JLPT N3 society and law vocabulary covers 35 essential words — politics, legal terminology, crime, and social/cultural concepts. This vocabulary is essential for reading Japanese news articles and understanding formal discussions of civic life.

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

Politics & Civic Life (8)

These words describe government, rights, and civic responsibility — common in N3 news-style reading passages.

government政府seifu

政府は新しい方針を発表しました。 — The government announced a new policy.

election選挙senkyo

選挙で多くの若い人が投票しました。 — Many young people voted in the election.

right権利kenri

だれでも自由に話す権利があります。 — Everyone has the right to speak freely.

duty義務gimu

家族を助けるのは私の義務です。 — It is my duty to help my family.

equality平等byoudou

平等は大切だと思います。 — I think equality is important.

discrimination差別sabetsu

差別はあってはいけません。 — We should not tolerate discrimination.

the people / citizens国民kokumin

政府は国民を守りたいです。 — The government wants to protect the people.

tax税金zeikin

今年は税金が高いです。 — Taxes are high this year.

Law & Crime (10)

Legal and crime vocabulary appears in N3 passages about news events, rules, and legal processes.

trial; lawsuit裁判saiban

裁判は今朝始まりました。 — The trial started this morning.

lawyer弁護士bengoshi

兄は弁護士になりたいです。 — My brother wants to become a lawyer.

violation違反ihan

ここでたばこを吸うのは違反です。 — Smoking here is a violation of the rules.

crime犯罪hanzai

この町では犯罪が増えています。 — Crime is increasing in this town.

arrest逮捕taiho

警察は昨日その男を逮捕しました。 — The police arrested the man yesterday.

criminal犯人hannin

犯人は警察につかまりました。 — The criminal was caught by the police.

evidence証拠shouko

事故の証拠を見つけました。 — I found evidence of the accident.

fine罰金bakkin

ルールをやぶると、罰金を払うことがあります。 — If you break the rules, you may have to pay a fine.

license免許menkyo

車を運転するには免許が必要です。 — A license is necessary to drive a car.

prohibition禁止kinshi

ここでは喫煙が禁止です。 — Smoking is prohibited here.

Society & Culture (10)

These words describe social organizations, traditions, and community activity — broader social-context vocabulary for N3.

organization団体dantai

この団体は子どもを守るために活動しています。 — This organization works to protect children.

activity活動katsudou

私は学校での活動が毎日忙しいです。 — I am busy with school activities every day.

tradition伝統dentou

この祭りには古い伝統があります。 — This festival has a long tradition.

common sense常識joushiki

時間を守るのは常識です。 — It is common sense to be on time.

religion宗教shuukyou

日本では宗教を大切にする人が多いです。 — Many people in Japan value religion.

donation寄付kifu

私たちは被災地への寄付を集めました。 — We collected donations for the disaster area.

contribute貢献kouken

教育は社会に貢献します。 — Education contributes to society.

exchange交流kouryuu

学生どうしの交流はとてもよかったです。 — The exchange between students was very good.

region / area地域chiiki

私はこの地域に住んでいます。 — I live in this area.

development発展hatten

この町はこれからも発展します。 — This city will continue to develop.

権利 vs 義務: Rights and Duties

権利 (kenri, rights) and 義務 (gimu, duty/obligation) are frequently paired in N3 passages discussing civic responsibility — one's rights come with corresponding duties. This pairing is a common theme in Japanese civics-related reading passages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 犯罪 and 犯人?

犯罪 (hanzai) means "crime" — the act itself. 犯人 (hannin) means "criminal" — the person who committed it. Both share 犯 (han, to commit an offense).

Why is legal vocabulary tested on N3?

N3 marks the transition to reading authentic Japanese materials, including news articles that regularly cover legal and political topics. This vocabulary appears in newspaper-style reading passages on the exam.

Practice All 35 N3 Society & Law Words

Import the N3 Society & Law deck into Onigiri Anki and master civic and legal vocabulary with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N3 Society & Law Vocabulary: 35 Essential Words (2026)