JLPT N1 Psychology & Human Nature Vocabulary (2026)
Complete JLPT N1 Psychology & Human Nature vocabulary with readings and example sentences (76 words).
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76 words for the nuanced inner life — a genuinely literary vocabulary set describing emotional and psychological states with a precision everyday Japanese doesn't need, drawn from the kind of introspective prose common in N1 reading passages.
This article is part of our JLPT N1 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 76 words with the Psychology & Human Nature Vocabulary deck in Onigiri Anki.
Worry, Panic & Mental Collapse (10)
States of acute distress, confusion, or breakdown.
景気の悪化が懸念されている。 — There are concerns about the worsening economy.
その報告で、水の安全性への憂慮が強まった。 — The report heightened concerns about the safety of the water.
厳しい質問に、彼女は逡巡した。 — She hesitated before answering the harsh question.
職を失って、彼は苦悩した。 — He suffered great anguish after losing his job.
返事を待つ間、焦燥感が募った。 — I felt restless waiting for the reply.
夜勤のあと、彼は憔悴していた。 — After the night shift, he looked exhausted.
突然の発表に、彼は狼狽した。 — He panicked when he heard the sudden announcement.
その知らせを聞いて、彼女は呆然とした。 — She stood stunned after hearing the news.
突然の知らせに、彼女は錯乱した。 — The sudden news left her in confusion.
徹夜が続き、彼は虚脱状態に陥った。 — After several nights of staying up late, he fell into a state of exhaustion.
Grief, Regret & Self-Reproach (13)
Looking inward with sorrow, shame, or reflection.
私は自嘲して、その失敗を笑った。 — I laughed at my own failure in self-mockery.
彼は故郷への未練が残っていた。 — He still had lingering attachment to his hometown.
彼は自分のしたことに悔恨を覚えた。 — He was overcome with remorse for what he had done.
彼女は失敗のあと、自責の念にとらわれた。 — She fell into self-blame after the failure.
自分を知りたいときは、内省が大切だ。 — Introspection is important when you want to know yourself.
熟慮の末、その申し出を受けることにした。 — After much deliberation, I decided to accept the offer.
彼は自分のミスに無自覚だった。 — He remained unaware of his own mistake.
彼の卑屈な態度は、かえって周囲の反感を買った。 — His servile attitude only made everyone dislike him.
彼の死を聞いて、深い哀惜の念を抱いた。 — Upon hearing of his death, I felt deep sorrow and regret.
舞台は、悲愴な沈黙のまま終わった。 — The play ended in tragic silence.
彼はその喪失に慨嘆した。 — He expressed deep lamentation over the loss.
彼はよく自虐的な言い方をする。 — He often speaks in a self-deprecating way.
彼は臆病で、意見を言えなかった。 — He was too timid to voice his opinion.
Anger, Contempt & Long-Held Resentment (10)
Hostility toward others, whether explosive or slow-burning.
義務と欲望の相克に苦しみました。 — I struggled with the conflict between duty and desire.
その質問への回答を忌避しました。 — I avoided answering the question.
その不公平な扱いに、彼は怨恨を抱いていた。 — He harbored resentment toward the unfair treatment.
両家の間には今も遺恨が残っている。 — There is still a grudge between the two families.
彼女は今でも彼に恨みを抱いている。 — She still holds a grudge against him.
彼の傲慢な態度は、チームの不信を招くだけだった。 — His arrogant attitude only invited distrust from the team.
彼の偏執は、成功への執着へと変わっていった。 — His obsession gradually turned into an attachment to success.
彼らの偏狭さが話し合いを難しくした。 — Their narrow-mindedness made discussion difficult.
彼の頑迷さが妥協を妨げた。 — His stubbornness hindered compromise.
新しい規則に対して、社員たちは強く反発した。 — The employees strongly resisted the new rule.
Jealousy, Longing & Intoxicating Desire (10)
Wanting something intensely — a person, an outcome, or a feeling.
彼の成功に、彼女は嫉妬を隠せなかった。 — She could not hide her jealousy at his success.
彼女の落ち着いた話し方に、羨望の念を抱いた。 — I felt admiration for her calm way of speaking.
刑事は執拗な質問で容疑者を追い詰めた。 — The detective pursued the suspect with persistent questions.
彼は国際分野で働くことを希求している。 — He aspires to work in the international field.
彼女は家族にもう一度会うことを切望している。 — She earnestly desires to see her family again.
仕事のあと、少しの静けさを渇望する人は多い。 — Many people crave a little quiet after work.
その歌には、切ない情念がこもっていた。 — The song was filled with poignant passion.
待ち続けた結果を聞いて、彼は陶酔した。 — He became ecstatic upon hearing the long-awaited result.
彼女は美しい音楽に恍惚とした。 — She fell into ecstasy listening to the beautiful music.
先生は一人の生徒を偏愛していた。 — The teacher showed favoritism toward one student.
Joy, Warmth & Composure (8)
Positive emotional and social states.
会議室には和気あいあいとした空気が満ちていた。 — The meeting room was filled with a friendly, harmonious atmosphere.
会場は歓喜に包まれた。 — The whole hall erupted in joy.
結果を聞いて、思わず快哉を叫んだ。 — When I heard the result, I couldn't help but exclaim in delight.
彼女の落ち着いた対応は、皆に好感を与えた。 — Her calm response left a good impression on everyone.
一人で立つ子どもを見て、憐憫の情を覚えた。 — I felt pity for the child standing alone.
彼は苦労の末に達観に至った。 — After much hardship, he attained detachment.
彼は名声や金銭に恬淡だった。 — He had a calm indifference to fame and money.
彼女は多感なので、悲しい知らせですぐに落ち込む。 — She is so sensitive that she quickly gets upset by sad news.
Fear, Awe & Overexcitement (6)
Intense reactions to something powerful or threatening.
その知らせは部屋の人々に戦慄を与えた。 — The news sent a shudder through the room.
その洞窟は私たちに畏怖の念を抱かせた。 — The cave inspired us with awe.
私は先生に畏敬の念を抱いている。 — I have deep reverence for my teacher.
彼は細かいミスにも神経質だ。 — He is overly sensitive even about small mistakes.
彼の悪感情が私に向いているのが分かった。 — I could feel his ill feeling toward me.
会場は熱狂に包まれた。 — The arena was filled with fervor.
Detachment, Apathy & Emptiness (8)
Withdrawal from feeling, motivation, or engagement.
彼は世間の評判に無頓着だった。 — He remained indifferent to public opinion.
私は放心して約束を忘れた。 — I was in a daze and forgot the appointment.
別れた後、空虚感に襲われた。 — After the breakup, I was overwhelmed by a sense of emptiness.
失敗のあと、無力感に襲われた。 — After the failure, I felt a strong sense of helplessness.
彼は将来について厭世的になった。 — He became pessimistic about his future.
部屋には沈鬱な空気が漂っていた。 — A sullen mood hung over the room.
彼の怠惰が、仕事の遅れを招いた。 — His laziness made the work fall behind.
彼は失敗が続き、自暴自棄になった。 — He was overcome by repeated failures and fell into self-destructive despair.
Manipulation, Vice & Perception (11)
Insincere social behavior, plus how the mind perceives and senses.
彼は上司に追従して、評価を上げた。 — He flattered his superior and improved his evaluation.
会社は客に迎合して方針を変えた。 — The company changed its policy to cater to customers.
その狡猾な弁護士は、交渉を自分に有利に進めた。 — The cunning lawyer led the talks in his favor.
その記事は、煽情的すぎると批判された。 — The article was criticized for being overly sensational.
部長は穏やかな説明で社員たちを懐柔した。 — The manager won over the employees with a calm explanation.
彼との関係は愛憎が入り混じっていた。 — His relationship with him was a mixture of love and hate.
彼の横柄な態度に嫌悪感を覚えた。 — I felt disgust at his arrogant attitude.
目の錯覚で線が曲がって見える。 — The line looks bent due to an optical illusion.
勘が当たり、電車が遅れるところだった。 — My hunch was right, and the train was about to be delayed.
彼女は潔癖で、部屋はいつも清潔に保たれている。 — She is fastidious, so the room is always kept clean.
彼は自尊心を保とうとして、謝罪を拒んだ。 — He tried to preserve his self-respect and refused to apologize.
Near-synonym clusters for "regret" and "resentment"
This category is full of words that an English-English dictionary would gloss almost identically but that carry real Japanese nuance. 恨み and 遺恨 both mean "grudge," but 遺恨 implies something long-standing and deep-seated, almost inherited, while 恨み is the general word. Similarly 憂慮 and 懸念 both mean "concern," but 憂慮 is stronger and more formal — used for serious matters like 憂慮すべき事態 (a situation that should cause grave concern) — while 懸念 is milder and more common in everyday formal writing. Reading these words in their example sentences, not just their glosses, is the only reliable way to internalize the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 好感 and 憐憫?
好感 is a favorable impression or goodwill toward someone (好感を持つ, to feel favorably toward someone) — a mild, everyday positive feeling. 憐憫 is pity or compassion for someone in a difficult situation, closer to "feeling sorry for" — it carries an implicit power imbalance that 好感 doesn't.
How is 陶酔 different from 恍惚?
Both describe an intoxicated, blissful mental state. 陶酔 usually has a specific cause — being intoxicated by music, praise, or one's own success (自己陶酔, self-intoxication/self-satisfaction). 恍惚 is a more trance-like, all-consuming rapture, and can also describe a dazed mental state in elderly patients (老人性の恍惚, senile confusion) — a medical usage that has no equivalent in 陶酔.
Practice All 76 Psychology & Human Nature Vocabulary Words
Import the Psychology & Human Nature Vocabulary deck into Onigiri Anki and master this category with spaced repetition.