This appendix is a specific list of one thousand basic words. It is not a general vocabulary.

It is not a frequency list

(which is here), and it is not yet 1000 words. It's a subjective list made by users like you, and it's not finished, so if you
know any words that belong on here, be boldand add them.
All words on this list should be in Category:1000 Japanese basic words.
See also: Language Lover's Japanese Mnemosyne File (Work in Progress)

Nouns[edit]
People[edit]

human being (ningen)

humanity (jinrui)
person (hito)
male (otoko)
man (otokonohito)
boy (otokonoko)
female (onna)
woman (onnanohito)
girl (onnanoko)
baby (akachan)
youth, young person (wakamono)
I, myself (watashi)
I, myself (watakushi most formal)
I, myself (boku, mainly used by males)
I, myself (ore, mainly used by males [informal])
I, myself (atashi, mainly used by females [softer sounding])
girl (shoujo)
boy (shounen)

Occupations[edit]

doctor (isha)

nurse (kangoshi)
female nurse (kangofu)
or or dentist (shikai or ha-isha)
politician (seijika)
lawyer (bengoshi)
firefighter (shouboushu)
police officer (keisatsukan)

soldier (heishi)
architect (kenchikuka)
teacher (sensei)
(academic) teacher (kyoushi)
singer (kashu)

Body[edit]

foot, leg (ashi)

heel (kakato)
shin (sune)
knee (hiza)
thigh (momo)
head (atama)
face (kao)
mouth (kuchi)
lips (kuchibiru)
tooth (ha)
nose (hana)
moustache, beard (hige)
hair (kami)
ear (mimi)
stomach (i)
arm (ude)
elbow (hiji)
shoulder (kata)
nail (tsume)
hand (te)
wrist (tekubi)
palm of hand (te-no-hira)
finger, toe (yubi)
buttocks (shiri)
abdomen (o-naka)
liver (kanz)
liver (kimo)
muscle (kin'niku)
neck (kubi)
heart [as in feelings] (kokoro)
waist, hip (koshi)
heart (shinz)
back (senaka)
blood (chi)
meat (niku)
skin (hada)

skin (hifu)
bone (hone)
chest (mune)
cold [illness] (kaze)
diarrhea (geri)
illness (byki)

Family[edit]

family (kazoku)

parents (goryoushin)
children, child (kodomo)
father (chichi)
mother (haha)
wife (tsuma)
husband (otto)
older brother (ani) (on-san)
older sister (ane) (on-san)
younger brother (otto)
younger sister (imto)
brothers, siblings (kydai)
sisters (shimai)
grandfather (sofu)
grandmother (sobo)
grandchild (mago)
uncle (oji)
aunt (oba)
cousin (itoko)
niece (mei)
nephew (oi)

Life[edit]

living creatures (ikimono)

monster (bakemono)

Animals[edit]

animal (dbutsu)

dog (inu)
cat (neko)
cow (ushi)
pig (buta)
horse (uma)

sheep (hitsuji)
monkey (saru)
mouse, rat (nezumi)
tiger (tora)
wolf (okami)
rabbit (usagi)
dragon (ry, tatsu)
deer (shika)
frog (kaeru)
toad (gama)
lion (Shishi)
giraffe (kirin)
elephant (z)
bird (tori)
chicken (niwatori)
sparrow (suzume)
crow, raven (karasu)
eagle (washi)
hawk, falcon (taka)
fish (sakana)
red snapper (tai)
shrimp, lobster (ebi)
sardine (iwashi)
tuna (maguro)
bonito (katsuo)
pike (sanma)
horse mackerel (aji)
mackerel (saba)
squid (ika)
octopus (tako)
insect (mushi)
butterfly (ch)
moth (ga)
cicada (semi)
dragonfly (tonbo)
grasshopper (batta)
spider (kumo)
firefly (hotaru)
housefly (hae)
mosquito, gnat (ka)
cockroach (gokiburi)
snail (katatsumuri)
slug (namekuji)

earthworm (mimizu)
shellfish (kai)
shell (kaigara)
lizard (tokage)
snake (hebi)

Plants[edit]

- plants (shokubutsu)

- grass (kusa, Shibafu)

- flower (hana)
- fruit (mi)
- tree (ki)
or or - leaf (ha or happa)
or or - root (ne or nekko)
- stem (kuki)
- mushroom (kinoko)
- chrysanthemum (kiku)
- cherry blossom (sakura)

Crops[edit]

uncooked rice (kome)

rice growing in a field (ine)

wheat, barley, oats (mugi)
vegetable (yasai)
fruit for eating (kudamono)
yam, potato, taro (imo)
beans, peas (mame)
Japanese white radish (daikon)
carrot (ninjin)
apple (ringo)
mandarin orange (mikan)
banana (banana, kansh)
pear (nashi)
chestnut tree (kuri)
peach (momo)
tomato (tomato, banka)
watermelon (suika)

Food[edit]

- food (tabemono)

- breakfast (chshoku, asagohan)

- lunch (hirugohan)
- supper (bangohan)
- cooked rice or food (gohan)
- miso (miso)
- cooking (ryri)
- salad (sarada)
- dessert (dezto)
- bread (pan)
- sandwich (sandoitchi)
- snack (oyatsu)
- ice cream (aisukurmu)

Drink[edit]

- drink/beverage (nomimono)

- green tea (ocha)

- coffee (kh)
- milk (gyny)

Seasoning[edit]

- sugar (sat)

- salt (shio)
- soy sauce (shyu)

Time[edit]

time (jikan)

~hours (toki, ji)

calendar (koyomi, karend)
minute (fun)
second (by)
day (hi, nichi)
month (tsuki, gatsu)

(# -gatsu / (January,1st Month): Ichi-,Ni-,San-,Shi-,Go-,Roku-,Shichi-,Hachi-,Ku-,Jyu-,JyuIchi-,JyuNi-

(December,12th Month)

year (toshi, nen)

(Last Year: Kyounen, This Year: Kotoshi, Next Year: Rainen),

yesterday (kin, sakujitsu)

today (ky)
tomorrow (ashita, asu, mynichi)
morning (asa)

(Yesterday Morning: Kinou no asa, This Morning: Kesa, Tomorrow Morning: Ashita no asa)

afternoon (hiru)

evening (ygata)
evening (ban)
evening, night (yoru)
~day (ybi)
Monday (getsu-ybi)
Tuesday (ka-ybi)
Wednesday (sui-ybi)
Thursday (moku-ybi)
Friday (kin-ybi)
Saturday (do-ybi)
Sunday (nichi-ybi)
week (sh)

(Last Week: Senshyu, This Week: Konshyu, Next Week: Raishyu)

one week (isshkan)

Weather[edit]

sun (taiy)

moon (tsuki)
star (hoshi)
weather (tenki)
clear weather (hare)
rain (ame)
cloudy (kumori)
snow (yuki)
wind (kaze)
thunder, lightning (kaminari)
typhoon (taif)
storm (arashi)
sky (sora)

Directions and positions[edit]

north (kita)

east (higashi)
south (minami)
west (nishi)
here (koko)
there (soko)
over there (asoko)
right (migi)
left (hidari)
above, up (ue)
below, down (shita)

front (mae)
behind (ushiro)
the other side, opposite side (muk)
diagonal (naname)
nearer, more in front (temae)
far (oku, tooi), (near,close - Chikai)

Materials[edit]

water (mizu)

hot water (yu)

ice (kri)
steam (yuge)
fire (hi)
gas (gasu)
air, atmosphere (kki)
earth, ground (tsuchi)
metal, metallic (kinzoku)
mud, mire, clay, plaster (doro)
smoke, tobacco, opium (kemuri)
iron [Fe] (tetsu)
copper [Cu] (d)
gold [Au]; money (kin)
silver [Ag]; wealth (gin)
lead [Pb] (namari)
salt [NaCl] (shio)

Weights and measures[edit]

meter (mtoru)

liter (rittoru)
gram (guramu)
kilo- (kiro)
milli- (miri)
, centimeter (senchi)
inch (inchi)

Society[edit]

society (shakai)

economy, economics (keizai)

company (kaisha)
meeting (kaigi)
school (gakk)

local government office (yakusho)

store (mise)
hotel (hoteru)
factory (kj)
money (kane, most commonly o-kane)
bill [of money, e.g., a thousand-yen bill] (satsu)
small change (kozeni)
change (tsurisen), change (o-tsuri)
vending machine, slot machine (jidhanbaiki)
ticket (public transport, fine) (kippu)
stamp (kitte)

Human made objects[edit]

Home[edit]

desk (tsukue)

chair, position (isu)

a tatami mat (tatami)
door, family (to)
door panel (tobira)
door (doa)
window (mado)
futon (futon)
entrance (genkan)
house, home (ie)
elevator (erebt)
escalator (esukart)
electricity (denki)

Tools[edit]

nail, spike (kugi)

string, cord (himo)

rope, string (nawa)
pocket, bag (fukuro)
leather bag (kaban)
umbrella, parasol (kasa)
door bolt, key (kagi)
sculpture, engraving (chkoku)

Stationary[edit]

stationery (bunbgu)

ink (inku)

pen (pen)
ball-point pen (brupen)
fountain pen (mannenhitsu)
pencil (enpitsu)
brush for writing or painting (fude)
chalk (chku)
eraser (keshigomu)
pencil sharpener (enpitsu-kezuri)
ruler (jgi)
notebook (nto)
diary (nikki)
book cover (kab)
envelope (ft)
scissors (hasami)
stapler (hotchikisu)

Clothes[edit]

clothes (fuku)

western clothing (yfuku)

kimono (kimono)
Japanese clothing (wafuku)
sleeve (sode)
lapel, collar (eri)
button (botan)
zipper, zipper fastener (chakku, fasun, jipp)
belt (beruto)
shoe (kutsu)
glasses (megane)

Transport[edit]

railway (tetsud)

station (eki)
airplane (hikki)
airport (kk, hikj)
street, way, road (michi)
road (dro)
bus-stop (basutei)
avenue (tri)
train (densha)
car (jidsha)

Language[edit]

letter, character, script (moji)

a letter, character (ji)

Chinese character (kanji)
hiragana syllabary characters (hiragana)
katakana syllabary characters (katakana)
numbers (sji)
alphabet (arufabetto)
Roman characters, Latin script (rmaji)

foreign language (gaikokugo)

Japanese [language] (nihongo)
English [language] (eigo)
Chinese [language] (chgokugo)
German [language] (doitsugo)
Spanish [language] (supeingo)
French [language] (furansugo)
Korean [language], South Korean [language]
(chsengo, kankokugo)

Media[edit]

book (hon)

paper (kami)
letter (tegami)
newspaper (shinbun)
dictionary (jisho)
personal computer (pasokon)

Colors[edit]

color (iro, shikisai)

red (aka)
yellow (kiiro)
green (midori)
blue (ao)
purple (murasaki, murasakiiro)
white (shiro)
black (kuro)
pink (pinku)
brown (chairo)
grey (haiiro, nezumiiro)
orange (orenjiiro)

Others[edit]

picture (e)

music (ongaku)
science (rika)
arithmetic (sans)
history (rekishi)
geography (chiri)
physical education (taiiku)
sport (suptsu)
system (shisutemu)
information, news (jh)
necessity (hitsuy)
study (benky)
request (irai)

Numbers[edit]

zero (rei, zero)

one (ichi)
two (ni)
three (san)
four (yon, shi)
five (go)
six (roku)
seven (nana, shichi)
eight (hachi)
nine (ky, ku)
ten (j)
hundred (hyaku)
thousand (sen)
ten thousand (man)
one hundred million (oku)
one, one thing (hitotsu)
two, two things (futatsu)
three, three things (mittsu)
four, four things (yottsu)
five, five things (itsutsu)
six, six things (muttsu)
seven, seven things (nanatsu)
eight, eight things (yattsu)
nine, nine things (kokonotsu)
ten, ten things (t)

Abstract nouns[edit]

this, it (kore)

that (sore)
that over there (are)
which (dore)
this direction, thing, person, or place (kochira, kocchi)
that direction, thing, person, or place (sochira, socchi)
that direction, thing, person, or place over there (achira, acchi)
which direction, thing, person, or place (dochira, docchi)
secret (himitsu)
automatic (jid)
content (naiy)
hem, piece, strip (haba)
formality (seishiki)
marriage (kekkon)
now (genzai)
now (ima)
past (kako)
future (mirai)

Adjectives[edit]
Forms[edit]

good (ii, yoi)

amazing (sugoi)
wonderful (subarashii)
bad, inferior (warui)
expensive, high (takai)
low (hikui)
cheap (yasui)
big (kii)
small (chiisai)
thin (hosoi)
thick (futoi)
old (furui)
new (atarashii)
young (wakai)
light, easy (karui)
heavy (omoi)
easy, simple (yasashii)
difficult (muzukashii)
soft (yawarakai)
hard (katai)
hot (atsui)

 cold (tsumetai)
cold (samui)
delicious (oishii)
delicious, appetizing (umai)
tastes awful (mazui)
sweet (amai)
hot [spicy] (karai)
salty (shoppai)
bitter (nigai)

Feelings[edit]

happy (ureshii)

sad (kanashii)
lonely (sabishii)
scary (kowai)
painful (itai)
itchy (kayui)
stinky (kusai)
painful, heart-breaking (tsurai)

Verbs[edit]

to do (suru)

to do (yaru)

Existence[edit]

to exist [for animate objects] (iru)

to exist [for inanimate objects] (aru)

to become (naru)
to occur (okoru)
, to appear (arawareru)
to live (ikiru)
to give birth (umu)
to die (shinu)
, to breakin (kowareru)

in

intransitive sense

Movement[edit]

to go (iku)

to come (kuru)
to return (kaeru)

 to walk (aruku)
to jump, to fly (tobu)
to swim (oyogu)

Actions[edit]

to movein (ugoku)

to dance (odoru)
to sleep (neru)
to sing (utau)
to bite (kamu)
to eat (taberu)
to drink (nomu)
to touch (sawaru)
to throw (nageru)
to hold (motsu)
to hit, to strike (utsu)
to hit, to strike (naguru)
to point (sasu)
to stab (sasu)
to raise or extend one's hands (sasu)
to kick (keru)
to sit (suwaru)
to stand (tatsu)
to run (hashiru)

in

intransitive sense

Changes of state[edit]

, to become unoccupied (aku)

, to be crowded (komu)
, to need (iru)
, to become dry (kawaku)
, - to disturb, to disarrange (midasu)
, - to be disturbed, to become confused (midareru)
, - to serve, to work for (tsukaeru)
, - to be furnished with (sonawaru)
, - to excel, to surpass (sugureru)
, - to grow cold, to get chilly, to cool down (hieru)
, - to wake, to become sober, to be disillusioned (sameru)
, - to cool down (sameru)
, - to face, to turn toward (muku)
, - to fall, to collapse (taoreru)
, - to harden, to solidify, to become firm (katamaru)

, - to be filled, to be surrounded, to overflow (umaru)

, - to be buried, to be covered (umoreru)
, - to increase, to grow (masu)
, - to increase, to multiply (fueru)
, - to decrease (heru)
, - to deviate (hazureru)
, - to grow fat (futoru)
, - to begin (hajimaru)
, - to finish, to close (owaru)
, - to decide (kimeru)

Senses[edit]

to see (miru)

to hear, to listen (kiku)

to touch, to feel (sawaru)
to smell (kagu)

Speech[edit]

to say (iu)

to speak (hanasu)
to tell (kataru)
to write (kaku)
to read (yomu)

Work[edit]

to use (tsukau)

to make (tsukuru)
to fix, repair (naosu)
to discard, throw away (suteru)
to take (toru)
to put (oku)

Emotions[edit]

to be sad (kanashimu)

to cry (naku)
to laugh (warau)
to be angry (okoru)
to encourage (homeru)
to celebrate, to be jubilant, to have joy, to have delight, to have rapture (yorokobu)
joy, delight, rapture (yorokobi)

to console, to consolate, to provide empathy (nagusameru)

to be disinterested, to be bored, to be tired of, to be weary (akiru)
to be astonished, to be surprised, to be scared (odoroku)

Activities[edit]

to meet, to interview (au)

to opentr, to unwraptr (akeru)

to play (asobu)
to gatherin (atsumaru)
to sell (uru)
to obtain [some benefit or knowledge] (eru)
to breaktr, to foldtr (oru)
to buy (kau)
to cut (kiru)
to wear [on the upper body] (kiru)
to wear [on the lower body] (haku)
to changetr (kaeru)
to exchange, to substitute, to replace (kaeru)
to closetr (shimeru)
to tie, to fasten (shimeru)
to comprise, to account for (shimeru)
to know (shiru)
to get tired (tsukareru)
to go out, to depart (dekakeru)
to work [e.g., at a job] (hataraku)
to let go of (hanasu)
to rest, to take a break, to go to bed (yasumu)
to split intoin, to be divided (wakareru)
to partin, to separatein, to break upin (wakareru)

tr

transitive sense

in

intransitive sense

conjugates as a u-verb

Adverbs[edit]

already (m)

still, yet (mada)

always (zutto)
very (totemo)
like this (k)
like that (s)
Oh!, Ah! ()

how (d)
often (shibashiba)

Pre-noun adjectival[edit]

this (kono)

that (sono)
that (ano)
which (dono)

Interjections[edit]

yes (hai)

no (iie)

Conjunctions[edit]

- but (kedo)

but, however (shikashi)

and then, Then (soshite)
besides (soreni)
that is because, being because (nazenara)

Terminations of verbs[edit]

volitional ending [ for u-verbs, for ru-verbs]: "Let's" or "I will" (u, y)

causative ending [ for u-verbs, for ru-verbs]: to make [someone do

something], to allow (seru, saseru)

passive verb ending [ for u-verbs, for ru-verbs]: to be <verbed>

[e.g., , "to be eaten"] (reru, rareru)

indicates that it seems the verb occurs [e.g., "It seems he ate"] (sda)
informal past-tense (ta)
indicates desire to perform verb (tai)
indicates that it seems the verb occurs; also used to ask whether the verb occurs
(dar)

, informal negative (nai, n) [ is a slurred version and sounds a little masculine]

archaic informal negative ["he hath", "thou didst", etc.] (nu)
formal non-past ending (masu)

Particles[edit]
Case[edit]

subject marker, but (ga)

at, by (de)
and, with (to)
indirect object marker (ni)
possession marker, of (no)
to (e) [Note: is normally read he, but when used as this particle its reading changes
to e]

to (made)
from (kara)
than (yori)
direct object marker (o)

Binding[edit]

topic marker (wa) [Note: "" is usually pronounced as "ha", but pronounced "wa" when
used as a particle]

as well (mo)
and (ya)

Conjunctive[edit]

and (oyobi)

whether (ka)
might be, possible that (kamo)
and then (soshite)
or (soretomo)
things like <list of things>, including, such things as (dano)
ongoing occurrence (tsutsu) [similar to but has different tone, and both actions

have equal weight]

te form of verb or adjective [see explanation]

when, if, that (to)
while, though, both (nagara)
as well as (narabini)
whether or not (nari)
to <somewhere>, by <someone> (ni)
possession (no)
so (node)
also, again (mata)
or alternatively (matawa)
also, too (mo)
and (ya)

Final[edit]

emphasis and question marker, equivalent to "right?" (ne)

question marker (ka)

the copula particle used after quasi-adjectives (na)
I wonder (kashira)
-ness (sa)
particle indicating that the speaker is trying to recall some information ["What class is
next -kke?"] (-kke)

Adverbial[edit]

emphasis (koso)

even (sae)
only (shika)
even (sura)
approximately, about (kurai)
only, as much as (dake)
however (datte)
casual topic marker (ttara) [colloquial form of to ittara (if you refer to ~; as for ~]
said that (tte)
also, or (demo)
(particle used to indicate that what precedes it is an extreme example and strongly

negates it) (dokoro)

for example (nado)

if [for verbs]; subject marker [for nouns] (nara)
casual undervalue, dislike, lack (nanka)
casual undervalue, dislike, lack (nante)
topic marker (wa) [although ha is the hiragana used, wa is the pronunciation)
just, full of, only (bakari)
until (made)
too, also (mo)