For a number or amount to become smaller. Example: 「人口が減る」 (the population decreases). 「おなかが減る」 means "to become hungry." 「減る」 is used when something decreases on its own, while 「減らす」 is used when a person makes it smaller: compare 「体重が減る」 with 「体重を減らす」. The word with the opposite meaning is 「増える」 (to increase).
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N3, N5辺へん
The area, the vicinity of a place. Example: 「この辺」 (around here).
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N3変化へんか
change. A state or quality of something changing. Example: 「気温の変化」 (change in temperature).
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N3, N5勉強べんきょう
study. To learn and remember something one doesn't know.
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N3変更へんこう
To change something that had been decided. Example: 「予定を変更する」 (to change a plan). While 「変化」 includes natural change, 「変更」 refers to a change made intentionally by a person.
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N3弁護士べんごし
lawyer. A legal expert who helps resolve disputes and assists in court trials.
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N5弁当べんとう
A meal packed in a box, etc., to be eaten away from home.
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N5便利べんり
convenient. Easy to use, being helpful. The antonym is 「不便」 (inconvenient).
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N2, N3方向ほうこう
direction. Which way something faces. Example: 「駅の方向」 (the direction of the station). Also used to mean the course/policy of something, as in 「話の方向が変わる」 (the direction of the conversation changes).
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N5帽子ぼうし
hat. Something worn on the head.
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N3包丁ほうちょう
A knife used for cooking. Example: 「包丁で野菜を切る」 (to cut vegetables with a kitchen knife).
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N3豊富ほうふ
abundant. A state of having a lot, being plentiful. Example: 「経験が豊富だ」 (to have abundant experience), 「豊富な品ぞろえ」 (a wide selection of goods).
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N3訪問ほうもん
visit. To visit a person's home or a place. Example: 「家庭訪問」 (a home visit).
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N5ほかほか
Something different from that. Example: 「ほかの人」 (a different person). The kanji 「他」 is also used, but usually written in hiragana.
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N3保険ほけん
insurance. A system in which people contribute money in preparation for illness or accidents, and receive payment when in trouble. Example: 「保険に入る」 (to take out insurance).
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N3募集ぼしゅう
To widely gather people or works. Example: 「アルバイトを募集する」 (to recruit part-time workers).
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N3干すほす
To expose something to sunlight or wind to remove moisture. Example: 「洗濯物を干す」 (to hang out laundry to dry).
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N5細いほそい
A state where the width of a round thing is small. The antonym is 「太い」 (thick).
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N3保存ほぞん
To keep something in its current state. Example: 「食品を保存する」 (to preserve food). Also used for computer data, as in 「ファイルを保存する」 (to save a file).
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N3ほっとほっと
A state of feeling relieved as tension eases. Example: 「無事と聞いてほっとした」 (felt relieved to hear they were safe).
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N3歩道ほどう
sidewalk. A path for pedestrians to walk on. Example: 「横断歩道」 (crosswalk). The word with the opposite meaning is 「車道」 (the roadway for vehicles).
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N3骨ほね
bone. The hard part that supports the body. 「骨が折れる」 means "to break a bone" (injury), but also idiomatically means something is a lot of trouble.
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N3掘るほる
dig. To make a hole in the ground. To take something out from inside the earth. Example: 「穴を掘る」 (to dig a hole), 「いもを掘る」 (to dig up potatoes).
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N4, N5本ほん
book. Something with letters or pictures on it, made to be read. It is also used as a word for counting long, thin things such as pencils and bottles. いっぽん・にほん・さんぼん・よんほん・ごほん・ろっぽん・ななほん・はっぽん・きゅうほん・じゅっぽん, and 「なんぼん」. For 1, 6, 8 and 10 it becomes 「ぽん」, and for 3 and 「なん」 it becomes 「ぼん」.
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N3本気ほんき
A serious attitude, not a joke. Example: 「本気で怒る」 (to get seriously angry).
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N5本棚ほんだな
A shelf for storing books.
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N5本当ほんとう
Being true, not a lie. Example: 「本当ですか」 (is that true?).
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N3本人ほんにん
The person themselves. Example: 「本人に確認する」 (to confirm with the person themselves).
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N3本物ほんもの
The real thing, not a fake. Example: 「本物のダイヤ」 (a real diamond). The antonym is 「にせ物」 (a fake).
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N2, N3ぼんやりぼんやり
A state in which the shape of something, a memory, or the like is not clear. 「遠くの山がぼんやり見える」 (the distant mountains look hazy). It also describes a state of thinking about nothing, with one's attention directed nowhere in particular. 「授業中にぼんやりする」 (to space out during class), 「ぼんやりしていて駅を乗り過ごした」 (I was spacing out and missed my station).