N4 Nouns List (Part 3) - Let’s Pass the JLPT!

WeXpats
2023/07/26

To pass the JLPT exams, it is extremely important to learn a large number of nouns to be able to understand the questions. At the JLPT N4 level, you will need to remember hundreds of nouns as well. In this part, we introduce nouns related to places, directions, transportation, countries, and events & incidents that will be useful when travelling in Japan as well. 


Table of Contents

  1. N4 Nouns List - Places and Facilities
  2. N4 Nouns List - Directions and Placement
  3. N4 Nouns List - Transportation
  4. N4 Nouns List - Continents and Countries
  5. N4 Nouns List - Events and Incidents 

In this article, we have compiled 83 Japanese nouns for the N4 level. These nouns are categorised into 5 categories: 

  • Places & Facilities : destinations or Landmarks

  • Directions & Placement : giving and understanding directions, and describing placement of items and objects 

  • Transportation : vehicles and related vocabulary 

  • Continents and Countries : the names of continents and countries

  • Events and Incidents : the names of events and incidents, both good and bad 

Not just to pass the exams, these are practical words that will come up in daily life and travels. 

N4 Nouns List - Places and Facilities

To begin with, let’s look at some nouns about places. Japan is a country made up of cities and rural areas, 「都」is read “miyako” and means “city” or “capital”. In Japan, there is「1都 1道 2府 43県」. Tokyo, as the core of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area (首都圏 shutoken), is the only 都 in Japan. When the Kanji 「都」is attached to「東京」(Tokyo) to form「東京都」, it is read as “Tokyo-to”

Note: N5 and N4 level Kanji will be marked in BOLD.

ばしょ
basho

場所

place

みやこ
miyako

city; metropolis; capital (city)

いなか
inaka

田舎

rural area; countryside; hometown

Japanese words for other common facilities and places are as follows:

biru

ビル

multi-storey building

おくじょう
okujou

屋上

rooftop

げしゅく
geshuku

下宿

boarding house; lodging house

かいじょう
kaijou

会場

venue

きょうかい
kyoukai

教会

church

けんきゅうしつ
kenkyuushitsu

研究室

laboratory

こうじょう
koujou

工場

factory

みなと
minato

harbour; port

こうどう
koudou

講堂

auditorium; lecture hall

てら
tera

temple

とこや
tokoya

床屋

barbershop

じんじゃ
jinja

神社

shrine

どうぶつえん
doubutsuen

動物園

zoo

うりば
uriba

売り場

selling area; sales floor

ひこうじょう
hikoujou

飛行場

airport; airfield

りょかん
ryokan

旅館

traditional Japanese inn

N4 Nouns List - Directions and Placement

Knowing the directions and where you are is important when visiting tourist attractions and asking for directions. We have already learned how to say the individual four cardinal directions in Japanese at the N5 level. In N4, we will study the intercardinal directions that are in the same order as English. For example,「北東」(hokutou)」is 北 (north) + 東 (east) = northeast. 

Fun fact, the “four cardinal directions” are called「東西南北」(tou-zai-nan-boku) in Japanese, but it also means “coming from all directions”.

Note: N5 and N4 level Kanji will be marked in BOLD.

あんない
annai

案内

guidance

とおく
tooku

遠く

faraway

すみ
sumi

corner; nook

まわり
mawari

周り

surrounding; vicinity

まんなか
mannaka

真ん中

middle; centre

おもて
omote

surface; front

うら
ura

back; behind

ほくとう
hokutou

北東

northeast

ほくせい
hokusei

北西

northwest

なんとう
nantou

南東

southeast

なんせい
nansei

南西

southwest

N4 Nouns List - Transportation

For those travelling independently, knowing transportation and vehicle related vocabulary is important. 

のりもの
norimono

乗り物

vehicle; transportation

ootobai

オートバイ

motorcycle; motorbike

きしゃ
kisha

汽車

train 

ちゅうしゃじょう
chuushajou

駐車場

parking lot; carpark 

gasorin

ガソリン

gasoline; petrol

gasorin-sutando

ガソリンスタンド

gasoline stand; petrol station

There are different types of train services in Japan. These 4 words are commonly displayed on train departure boards at the train station, among these words「普通」,「急行」and「特急」are especially important as it indicates the train service - what stations will the train stop at, and how fast you can arrive at your destination. 

「普通」is the local train service that stops at every station along the route. Whereas, 「急行」and 「特急」are faster train services that skip some stations. 「特急」is the fastest train service. 

Note: Kanji in BOLD need to be remembered at the N4 level. 

~せん
~sen

~線

~ line (train)

ふつう
futsuu

普通

local

きゅうこう
kyuukou

急行

express

とっきゅう
tokkyuu

特急

limited express

If you are driving in Japan, these are important words to know. 

きゅうきゅうしゃ
kyuukyuusha

救急車

ambulance

しょうぼうしゃ
shoubousha

消防車

fire engine

どうろ
douro

道路

road

こうつう
koutsuu

交通

traffic

じゅうたい
juutai

(交通)
渋滞

traffic jam; traffic congestion

こうじちゅう
koujichuu

工事中

under construction

しんごう
shingou

信号

traffic light; traffic signal

N4 Nouns List - Continents and Countries

In the first N5 Nouns Article List, we introduced the Japanese names of some countries so that everyone can introduce their place of origin when making a self-introduction. At the N4 level, we learn more country names as well as the names of continents. 

こくさい
kokusai

国際

international

せいよう
seiyou

西洋

the West, Western countries

ajia

アジア

Asia

afurika

アフリカ

Africa

yooroppa

ヨーロッパ

Europe

みなみあめりか
minami-amerika

南アメリカ

South America

きたあめりか
kita-amerika

北アメリカ

North America

amerika

アメリカ

America

indo

インド

India

indoneshia

インドネシア

Indonesia

ejiputo

エジプト

Egypt

oosutoraria

オーストラリア

Australia

kanada

カナダ

Canada

tai

タイ

Thailand

doitsu

ドイツ

Germany

firipin

フィリピン

The Philippines

burajiru

ブラジル

Brazil

furansu

フランス

France

roshia

ロシア

Russia

N4 Nouns List - Events and Incidents 

For the last part, we will introduce the name of events that you can participate in when in Japan. There are many large and small scale festivals (お祭り; omatsuri) in Japan. Events in summer like summer festivals (夏祭り; natsumatsuri) and fireworks festivals (花火大会; hanabitaikai) are both Japanese summer customs

Among the happy and celebrated events, we also include incidents and happenings. It is good to know what these are called, whether to make conversation, or to report an incident. 

Note: N4 level Kanji are marked in BOLD.

おみまい
omimai

お見舞い

visitation (when someone is ill)

おまつり
omatsuri

お祭り

festival

おいわい
oiwai

お祝い

celebration; congratulations

kurisumasu

クリスマス

Christmas

konsaato

コンサート

concert

うんどうかい
undoukai

運動会

sports day

かじ
kaji

火事

fire

はなびたいかい
hanabitaikai

花火大会

fireworks festival

きょうそう
kyousou

競争

competition; contest

けっこんしき
kekkonshiki

結婚式

wedding; marriage ceremony

こしょう
koshou

故障

out-of-order

しあい
shiai

試合

match; game; race

じこ
jiko

事故

accident

せんそう
sensou

戦争

war

てんらんかい
tenrankai

展覧会

exhibition

すり
suri

掏摸

pickpocket

どろぼう
dorobou

泥棒

robber; burglar; thief

These 83 Japanese nouns are useful not just for passing the JLPT but when travelling in Japan. Try to remember them all. 

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