JLPT N4 School & Work Vocabulary: 54 Essential Words (2026)
Complete JLPT N4 school and work vocabulary — study, language, school life, and office terms with readings and example sentences.
Posted by
Related reading
JLPT N3 Vocabulary List: Complete Guide with Anki (2026)
Master the complete JLPT N3 vocabulary list with 900+ essential Japanese words. Free Anki decks, study strategies, and a step-by-step guide from N4 to N3.
JLPT N3 Travel & Places Vocabulary: 45 Essential Words (2026)
Complete JLPT N3 travel, places, and transportation vocabulary with readings and example sentences.
JLPT N3 Time & Quantity Vocabulary: 37 Essential Words (2026)
Complete JLPT N3 time expressions and quantity vocabulary with readings and example sentences.
JLPT N4 school and work vocabulary is the largest N4 category — 54 essential words covering study habits, language learning terms, school life, and office vocabulary. This guide covers 40 of the most useful words, organized by theme, with the full 54-word deck available for import.
This article is part of our JLPT N4 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 54 words with the N4 School & Work deck in Onigiri Anki.
Study & Preparation (10)
These words describe the process of studying — preparing, reviewing, and practicing — core vocabulary for any N4 discussion of academic life.
来週の予定を教えてください。 — Please tell me next week's schedule.
旅行の準備をしています。 — I am preparing for the trip.
もう一度説明してください。 — Please explain it one more time.
今日の講義はやさしかったです。 — Today's lecture was easy.
大学で研究をしています。 — I am doing research at the university.
教育は子どもに大切です。 — Education is important for children.
明日の授業の予習をします。 — I will do preparation for tomorrow's class.
毎晩、復習をします。 — I review my lessons every night.
今学期の成績はいいです。 — My grades are good this semester.
毎日ピアノを練習します。 — I practice piano every day.
Language & Writing (10)
Since the JLPT tests Japanese itself, vocabulary about language learning — grammar, pronunciation, kanji — appears constantly in N4 materials.
新しい教科書を買いました。 — I bought a new textbook.
この文法はむずかしいです。 — This grammar is difficult.
私の発音はよくないです。 — My pronunciation is not good.
友だちと会話をしました。 — I had a conversation with my friend.
きのう作文を書きました。 — I wrote an essay yesterday.
私は漢字をたくさん読めます。 — I can read many kanji.
名前を平仮名で書いてください。 — Please write your name in hiragana.
この言葉は片仮名で書いてください。 — Please write this word in katakana.
この字は書くのがむずかしいです。 — This character is hard to write.
答えがわかりません。 — I don't know the answer.
School Life (10)
From elementary school to studying abroad, this vocabulary covers the full arc of Japanese education.
娘は小学校に通っています。 — My daughter goes to elementary school.
弟は中学校に通っています。 — My brother is in junior high school.
息子は高校に通っています。 — My son goes to high school.
私は数学が好きです。 — I like mathematics.
学校で歴史を習いました。 — I studied history at school.
妹はこの学校に入学しました。 — My sister entered this school.
去年、この学校を卒業しました。 — I graduated from this school last year.
私の専門は英語です。 — My specialty is English.
彼はカナダへ留学しています。 — He is studying abroad in Canada.
先生は黒板に答えを書きました。 — The teacher wrote the answer on the blackboard.
Work & Office (10)
N4 introduces basic workplace vocabulary — meetings, attendance, salary — essential for understanding Japanese work culture.
会議は三時からです。 — The meeting starts at three.
後で連絡します。 — I will contact you later.
兄はコンビニでアルバイトをしています。 — My brother has a part-time job at a convenience store.
私の事務所は二階にあります。 — My office is on the second floor.
私は店長に名刺を渡しました。 — I gave my business card to the manager.
今日の出席をお願いします。 — Please check my attendance today.
きのう、学校を欠席しました。 — I was absent from school yesterday.
電車に遅刻しました。 — I was late for the train.
今月、給料が上がりました。 — My salary increased this month.
来週の計画を立てました。 — We made a plan for next week.
予習 vs 復習: Before and After
予習 (yoshuu, preparation/preview) happens before class — reading ahead. 復習 (fukushuu, review) happens after class — reviewing what you learned. Both words use 習 (narau, to learn), with 予 (yo, beforehand) and 復 (fuku, again) as the distinguishing prefixes — a useful pattern for guessing related N4 kanji compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 出席 and 欠席?
出席 (shusseki) means attendance/being present. 欠席 (kesseki) means absence. Both are common in N4 reading passages about school and work schedules.
Is アルバイト the same as 仕事?
アルバイト (arubaito, from German "Arbeit") specifically means a part-time or casual job, often for students. 仕事 (shigoto) is the general word for job/work, covering both full-time and part-time positions.
Practice All 54 N4 School & Work Words
Import the N4 School & Work deck into Onigiri Anki and master academic and workplace vocabulary with spaced repetition.