Introduction
Welcome to the JLPT N5 word guide at NihongoDoya. This collection lists ~980 Japanese terms from Minna no Nihongo Book I (lessons 1–25), with kanji, hiragana, romaji and English meanings. The search bar above accepts Japanese, romaji or English — try typing konnichiwa, こんにちは or hello and you will land on the same card. Every entry links back to the matching grammar guide unit and audio practice scene.
What you will learn
- Core nouns for family, school, food, weather and transport
- High-frequency verbs grouped by ます-form patterns
- Adjectives for size, taste, feeling and weather
- Number readings, counters and time-of-day expressions
- Greetings, farewells and classroom Japanese
- Particles and small connector words used in every sentence
Who this level is for
This level is best for complete beginners who have already learned hiragana and katakana, and for self-study learners working toward the December or July JLPT N5 sitting. If you have studied kana for a week or two and want a structured path into Japanese, start here.
A useful weekly cycle for word study
- Scan a new unit and read every entry aloud once.
- Star the items you missed and copy them into a short example sentence.
- Listen on the matching audio practice page so each new term gets a real-world voice.
- Cross-link with the matching grammar guide unit to lock the term into a sentence pattern.
- Review for five minutes daily and run a longer pass once a week.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Memorising only the kanji form — N5 quizzes often show kana only, so practise both.
- Skipping pitch accent — even at N5, the wrong pitch can make a word hard to recognise.
- Studying words alone instead of in a short example sentence.
- Reviewing once and never again — without spaced repetition, recall drops quickly.
Related study materials
Build a joined-up study cycle by combining this page with the matching JLPT N5 grammar guide, the JLPT N5 Japanese word list and the JLPT N5 audio practice page.
Frequently asked questions
How many words are on the JLPT N5 word list?
NihongoDoya hosts around 980 essential N5 Japanese words, organised by the lesson order of Minna no Nihongo Book I and searchable by kana, romaji or English.
How many words should I learn per day?
Ten to fifteen new items per day is a sustainable pace, with daily review of the previous day. That schedule covers the entire N5 word list in roughly three months.
How do I memorise readings as well as meaning?
Read every word aloud, copy it into a short example sentence, and listen to the matching audio practice page. Sound, shape and meaning together is the fastest path.
Do I need a flashcard app?
Not at all. A short daily review of the previous lesson and a weekly full-list scan is enough for most learners. Apps like Anki only help if you use them daily.
How does this list relate to JLPT N5 exam prep?
Roughly nine in ten N5 words on the exam appear here. Combine the word list with the matching grammar guide and audio practice page for a full study cycle.