N4 Nouns List (Part 1) - Let’s Pass the JLPT!

Nouns are called 名詞 (meishi) in Japanese. In N5 Nouns List (5 Parts), we studied close to 600 nouns. Fortunately, at the N4 level, you will only need to study around 388 nouns, some of which overlap with N5. This time too, we will be dividing all the nouns over 4 articles (100 more or less each) and into different categories to make for easier learning. 

Table of Contents

1. Categorization of Japanese Nouns
2. N4 Nouns List Part 1 Introduction
3. N4 Nouns List - Education & Studies
   1. Studies
   2. Educational Institutions, Positions, Entry
   3. Study Subjects 
4. N4 Nouns List - Work & Occupation
   1. Industries & Occupation 
   2. Finding & Working a Job 
      1. Workplace Relationships
5. N4 Nouns List - Hobbies & Interests 
6. N4 Nouns List - Nature
   1. Nature Around Us 
   2. Force of Nature 

Categorization of Japanese Nouns

A noun (名詞 meishi) functions as a name for things and objects. Nouns do not have conjugation. Through Nouns (名詞 meishi) + Particles (助詞 joshi), nouns can be used as subjects or objects. 

Nouns can be classified into 5 main categories:

1. 普通名詞 (futsuu meishi) - Common Noun is the name of common objects or things.

They can be further broken down into 具体名詞 (gutai meishi) - Concrete Nouns, which describe concrete objects that can be seen, and 抽象名詞 (chuushou meishi) - Abstract Nouns, which describe abstract things that cannot be seen.

・Examples of 具体名詞 (gutai meishi) - Concrete Nouns : 山 (yama) - mountain, 海 (umi) - sea, 学校 (gakkou) - school, 石 (ishi) - stone, 人間 (ningen) - human being, 動物 (doubutsu) - animal, etc.

・Examples of 抽象名詞 (chuushou meishi) - Abstract Nouns : 時間 (jikan) - time, 愛 (ai) - love, 幸福 (koufuku) - happiness, 感覚 (kankaku) - sensation, 夢 (yume) - dream, etc. 

2. 固有名詞 (koyuu meishi) - Proper Noun is the name of a specific thing, such as the name of a person or place.

For example, Tokyo, Mount Fuji, the Sea of Japan, etc. 

3. 数量詞 (suuryoushi) - Quantifiers express quantity and sequence.

・Examples of Quantity : ～枚 (mai), ～本 (hon/pon/bon), ～個 (ko), ～匹 (hiki/piki/biki)

・Examples of Sequence : ～番 (ban), ～枚目 (maime), 第～号 (dai~gou)

4. 代名詞 (daimeishi) - Pronoun is used to identify people and objects.

人称代名詞 (ninshou daimeshi) - Personal Pronouns are used to refer to persons, while 指示代名詞 (shiji daimeshi) - Demonstrative Pronouns are used to refer to things, places, and directions.

・Examples of 人称代名詞 (ninshou daimeshi) - Personal Pronouns : 私 (watashi) - I/me, あなた (anata) - you, 彼女 (kanojo) - her, etc.

・Examples of 指示代名詞 (shiji daimeshi) - Demonstrative Pronouns : ここ (koko) - here, そこ (soko) - there, こちら (kochira) - here (formal), あちら (achira) - there (formal), etc. 

5. 形式名詞 (keishiki meishi) - Formal Noun has no concrete meaning and cannot be subjects or predicates.

For example, ところ (tokoro), わけ (wake), つもり (tsumori), and etc.

・Example : それはとても嬉しかったことです。(sore wa totemo ureshikatta koto desu) - That was something that made me very happy.

・Example : 誰もいるはずがない。(dare mo iru hazu ga nai) - No one was supposed to be there. 

Understand the different categories of nouns and learn their meanings and usages. 

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N4 Nouns List Part 1

In this article, we have compiled 99 Japanese nouns at the N4 level. These nouns are categorized into 4 categories:

• Education & Studies : Useful vocabulary for students.

• Work & Occupation : Useful for working class people. Introduces common industries, some occupations, work relationships, etc. 

• Hobbies & Interests : Additional vocabulary for introducing your hobbies & interests. 

• Nature : Good to know everyday words to name or describe nature around you, also some vocabulary for weather conditions.

Note that many N4 nouns overlap with N5. We have excluded most of them so there is no overlap, and to reduce your burden of re-learning them. However, we have left some (minimal), purely to aid your understanding as it relates to a particular N4 noun. 

For example, 犬 and 猫 are N5 nouns that included in Nature category below to help you understand how they are different from 子犬 and 子猫, which are N4 nouns. 

N4 Nouns List - Education & Studies

Studies

At the N4 level, we studied many vocabulary words related to studies. This is a continuation of that. Students in Japan will find many of these words familiar. 

Caution : The Kanji in BOLD needs to be remembered.

Educational Institutions

At the N4 level, we learn that ~生 from “学生 (gakusei) - student” can be attached to the back of any type of educational institution to mean - “a student of that institution”. 

Note : The Kanji in BOLD needs to be remembered at this level. 

Study Subjects 

Important to know as a student is the name of your subjects! These are a collection of compulsory subjects to study at school, as well as some university majors. 

Note : 3 Kanji in BOLD, to remember in this part.

N4 Nouns List - Work & Occupation

Industries & Occupation

At the N4 level, we start to learn common work industries as well as employment types. 

Not many, but some Kanji in BOLD to memorize.

The difference between アルバイト (arubaito) and パート (paato) is not apparent, so here's an explanation. They both basically mean “part time work” but carry a different nuance. Arubaito carries the image of a part time job done by students for a short time only, mostly till graduation. Whereas, paato has the image of housewives/househusbands who will work the job for a long time. 

Finding & Working a Job 

Useful words to know when you’re job hunting or in your daily life as a worker. 

Work Relationships

It is important to know how to address your superiors at work. In Japan, it is a sign of respect to address superiors by their respective company ranks. Some companies are more flexible and so just adding the suffix -San to the end of your superior’s name is sufficient. 

N4 Nouns List - Hobbies & Interests 

A continuation from the N5 level, we now have more nouns related to hobbies and interests to add to our vocabulary list. 

Note: The Kanji in BOLD needs to be remembered.

N4 Nouns List - Nature

Nature Around Us 

Learn a variety of nouns for the different living and non-living things of nature that surround us. 

子 (ko) means “child” or “young” in Japanese. By adding 子 to "猫 (neko) - cat”, we get 子猫, aka kitten or the young of a cat. 

Note: Kanji in BOLD must be remembered. Not many in this part.

Force of Nature

We learn some very basic words about weather conditions and natural disasters at the N4 level. Or in other words, the forces of nature. 

Note: Kanji in BOLD must be remembered.