job. Something done in order to earn money; a duty to be carried out.
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N3事実じじつ
fact. Something that actually happened. Example: 「事実を確かめる」 (to confirm the facts), 「事実と違う」 (different from the facts). 「事実上」 (in effect/practically) is also commonly used.
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N3事情じじょう
circumstances. The detailed reasons or state behind why something is the way it is. Example: 「家庭の事情」 (family circumstances), 「事情があって遅れた」 (was late due to circumstances).
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N3詩人しじん
poet. A person whose job is writing poetry.
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N3自身じしん
The person themselves. Attached after a word referring to a person, as in 「私自身」 (myself), 「自分自身」 (oneself), to add emphasis. Distinguished from the homophones 「自信」 (self-confidence) and 「地震」 (earthquake).
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N3, N5静かしずか
A state of being quiet, with no sound, calm. Example: 「静かなへや」 (a quiet room). The antonym is 「うるさい」 (noisy).
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N2, N3沈むしずむ
sink. To go down into water or to a lower place. Example: 「船が沈む」 (a ship sinks), 「日が沈む」 (the sun sets). Also used to mean feeling down/depressed, as in 「気分が沈む」 (to feel down). The antonyms are 「浮かぶ」 (to float) and 「昇る」 (to rise).
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N3施設しせつ
The combined structures and equipment built for a specific purpose. Used in forms like 「福祉施設」「公共施設」.
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N2, N3従うしたがう
obey. To act according to what someone says or a rule. Example: 「指示に従う」 (to follow instructions), 「規則に従う」 (to obey the rules). Also used to mean going along something, as in 「川に従って歩く」 (to walk along a river).
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N3支度したく
Preparation for doing something. Example: 「しょくじの支度」 (preparing a meal).
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N3支払うしはらう
pay. To hand over money as payment for goods or services. Example: 「料金を支払う」 (to pay a fee). A more formal way of saying 「払う」, used in business and documents. The noun form is 「支払い」.
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N3死亡しぼう
For a person to die. Example: 「事故で死亡する」 (to die in an accident), 「死亡者」 (a deceased person). A formal way of saying 「死ぬ」, used in news and documents.
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N3姉妹しまい
sisters. Older and younger sisters. Example: 「三人姉妹」 (three sisters). Also used to mean two things bound by a deep relationship, as in 「姉妹都市」 (sister city), 「姉妹校」 (sister school). For brothers, 「兄弟」 is used.
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N3示すしめす
indicate. To show or point at something so the other person understands. Example: 「地図で道を示す」 (to show the way on a map), 「例を示す」 (to give an example), 「関心を示す」 (to show interest).
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N3占めるしめる
occupy. To hold a certain place or proportion for oneself. Example: 「過半数を占める」 (to hold a majority), 「大きな部分を占める」 (to occupy a large portion).
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N3霜しも
frost. Fine ice that forms on the ground or the surface of things during a cold night. Example: 「霜が降りる」 (frost forms).
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N3, N4社会しゃかい
society. The world in which people gather and live together.
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N3借金しゃっきん
debt. To borrow money. Money that has been borrowed. Example: 「借金を返す」 (to pay back a debt), 「借金がある」 (to have debt).
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N3邪魔じゃま
A presence or act that hinders things from proceeding smoothly. Used in forms like 「邪魔をする」「邪魔にならない」. When visiting someone's home, the form 「お邪魔する」 is used, as in 「お邪魔します」「明日お邪魔してもいいですか」. This is a greeting that humbly expresses a visit, phrased as receiving the other person's time and space; it does not actually mean causing trouble.
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N2, N3収穫しゅうかく
harvest. To gather in crops that have been grown. Example: 「米の収穫」 (a rice harvest). Also used to mean a good result gained from an activity, as in 「今日の会議は収穫が多かった」 (today's meeting was very productive).
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N3宗教しゅうきょう
religion. The spiritual practice of believing in gods or buddhas and following their teachings. Example: 「宗教を信じる」 (to believe in a religion), 「宗教団体」 (a religious organization).
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N3就職しゅうしょく
To enter a company, etc., and start working. Example: 「銀行に就職する」 (to get a job at a bank), 「就職活動」 (job hunting). The antonym is 「退職」 (retiring/resigning).
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N3修正しゅうせい
correction. To fix a bad point or mistake. Example: 「文章を修正する」 (to revise a piece of writing), 「軌道修正」 (course correction).
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N3渋滞じゅうたい
For cars, etc., to get backed up so the flow stops moving smoothly.
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N3重力じゅうりょく
The force by which the earth pulls objects toward its center. A term learned in science class.
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N2〜N4主人しゅじん
The head of a household, shop, or the like. It refers to the person at the top of that house or shop. In the past, it meant the most senior person in the house (often the father). It is also used as a polite way to refer to someone else's husband.
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N3主題しゅだい
The central idea of a story or work. A theme. The homophone-starting word 「首都」 (capital city) is a different word.
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N3出血しゅっけつ
(1) For blood to come out. Example: 「出血を止める」 (to stop the bleeding). (2) To lower a price at the cost of taking a loss. Example: 「出血大サービス」 (a big loss-leader sale).
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N3首都しゅと
The town that is the center of a country. The town where a country's government is located. The similarly-starting word 「主題」 (theme) is a different word.
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N3状態じょうたい
condition. The state of a person or matter at a given time. Example: 「健康状態」 (health condition), 「よい状態を保つ」 (to maintain a good condition).
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N3真実しんじつ
The truth, with no lies in it.
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N3新鮮しんせん
Fish or vegetables being fresh. Also used to mean something novel and lively, as in 「新鮮な驚き」 (a fresh surprise).
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N3心臓しんぞう
heart. The organ inside the body that sends blood throughout the body. It lies slightly to the left in the chest, and if it stops moving, life is in danger. 「心臓が強い」 also means not being timid even in front of others.
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N3慎重しんちょう
The state of being careful and not acting rashly. Used in forms like 「慎重に検討する」「慎重な判断」, expressing the careful handling of matters to avoid failure.
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N3図ず
diagram. Something that shows the structure or relationships of things clearly using lines or drawings. Example: 「図で説明する」 (to explain with a diagram).
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N3, N5吸うすう
Inhale; smoke. Taking breath or cigarette smoke into the body through the mouth or nose. 「たばこを吸う」(smoke a cigarette).
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N3数字すうじ
numeral. A character used to represent a number. 1, 2, 3, etc. Also used to mean things related to calculation or statistics, as in 「数字に強い」 (good with numbers).
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N3姿すがた
The overall visible form or appearance of a person or thing. Example: 「後ろ姿」 (a view from behind). Also used to mean being present somewhere, as in 「姿を消す」 (to disappear).
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N3空くすく
to become less crowded, to get hungry. For the people or things inside to decrease so that space opens up. It is used for a decrease in people, as in "電車が空く" (the train becomes less crowded), and also for becoming hungry as food in the stomach decreases, as in "おなかが空く". The same "空く" read as "あく" becomes a different word meaning that a seat or room becomes empty.
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N3過ごすすごす
To spend time living. Example: 「休日を家で過ごす」 (to spend a holiday at home). A person using time is 「過ごす」, while time passing by on its own is 「過ぎる」; they are used as in 「休日を過ごす」 versus 「休日が過ぎる」.
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N3勧めるすすめる
recommend. To tell someone that it would be good to do something. Example: 「入会を勧める」 (to recommend joining). When recommending a person or a book, it can also be written 「薦める」. Note the distinction from the homophone 「進める」 (to move forward).
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N2, N3進めるすすめる
To move something forward. Example: 「車を進める」 (to move a car forward). Also used to mean carrying something to a further stage, as in 「計画を進める」 (to advance a plan). A person moving something forward is 「進める」, while something moving forward on its own is 「進む」; they are used as in 「計画を進める」 versus 「計画が進む」. Note the distinction from the homophone 「勧める」 (to recommend to someone).
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N3頭痛ずつう
headache. Having a pain in one's head. Example: 「頭痛がする」 (to have a headache). There is also the expression 「頭痛の種」 (a source of worry).
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N3すっかりすっかり
completely. Entirely, with nothing left out. Example: 「すっかり忘れていた」 (had completely forgotten). Also used to mean a state having completely changed, as in 「すっかり秋になった」 (it has completely become autumn).
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N3既にすでに
already. A state in which something has already ended or begun by that time. Mostly used in written language; in spoken language, 「もう」 is normal.
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N3素直すなお
A personality or attitude that is straightforward and accepts what others say as it is. Example: 「素直に謝る」 (to apologize sincerely/without resistance).
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N3全てすべて
all. Every single one, with nothing left out. Example: 「全てを話す」 (to tell everything). Also often written in hiragana as 「すべて」.
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N3滑るすべる
For one's foot to slip on a slick surface and nearly fall. Example: 「みちがこおって滑る」 (the road is frozen and slippery).
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N2, N3済ますすます
To bring something to a finish. Example: 「用事を済ます」 (to finish an errand). Also used to mean making do with something simple, as in 「昼食はパンで済ます」 (to have just bread for lunch). The form 「済ませる」 is also commonly used with the same meaning. A person finishing something is 「済ます」, while a matter coming to an end is 「済む」; they are used as in 「用事を済ます」 versus 「用事が済む」.
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N3〜N5するする
To do a certain thing. Example: 「べんきょうする」 (to study), 「しごとをする」 (to work).
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