | gakusei | student | |
| 私 (わたし) | watashi | I, me | |
| あなた | anata | you | often avoided; use the person’s name |
| 彼 (かれ) | kare | he; boyfriend | |
| 彼女 (かのじょ) | kanojo | she; girlfriend | |
Numbers
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 零 / ゼロ | rei / zero | zero | |
| 一 (いち) | ichi | one | |
| 二 (に) | ni | two | |
| 三 (さん) | san | three | |
| 四 (よん / し) | yon / shi | four | |
| 五 (ご) | go | five | |
| 六 (ろく) | roku | six | |
| 七 (なな / しち) | nana / shichi | seven | |
| 八 (はち) | hachi | eight | |
| 九 (きゅう / く) | kyū / ku | nine | |
| 十 (じゅう) | jū | ten | |
| 十一 (じゅういち) | jūichi | eleven | |
| 二十 (にじゅう) | nijū | twenty | |
| 百 (ひゃく) | hyaku | one hundred | |
| 千 (せん) | sen | one thousand | |
| 万 (まん) | man | ten thousand | |
| 一つ (ひとつ) | hitotsu | one (thing) | |
| 二つ (ふたつ) | futatsu | two (things) | |
| 三つ (みっつ) | mittsu | three (things) | |
Time
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 日 (ひ) | hi | day; sun | |
| 週 (しゅう) | shū | week | |
| 月 (つき) | tsuki | month; moon | |
| 年 (とし) | toshi | year | |
| 時間 (じかん) | jikan | time; hour(s) | |
| 分 (ふん) | fun | minute | |
| 今日 (きょう) | kyō | today | |
| 明日 (あした) | ashita | tomorrow | |
| 昨日 (きのう) | kinō | yesterday | |
| 今 (いま) | ima | now | |
| 後で (あとで) | ato de | later | |
| いつも | itsumo | always | |
| 時々 (ときどき) | tokidoki | sometimes | |
| よく | yoku | often; well | |
| 朝 (あさ) | asa | morning | |
| 昼 (ひる) | hiru | noon, daytime | |
| 晩 (ばん) | ban | evening | |
| 夜 (よる) | yoru | night | |
| 月曜日 (げつようび) | getsuyōbi | Monday | |
| 火曜日 (かようび) | kayōbi | Tuesday | |
| 水曜日 (すいようび) | suiyōbi | Wednesday | |
| 木曜日 (もくようび) | mokuyōbi | Thursday | |
| 金曜日 (きんようび) | kin’yōbi | Friday | |
| 土曜日 (どようび) | doyōbi | Saturday | |
| 日曜日 (にちようび) | nichiyōbi | Sunday | |
| 毎日 (まいにち) | mainichi | every day | |
| 週末 (しゅうまつ) | shūmatsu | weekend | |
Food and drink
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 食べ物 (たべもの) | tabemono | food | |
| ご飯 (ごはん) | gohan | cooked rice; meal | |
| 水 (みず) | mizu | water | |
| お茶 (おちゃ) | ocha | tea (green tea) | |
| コーヒー | kōhī | coffee | |
| 牛乳 (ぎゅうにゅう) | gyūnyū | milk | |
| ビール | bīru | beer | |
| お酒 (おさけ) | osake | alcohol; sake | |
| パン | pan | bread | |
| 肉 (にく) | niku | meat | |
| 鶏肉 (とりにく) | toriniku | chicken (meat) | |
| 魚 (さかな) | sakana | fish | |
| 卵 (たまご) | tamago | egg | |
| 野菜 (やさい) | yasai | vegetables | |
| 果物 (くだもの) | kudamono | fruit | |
| りんご | ringo | apple | |
| みかん | mikan | mandarin orange | |
| 塩 (しお) | shio | salt | |
| 砂糖 (さとう) | satō | sugar | |
| 朝ご飯 (あさごはん) | asagohan | breakfast | |
| 昼ご飯 (ひるごはん) | hirugohan | lunch | |
| 晩ご飯 (ばんごはん) | bangohan | dinner | |
| 美味しい (おいしい) | oishii | delicious | |
Travel and places
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 町 (まち) | machi | town | |
| 国 (くに) | kuni | country | |
| 道 (みち) | michi | road, way | |
| 店 (みせ) | mise | shop | |
| 銀行 (ぎんこう) | ginkō | bank | |
| 病院 (びょういん) | byōin | hospital | |
| 学校 (がっこう) | gakkō | school | |
| 駅 (えき) | eki | station | |
| 空港 (くうこう) | kūkō | airport | |
| 飛行機 (ひこうき) | hikōki | aeroplane | |
| 電車 (でんしゃ) | densha | train | |
| バス | basu | bus | |
| 車 (くるま) | kuruma | car | |
| 切符 (きっぷ) | kippu | ticket | |
| ホテル | hoteru | hotel | |
| 旅行 (りょこう) | ryokō | travel, trip | |
| 地図 (ちず) | chizu | map | |
| 海 (うみ) | umi | sea | |
| 山 (やま) | yama | mountain | |
| 川 (かわ) | kawa | river | |
| 左 (ひだり) | hidari | left | |
| 右 (みぎ) | migi | right | |
| まっすぐ | massugu | straight ahead | |
| 近い (ちかい) | chikai | near | |
| 遠い (とおい) | tōi | far | |
| ここ | koko | here | |
| そこ | soko | there (near you) | |
| あそこ | asoko | over there | |
| トイレ | toire | toilet | |
Home
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 家 (いえ / うち) | ie / uchi | house, home | |
| 部屋 (へや) | heya | room | |
| 台所 (だいどころ) | daidokoro | kitchen | |
| お風呂 (おふろ) | ofuro | bath | |
| ドア | doa | door | |
| 窓 (まど) | mado | window | |
| 机 (つくえ) | tsukue | desk | |
| 椅子 (いす) | isu | chair | |
| ベッド | beddo | bed | |
| 鍵 (かぎ) | kagi | key | |
| 服 (ふく) | fuku | clothes | |
| 靴 (くつ) | kutsu | shoes | |
| 電話 (でんわ) | denwa | telephone | |
| 本 (ほん) | hon | book | |
Work and school
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 仕事 (しごと) | shigoto | work, job | |
| 会社 (かいしゃ) | kaisha | company | |
| 会議 (かいぎ) | kaigi | meeting | |
| お金 (おかね) | okane | money | |
| パソコン | pasokon | computer (PC) | |
| 質問 (しつもん) | shitsumon | question | |
| 答え (こたえ) | kotae | answer | |
| 言葉 (ことば) | kotoba | word; language | |
| 日本語 (にほんご) | nihongo | Japanese (language) | |
| 英語 (えいご) | eigo | English (language) | |
| 授業 (じゅぎょう) | jugyō | class, lesson | |
| 宿題 (しゅくだい) | shukudai | homework | |
Body and health
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 体 (からだ) | karada | body | |
| 頭 (あたま) | atama | head | |
| 手 (て) | te | hand | |
| 足 (あし) | ashi | foot, leg | |
| 目 (め) | me | eye | |
| 口 (くち) | kuchi | mouth | |
| 耳 (みみ) | mimi | ear | |
| 医者 (いしゃ) | isha | doctor | |
| 病気 (びょうき) | byōki | illness; ill | |
| 薬 (くすり) | kusuri | medicine | |
| 痛い (いたい) | itai | painful, it hurts | |
Nature and weather
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 太陽 (たいよう) | taiyō | sun | |
| 空 (そら) | sora | sky | |
| 雨 (あめ) | ame | rain | |
| 雪 (ゆき) | yuki | snow | |
| 風 (かぜ) | kaze | wind | |
| 天気 (てんき) | tenki | weather | |
| 木 (き) | ki | tree | |
| 花 (はな) | hana | flower | |
| 犬 (いぬ) | inu | dog | |
| 猫 (ねこ) | neko | cat | |
| 鳥 (とり) | tori | bird | |
Verbs
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| です | desu | to be (polite copula) | |
| ある | aru | to exist (things) | |
| いる | iru | to exist (people, animals) | |
| する | suru | to do | |
| 行く (いく) | iku | to go | |
| 来る (くる) | kuru | to come | |
| 帰る (かえる) | kaeru | to return home | |
| 食べる (たべる) | taberu | to eat | |
| 飲む (のむ) | nomu | to drink | |
| 見る (みる) | miru | to see, to watch | |
| 聞く (きく) | kiku | to hear, to listen; to ask | |
| 話す (はなす) | hanasu | to speak | |
| 言う (いう) | iu | to say | |
| 読む (よむ) | yomu | to read | |
| 書く (かく) | kaku | to write | |
| 分かる (わかる) | wakaru | to understand | |
| 知る (しる) | shiru | to know | usually 知っている shitte iru |
| 思う (おもう) | omou | to think | |
| 買う (かう) | kau | to buy | |
| 売る (うる) | uru | to sell | |
| 払う (はらう) | harau | to pay | |
| 待つ (まつ) | matsu | to wait | |
| 会う (あう) | au | to meet | |
| 住む (すむ) | sumu | to live (reside) | |
| 働く (はたらく) | hataraku | to work | |
| 勉強する (べんきょうする) | benkyō suru | to study | |
| 習う (ならう) | narau | to learn (from someone) | |
| 教える (おしえる) | oshieru | to teach; to tell | |
| 寝る (ねる) | neru | to sleep, to go to bed | |
| 起きる (おきる) | okiru | to get up | |
| 開ける (あける) | akeru | to open | |
| 閉める (しめる) | shimeru | to close | |
| 始める (はじめる) | hajimeru | to begin | |
| 終わる (おわる) | owaru | to end | |
| 使う (つかう) | tsukau | to use | |
| 作る (つくる) | tsukuru | to make | |
| 持つ (もつ) | motsu | to hold, to have | |
| あげる | ageru | to give | |
| もらう | morau | to receive | |
| 手伝う (てつだう) | tetsudau | to help | |
| 遊ぶ (あそぶ) | asobu | to play | |
| 歩く (あるく) | aruku | to walk | |
| 走る (はしる) | hashiru | to run | |
Adjectives
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 大きい (おおきい) | ōkii | big | |
| 小さい (ちいさい) | chiisai | small | |
| 良い (いい / よい) | ii / yoi | good | |
| 悪い (わるい) | warui | bad | |
| 新しい (あたらしい) | atarashii | new | |
| 古い (ふるい) | furui | old (things) | |
| 若い (わかい) | wakai | young | |
| 長い (ながい) | nagai | long | |
| 短い (みじかい) | mijikai | short | |
| 高い (たかい) | takai | tall, high; expensive | |
| 安い (やすい) | yasui | cheap | |
| 易しい (やさしい) | yasashii | easy | |
| 難しい (むずかしい) | muzukashii | difficult | |
| 速い (はやい) | hayai | fast | 早い = early |
| 遅い (おそい) | osoi | slow; late | |
| きれい | kirei | pretty; clean | na-adjective despite the -i |
| 楽しい (たのしい) | tanoshii | fun, enjoyable | |
| 嬉しい (うれしい) | ureshii | glad, happy | |
| 悲しい (かなしい) | kanashii | sad | |
| 暑い (あつい) | atsui | hot (weather) | |
| 熱い (あつい) | atsui | hot (to touch) | |
| 寒い (さむい) | samui | cold (weather) | |
| 冷たい (つめたい) | tsumetai | cold (to touch) | |
| 忙しい (いそがしい) | isogashii | busy | |
| 元気 (げんき) | genki | healthy, energetic | na-adjective |
| 静か (しずか) | shizuka | quiet | na-adjective |
| 有名 (ゆうめい) | yūmei | famous | na-adjective |
| 好き (すき) | suki | liked | na-adjective: 〜が好き = I like 〜 |
| 嫌い (きらい) | kirai | disliked | na-adjective |
| 同じ (おなじ) | onaji | same | |
Question and little words
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Note |
|---|
| 何 (なに / なん) | nani / nan | what | |
| 誰 (だれ) | dare | who | |
| どこ | doko | where | |
| いつ | itsu | when | |
| どう | dō | how | |
| なぜ / どうして | naze / dōshite | why | |
| いくら | ikura | how much (price) | |
| いくつ | ikutsu | how many; how old | |
| どれ | dore | which one | |
| これ | kore | this (thing) | |
| それ | sore | that (near you) | |
| あれ | are | that (over there) | |
| でも | demo | but | |
| そして | soshite | and then | |
| とても | totemo | very | |
| 少し (すこし) | sukoshi | a little | |
| たくさん | takusan | a lot | |
| もっと | motto | more | |
| 一緒に (いっしょに) | issho ni | together | |
Last edited
Tags: #Languages
