JLPT N3 vocabulary list
251 core JLPT N3 words, organized by part of speech and shown with their readings — studied with real spaced repetition. Free, no signup.
At N3 vocabulary turns abstract— feelings, opinions, and ideas, not just objects. The list below is EverFlip's curated core grouped by part of speech (verbs, adjectives, adverbs & connectors, nouns) so you build the kind you're weakest at and learn to read each word on sight. Every reading and meaning is checked against the level — the opposite of error-prone community lists.
N3 verbs
Study these 20 →- 増えるふえるto increase, to grow in number
- 減るへるto decrease, to diminish
- 比べるくらべるto compare
- 含むふくむto include, to contain
- 認めるみとめるto acknowledge, to admit, to recognize
- 断ることわるto refuse, to decline
- 与えるあたえるto give, to grant
- 求めるもとめるto seek, to request, to demand
- 守るまもるto protect, to keep (a promise/rule)
- 育てるそだてるto raise, to bring up, to nurture
- 続けるつづけるto continue (something)
- 過ぎるすぎるto pass (by), to exceed
- 倒れるたおれるto fall over, to collapse
- 防ぐふせぐto prevent, to protect against
- 慣れるなれるto get used to, to become accustomed
- 確認するかくにんするto confirm, to verify, to check
- 解決するかいけつするto solve, to resolve
- 期待するきたいするto expect, to look forward to
- 成功するせいこうするto succeed
- 感動するかんどうするto be moved, to be deeply impressed
N3 verbs II
Study these 20 →- 含めるふくめるto include, to add in (transitive)
- 下げるさげるto lower, to take down, to clear away (transitive)
- 下がるさがるto drop, to fall, to hang down (intransitive)
- 進めるすすめるto advance, to move forward, to proceed with (transitive)
- 進むすすむto advance, to make progress (intransitive)
- 伝えるつたえるto convey, to report, to pass on (transitive)
- 伝わるつたわるto be conveyed, to be transmitted (intransitive)
- 届けるとどけるto deliver, to report, to notify (transitive)
- 届くとどくto reach, to arrive, to be delivered (intransitive)
- 戻すもどすto return, to put back, to restore (transitive)
- 戻るもどるto return, to go back (intransitive)
- 変えるかえるto change, to alter (transitive)
- 変わるかわるto change, to be transformed (intransitive)
- 残すのこすto leave behind, to save, to keep (transitive)
- 残るのこるto remain, to be left over (intransitive)
- 決まるきまるto be decided, to be settled (intransitive)
- 向かうむかうto head toward, to face (intransitive)
- 通るとおるto pass through, to go along, to pass (an exam) (intransitive)
- 感じるかんじるto feel, to sense
- 気づくきづくto notice, to realize, to become aware
N3 verbs III
Study these 20 →- 預けるあずけるto deposit, to entrust, to leave in someone's care
- 預かるあずかるto look after, to keep, to be entrusted with
- 重ねるかさねるto pile up, to stack, to repeat
- 重なるかさなるto be piled up, to overlap, to coincide
- 育つそだつto grow up, to be raised, to develop
- 申し込むもうしこむto apply for, to propose, to sign up
- 取り消すとりけすto cancel, to retract, to revoke
- 組み立てるくみたてるto assemble, to put together, to construct
- 思い出すおもいだすto recall, to remember
- 思い込むおもいこむto be convinced, to assume firmly, to be under the impression
- 知らせるしらせるto notify, to inform, to let know
- 受け取るうけとるto receive, to accept, to take (a meaning)
- 話しかけるはなしかけるto speak to, to start a conversation with
- 溶けるとけるto melt, to dissolve
- 溶かすとかすto melt, to dissolve, to thaw
- 冷えるひえるto grow cold, to cool down
- 冷やすひやすto cool, to chill, to refrigerate
- 曲げるまげるto bend, to twist, to distort
- 曲がるまがるto bend, to turn, to curve
- 確かめるたしかめるto make sure, to confirm, to verify
N3 adjectives
Study these 18 →- 確かたしかcertain, sure
- 重要じゅうようimportant, crucial
- 必要ひつようnecessary
- 当然とうぜんnatural, obvious; of course
- 主なおもなmain, principal
- 苦手にがてpoor at, not good at; dislike
- 得意とくいgood at, one’s strong point
- 真剣しんけんserious, earnest
- 正直しょうじきhonest, frank
- 素直すなおobedient, honest, docile
- 派手はでflashy, showy, gaudy
- 地味じみplain, sober, modest
- 詳しいくわしいdetailed; well-informed (about)
- 厳しいきびしいstrict, severe, harsh
- 親しいしたしいclose, intimate, friendly
- 豊かゆたかabundant, rich, plentiful
- 複雑ふくざつcomplicated, complex
- 確実かくじつcertain, reliable, sure
N3 adjectives II
Study these 19 →- 適当てきとうsuitable, appropriate; (also) half-hearted, perfunctory
- 様々さまざまvarious, varied, diverse
- 主要しゅようmain, principal, chief
- 緊急きんきゅうurgent, pressing; emergency
- 立派りっぱsplendid, fine, admirable, respectable
- 盛んさかんthriving, prosperous, popular, vigorous
- 有利ゆうりadvantageous, favourable, profitable
- 慎重しんちょうcareful, cautious, prudent, deliberate
- 上品じょうひんelegant, refined, classy, in good taste
- 下品げひんvulgar, crude, in bad taste
- 贅沢ぜいたくluxurious, extravagant, indulgent
- のんきeasygoing, carefree, happy-go-lucky
- わがままselfish, self-centred, willful
- 真面目まじめserious, earnest, diligent, sincere
- 明らかあきらかclear, obvious, evident
- 面倒めんどうtroublesome, bothersome; (also) care, looking after
- 可哀想かわいそうpitiable, pitiful, poor (deserving sympathy)
- うるさいnoisy, loud; annoying, fussy
- 濃いこいthick, dense; strong (taste), dark (colour)
N3 adjectives III
Study these 19 →- 鋭いするどいsharp, keen, acute
- 賢いかしこいclever, wise, smart
- 偉いえらいgreat, admirable, eminent
- おとなしいquiet, gentle, docile
- 厚かましいあつかましいshameless, brazen, cheeky
- 貧しいまずしいpoor, needy
- 等しいひとしいequal, identical
- 怪しいあやしいsuspicious, doubtful, dubious
- 幼いおさないvery young, childish, immature
- 鈍いにぶいdull, slow, blunt
- 明確めいかくclear, distinct, definite
- 曖昧あいまいvague, ambiguous, unclear
- 新鮮しんせんfresh, new
- 穏やかおだやかcalm, gentle, mild
- 巧みたくみskillful, deft, adroit
- わずかslight, only a little, mere
- 退屈たいくつboring, tedious, dull
- 陽気ようきcheerful, lively, merry
- 見事みごとsplendid, magnificent, admirable
N3 adverbs & connectors
Study these 20 →- 必ずかならずwithout fail; certainly; always
- きっとsurely; probably; most likely
- ぜひby all means; definitely (with a request/wish)
- 案外あんがいunexpectedly; contrary to expectation
- 実はじつはactually; to tell the truth; in fact
- 確かにたしかにcertainly; surely; indeed
- さすがas expected (of); just as one would expect
- わざわざgoing out of one’s way; taking the trouble to
- 偶然ぐうぜんby chance; coincidentally; accidentally
- 突然とつぜんsuddenly; all at once; abruptly
- 相変わらずあいかわらずas usual; as ever; same as always
- 主におもにmainly; mostly; primarily
- 別にべつに(with negative) not particularly; nothing special
- それでand so; for that reason; because of that
- そこでso; thereupon; that being the case
- したがってtherefore; consequently; accordingly
- ところがhowever; but (contrary to expectation)
- ただしhowever; provided that; with the proviso that
- たとえばfor example; for instance
- つまりin other words; that is to say; in short
N3 adverbs & connectors II
Study these 17 →- なるべくas much as possible, if possible
- 結局けっきょくafter all, in the end, ultimately
- 逆にぎゃくにon the contrary, conversely, the other way around
- 実際にじっさいにactually, in fact, in reality
- 一方いっぽうon the other hand, meanwhile
- ついにfinally, at last, in the end
- 急にきゅうにsuddenly, all of a sudden, abruptly
- ところでby the way (changing topic)
- しかもmoreover, what's more, furthermore
- さらにfurthermore, moreover, even more
- せっかくwith much effort, going to the trouble of, kindly
- たまにoccasionally, once in a while
- 次第にしだいにgradually, by degrees
- 結構けっこうfairly, quite, rather; fine, no thank you
- 決してけっしてnever, by no means (used with a negative)
- やはりas expected, after all, too
- そのうちbefore long, soon, eventually
N3 nouns
Study these 20 →- 経験けいけんexperience
- 機会きかいopportunity; chance
- 関係かんけいrelationship; connection
- 影響えいきょうinfluence; effect
- 原因げんいんcause
- 結果けっかresult; outcome
- 理由りゆうreason
- 目的もくてきpurpose; goal; aim
- 方法ほうほうmethod; way; means
- 状況じょうきょうsituation; circumstances
- 内容ないようcontents; substance
- 種類しゅるいkind; type; variety
- 性格せいかくpersonality; character; nature
- 感情かんじょうemotion; feelings
- 印象いんしょうimpression
- 興味きょうみinterest
- 自信じしんself-confidence
- 我慢がまんpatience; endurance; putting up with
- 予定よていplan; schedule; arrangement
- 締め切りしめきりdeadline; closing date
N3 society & daily-life nouns
Study these 20 →- 社会しゃかいsociety, the community
- 政治せいじpolitics, government
- 経済けいざいeconomy, economics
- 文化ぶんかculture
- 環境かんきょうenvironment, surroundings
- 情報じょうほうinformation
- 規則きそくrule, regulation
- 責任せきにんresponsibility, liability
- 効果こうかeffect, efficacy
- 価値かちvalue, worth
- 費用ひようcost, expense
- 法律ほうりつlaw, statute
- 産業さんぎょうindustry
- 交通こうつうtraffic, transportation
- 利益りえきprofit, benefit, gain
- 税金ぜいきんtax, taxes
- 教育きょういくeducation
- 技術ぎじゅつtechnology, technique, skill
- 義務ぎむduty, obligation
- 国際こくさいinternational
N3 abstract & concept nouns
Study these 20 →- 判断はんだんjudgment, decision, to judge (judgment)
- 状態じょうたいstate, condition, situation
- 条件じょうけんcondition, terms, requirement
- 区別くべつdistinction, differentiation
- 性質せいしつnature, property, characteristic
- 印刷いんさつprinting
- 理論りろんtheory
- 知識ちしきknowledge
- 記憶きおくmemory, recollection
- 想像そうぞうimagination, to imagine
- 表現ひょうげんexpression, representation
- 態度たいどattitude, manner, behavior
- 活動かつどうactivity, action
- 能力のうりょくability, capacity, capability
- 目標もくひょうgoal, target, objective
- 自由じゆうfreedom, liberty
- 希望きぼうhope, wish, aspiration
- 平和へいわpeace, harmony
- 共通きょうつうcommon, shared, mutual
- 現代げんだいpresent day, modern times, contemporary
N3 daily & concrete nouns
Study these 20 →- 景色けしきscenery, landscape, view
- 郊外こうがいsuburbs, outskirts
- 柱はしらpillar, post, column
- 引き出しひきだしdrawer
- 包みつつみpackage, parcel, bundle
- 包丁ほうちょうkitchen knife
- 汗あせsweat, perspiration
- 涙なみだtear, tears
- 肌はだskin
- 骨ほねbone
- 砂すなsand
- 泥どろmud
- 波なみwave
- 枝えだbranch, twig
- 昼間ひるまdaytime, during the day
- 夜中よなかmidnight, middle of the night
- 資料しりょうmaterials, documents, data
- 書類しょるいdocuments, papers
- 封筒ふうとうenvelope
- 看板かんばんsignboard, sign
N3 loanwords (katakana)
Study these 18 →- データdata
- サービスservice
- イメージimage, impression, mental picture
- チャンスchance, opportunity
- レベルlevel
- スピードspeed
- テーマtheme, topic, subject
- システムsystem
- スタイルstyle, figure, build
- コミュニケーションcommunication
- スケジュールschedule
- アドバイスadvice
- バランスbalance
- パターンpattern
- プランplan
- トラブルtrouble, problem
- エネルギーenergy
- メリットmerit, advantage
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A curated core of the highest-yield N3 items — not the full N3 list (the JLPT hasn't published an official one since 2010). Every card is checked against the N3 level before it counts.