JLPT N4 people and family vocabulary expands well beyond the basic N5 words — 34 essential words covering extended family (祖父, 孫), formal occupations (公務員, 看護師), and social status vocabulary (先輩, 後輩) that reflects Japan's hierarchical social structure.

This article is part of our JLPT N4 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 34 words with the N4 People & Family deck in Onigiri Anki.

Extended Family & Relations (12)

N4 introduces grandparents, grandchildren, and relationship vocabulary that goes beyond the immediate family taught at N5.

baby赤ちゃんakachan

赤ちゃんは寝ています。 — The baby is sleeping.

son息子musuko

私の息子は十歳です。 — My son is ten years old.

daughter娘musume

娘は音楽が好きです。 — My daughter likes music.

(someone's) daughter (polite)お嬢さんojousan

あちらがお嬢さんですか。 — Is that your daughter?

grandchild孫mago

孫は公園で遊んでいます。 — My grandchild is playing in the park.

grandfather (one's own)祖父sofu

祖父は大阪に住んでいます。 — My grandfather lives in Osaka.

grandmother (one's own)祖母sobo

祖母はおいしいお茶を入れます。 — My grandmother makes delicious tea.

parent親oya

私の親はやさしいです。 — My parent is kind.

husband / master主人shujin

主人はうちにいます。 — My husband is at home.

acquaintance知り合いshiriai

昨日、知り合いに会いました。 — I met an acquaintance yesterday.

senior (at school or work)先輩senpai

先輩が手伝ってくれました。 — My senior helped me.

junior (at school or work)後輩kouhai

後輩といっしょに勉強しました。 — I studied with a junior.

Occupations (12)

Job titles are common in N4 listening passages set in workplaces, hospitals, and public services.

customer / guest客kyaku

客は待っています。 — The customer is waiting.

shop clerk店員tenin

店員はやさしいです。 — The shop clerk is kind.

station attendant駅員ekiin

駅員は私を助けています。 — The station attendant is helping me.

company president社長shachou

社長は会議に来ました。 — The company president came to the meeting.

department manager部長buchou

うちの部長はとても親切です。 — Our department manager is very kind.

civil servant公務員koumuin

兄は公務員になりました。 — My brother became a civil servant.

nurse看護師kangoshi

看護師は病院でいそがしかったです。 — The nurse was busy at the hospital.

dentist歯医者haisha

きのう歯医者へ行きました。 — I went to the dentist yesterday.

police警察keisatsu

警察は子どもを助けています。 — The police are helping the child.

driver運転手untenshu

運転手はバスを運転しています。 — The driver is driving the bus.

athlete / player選手senshu

あの選手はとても強いです。 — That player is very strong.

thief泥棒dorobou

泥棒はにげました。 — The thief ran away.

Pronouns & Social Words (10)

These words cover gender, social status, and self-reference — key for understanding relationships between speakers in N4 dialogues.

man / male男性dansei

あの男性は親切です。 — That man is kind.

woman / female女性josei

女性が駅で待っています。 — The woman is waiting at the station.

they彼らkarera

彼らは公園で遊んでいます。 — They are playing in the park.

you (casual)君kimi

君は今日おそいです。 — You are late today.

I (male, casual)僕boku

僕は毎日日本語を勉強します。 — I study Japanese every day.

neighborhood近所kinjo

近所に公園があります。 — There is a park in my neighborhood.

friend (formal)友人yuujin

東京に友人がいます。 — I have a friend in Tokyo.

people人々hitobito

人々は駅で待っていました。 — People were waiting at the station.

oneself自分jibun

自分で考えなければなりません。 — I should think for myself.

announcerアナウンサーanaunsaa

アナウンサーははっきり話します。 — The announcer speaks clearly.

先輩 & 後輩: A Uniquely Japanese Concept

先輩 (senpai) and 後輩 (kouhai) describe seniority within a group — school year, years at a company — regardless of age. A 先輩 joined before you; a 後輩 joined after you. This relationship shapes speech level and social behavior throughout Japanese school and work culture, and understanding it is essential for N4-level reading comprehension.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 主人 and 夫?

主人 (shujin) literally means "master" and is a traditional, slightly formal way to refer to one's own husband. 夫 (otto) is more neutral and modern. Both appear on the N4, but 主人 is more common in spoken Japanese.

Why does 僕 mean "I" but only for males?

Japanese has multiple first-person pronouns with different levels of formality and gender association. 僕 (boku) is casual and typically used by men and boys; 私 (watashi) is neutral and used by everyone; 俺 (ore) is very casual and male. The N4 tests recognition of these distinctions in context.

Practice All 34 N4 People & Family Words

Import the N4 People & Family deck into Onigiri Anki and master extended family and occupation vocabulary with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N4 People & Family Vocabulary: 34 Essential Words (2026)