JLPT N3 people and relationships vocabulary covers 35 essential words — extended family terms, workplace hierarchy (上司, 部下, 同僚), and social relationship nouns. This vocabulary reflects the more nuanced social distinctions tested at the intermediate N3 level.

This article is part of our JLPT N3 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 35 words with the N3 People & Relationships deck in Onigiri Anki.

Family & Marriage (10)

These words describe family structure and status — common in N3 reading passages about personal background.

married couple夫婦fuufu

あの夫婦はとても仲がいいです。 — That married couple is very friendly.

relative親戚shinseki

お正月に親戚を訪ねました。 — I visited a relative during the New Year holidays.

siblings兄弟kyoudai

兄弟は仲がいいです。 — My siblings get along well.

sisters姉妹shimai

姉妹で買い物をしています。 — The sisters are shopping together.

parents' home実家jikka

週末に実家へ帰りました。 — I went back to my parents' home for the weekend.

eldest son長男chounan

長男は大学で勉強しています。 — The eldest son is studying at university.

eldest daughter長女choujo

長女は母を手伝っています。 — The eldest daughter helps her mother.

single; unmarried独身dokushin

彼は今、独身です。 — He is single now.

housewife主婦shufu

母は主婦です。 — My mother is a housewife.

family; household一家ikka

あの家にこの一家が住んでいます。 — That family lives in that house.

Workplace Hierarchy (8)

Japan's workplace vocabulary reflects clear hierarchy — knowing these terms is essential for understanding office dialogues on the N3.

superior上司joushi

上司が私にアドバイスをくれました。 — My supervisor gave me advice.

subordinate部下buka

部下は一生けんめい働いています。 — The subordinate is working hard.

coworker同僚douryou

同僚と夕食に行きました。 — I went to dinner with a coworker.

store manager店長tenchou

店長はとても親切です。 — The store manager is very kind.

section chief課長kachou

課長は今会議中です。 — The section chief is in a meeting now.

employee社員shain

あの社員はこの会社で働いています。 — That employee works at this company.

classmate同級生doukyuusei

同級生が宿題を手伝ってくれました。 — My classmate helped me with my homework.

interpreter通訳tsuuyaku

わからないときは通訳を呼んでください。 — Please call an interpreter if you do not understand.

Social & Community (10)

These words describe people in broader social contexts — community, relationships, and formal references to individuals.

the person concerned本人honnin

本人は真実を知っています。 — The person concerned knows the truth.

another person他人tanin

他人に聞かないでください。 — Don't ask another person.

human being人間ningen

人間は水が必要です。 — Human beings need water.

citizen市民shimin

市民は公園に集まりました。 — Citizens gathered in the park.

resident住民juumin

たくさんの住民が町の会議に出ました。 — Many residents attended the town meeting.

close friend親友shinyuu

親友が昨日、うちに来ました。 — My close friend came to my house yesterday.

acquaintance知人chijin

駅で知人に会いました。 — I met an acquaintance at the station.

lover恋人koibito

恋人にメッセージを送りました。 — I sent a message to my lover.

partner / the other person相手aite

相手にやさしく話してください。 — Please speak kindly to the other person.

old person老人roujin

老人は新聞を読んでいます。 — The old person is reading a newspaper.

本人 vs 他人: A Key N3 Distinction

本人 (honnin) refers to "the person themselves" — the one directly concerned in a matter. 他人 (tanin) means "another person" — someone unrelated. This distinction appears in N3 reading passages discussing identity verification, responsibility, and privacy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 同僚 and 同級生?

同僚 (douryou) means coworker — someone you work with. 同級生 (doukyuusei) means classmate — someone in the same school year. Both describe peer relationships but in different contexts.

Why does Japanese have so many words for "friend"?

Japanese distinguishes friendship by closeness and formality: 友達 (tomodachi, general friend), 親友 (shinyuu, close/best friend), and 知人 (chijin, formal acquaintance). N3 tests recognition of these distinctions in context.

Practice All 35 N3 People & Relationships Words

Import the N3 People & Relationships deck into Onigiri Anki and master social and family vocabulary with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N3 People & Relationships Vocabulary: 35 Essential Words (2026)