JLPT N3 Vocabulary List — 104 Words & Phrases
N3 is the bridge between basic and advanced Japanese. It covers a wider range of vocabulary, kanji and grammar so you can follow everyday situations at close to natural speed. This vocabulary list is made for intermediate learners moving from textbook Japanese toward real-world Japanese.
Below are 104 JLPT N3 vocabulary study entries, including 会社, お疲れ様, 报連相, 上司. Words and phrases with their meanings, grouped around the situations this level focuses on.
How to use this list
- Study a few entries at a time and say each one aloud, then cover the meaning and test yourself.
- Learn words inside short sentences rather than alone — context makes them easier to recall.
- Review old entries on a schedule (spaced repetition) so they move into long-term memory.
JLPT N3 vocabulary — full list
| Word / phrase | Meaning, reading and notes |
|---|---|
| 会社 | company |
| お疲れ様 | thank you for your hard work |
| 报連相 | report-contact-consult |
| 上司 | boss / superior |
| 部下 | subordinate |
| 同僚 | colleague |
| 先輩 / 後輩 | senior / junior |
| 残業 | overtime work |
| 会議 | formal meeting |
| 打ち合わせ | informal meeting / brief discussion |
| びっくりする | to be surprised |
| 心配する | to worry |
| 不安 | anxiety |
| 安心する | to feel relieved |
| イライラする | to be irritated |
| がっかりする | to be disappointed |
| 面倒くさい | troublesome / what a pain |
| わくわくする | to be excited (positive) |
| 感動する | to be deeply moved |
| よかった！ | thank goodness! |
| スマホ | smartphone |
| LINE | main messaging app in Japan |
| 検索する | to search (online) |
| ダウンロード | to download |
| 動画 | video |
| SNS | social media |
| 既読スルー | left on "read" / ignored |
| キャッシュレス | cashless |
| テレワーク | remote work / WFH |
| スタンプ | LINE stickers |
| ICカード | tap-to-pay travel card (Suica/Pasmo) |
| 乗り換える | to transfer (trains/buses) |
| 旅館 | traditional Japanese inn |
| お土産 | regional souvenir (often food) |
| 道に迷う | to get lost |
| 特急 | limited express train |
| 交番 | police box on street corner |
| 観光地 | tourist spot |
| 予約する | to reserve |
| 乗り遅れる | to miss the train |
| やばい | extreme (amazing OR terrible) — versatile slang |
| まじで | for real? / seriously? (casual) |
| なるほど | I see / makes sense / ah right |
| ちょっと... | polite soft refusal (trailing off = no) |
| なんとかなる | it'll work out somehow (optimism) |
| ところで | by the way (changing topic) |
| そうそう | yeah yeah, that's right! (enthusiastic) |
| 諦めないで | don't give up! |
| 一歩一歩 | one step at a time |
| (笑) | lol / haha (Japanese text shorthand) |
| 〜が いたい | ~ hurts (あたまが いたい = my head hurts) |
| ねつ (熱) | fever |
| せき (咳) | cough |
| かぜを ひく | to catch a cold |
| 症状 (しょうじょう) | symptoms |
| びょういん (病院) | hospital |
| やっきょく (薬局) | pharmacy |
| くすりを のむ | to take ("drink") medicine |
| おだいじに | take care / get well soon |
| けんこう (健康) | health |
| 擬音語 / 擬態語 | ぎおんご (real sounds) / ぎたいご (soundless states — きらきら, ぐっすり) |
| しっかり | firmly, dependably. しっかりした人 = a dependable person |
| きちんと / ちゃんと | properly, neatly (ちゃんと is the casual version) |
| ぺらぺら / すらすら | fluent (in a language) / smoothly, without stumbling |
| ぎりぎり | barely, just in time. ぎりぎり間に合った |
| ずきずき / がんがん | throbbing pain / pounding headache (say these at the clinic) |
| 性格 (せいかく) | personality. どんな性格ですか？ |
| 素直 (すなお) | honest, unpretentious, receptive to advice — a real compliment |
| 積極的 / 消極的 | せっきょくてき (proactive) / しょうきょくてき (passive) |
| 〜ところがある | "has a ~ side": 頑固なところがある — softens a negative trait |
| 人見知り | ひとみしり — shy with strangers |
| どちらかというと | if anything / rather — a modest hedge about yourself |
| 地球温暖化 | ちきゅうおんだんか — global warming |
| 分別する | ぶんべつする — to sort/separate (trash) — essential daily-life verb |
| 使い捨て | つかいすて — disposable, single-use |
| 持続可能な | じぞくかのうな — sustainable |
| 省エネ | しょうエネ — energy-saving (short for 省エネルギー) |
| 環境に優しい | かんきょうにやさしい — eco-friendly |
| 受験する | じゅけんする — to take/sit an entrance exam |
| 偏差値 | へんさち — standardised exam/school difficulty score |
| 塾 / 予備校 | じゅく (cram school) / よびこう (exam-prep for 浪人 students) |
| 浪人 | ろうにん — a student retrying university entrance exams a year later |
| 分割払い | ぶんかつばらい — payment in installments (vs 一括払い, lump sum) |
| 値引き | ねびき — a price reduction / haggling |
| 領収書 | りょうしゅうしょ — a formal receipt you ask for (vs レシート, the till printout) |
| 請求 | せいきゅう — billing, a demand for payment. 請求書 = invoice |
| 発送 | はっそう — shipping out (the seller's action) |
| 不在 / 再配達 | ふざい (not at home) / さいはいたつ (redelivery of a missed parcel) |
| 品切れ | しなぎれ — out of stock |
| 故障 | こしょう — a breakdown / malfunction |
| 不良品 | ふりょうひん — a defective item |
| 返金 | へんきん — a refund (vs 交換, an exchange) |
| 解約 | かいやく — cancelling an ongoing contract (vs キャンセル for a booking) |
| 手違い | てちがい — a mix-up / handling error. こちらの手違いで… |
| 飲み会（のみかい） | drinking party |
| 空気を読む | to read the mood / "read the air" |
| 遠慮（えんりょ） | holding back out of politeness |
| 割り勘（わりかん） | splitting the bill evenly |
| その日はちょっと… | polite refusal ("that day is a bit…") |
| 記事（きじ） | article (news) |
| 見出し（みだし） | headline |
| 影響（えいきょう） | influence / effect / impact |
| 災害（さいがい） | disaster |
| やさしい日本語 | Easy Japanese (simplified news for learners) |
Practice questions
Test yourself with 6 sample questions from the JLPT N3 vocabulary quiz in the app. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 报連相 means?
- Three companies
- Three meetings
- Report-Contact-Consult
- Three departments
Show answer
Answer: Report-Contact-Consult
Report (報告) + Contact (連絡) + Consult (相談). The foundational Japanese workplace concept.
2. お疲れ様でした is said?
- After work / hard effort
- Only at funerals
- When entering room
- When asking favor
Show answer
Answer: After work / hard effort
Said after any work activity / end of day. The most common workplace phrase.
3. わくわくしている means?
- Irritated
- Tired
- Excited (positive anticipation)
- Sleepy
Show answer
Answer: Excited (positive anticipation)
わくわく = positive excitement. どきどき can be excited OR nervous.
4. よかった！as a reaction means?
- It was good (past)
- It's done
- I disagree
- Thank goodness!
Show answer
Answer: Thank goodness!
Literally "it was good" — but in conversation it's often "thank goodness / great!"
5. Most used messaging app in Japan?
- iMessage
- Telegram
- LINE
Show answer
Answer: LINE
LINE is essential. Used as a verb: LINEしてう = let's LINE.
6. 既読スルー means?
- Marked unread
- Left on "read" (seen but ignored)
- Read aloud
- Read fast
Show answer
Answer: Left on "read" (seen but ignored)
Being ignored after your message is read. A whole social phenomenon in Japan!
Study JLPT N3 vocabulary in the free app
A Star Japanese turns this list into lessons, flashcards with spaced repetition, quizzes and listening practice with real Japanese voices — plus timed JLPT N3 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this the official JLPT N3 vocabulary list?
There is no single official vocabulary list for the JLPT, so this is a study list built from the A Star Japanese JLPT N3 lessons. It focuses on what learners at this level are most likely to meet.
How should I study the JLPT N3 vocabulary?
Study a few entries at a time and say each one aloud, then cover the meaning and test yourself. Learn words inside short sentences rather than alone — context makes them easier to recall. Review old entries on a schedule (spaced repetition) so they move into long-term memory.
How can I practise JLPT N3 vocabulary for free?
Download A Star Japanese for free on iPhone or Android. It has lessons, flashcards with spaced repetition, quizzes, listening practice with real Japanese voices and timed JLPT mock exams — with no ads.