# JFT-Basic vocabulary list by topic

About 150 everyday words by topic, with kanji, hiragana, English and audio.

## Me and my family

Introduce yourself and the people at home.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 名前 | なまえ | name |
| 家族 | かぞく | family |
| 父 | ちち | (my) father |
| 母 | はは | (my) mother |
| 兄 | あに | (my) older brother |
| 姉 | あね | (my) older sister |
| 弟 | おとうと | younger brother |
| 妹 | いもうと | younger sister |
| 子ども | こども | child |
| 夫 | おっと | (my) husband |
| 妻 | つま | (my) wife |
| 出身 | しゅっしん | hometown, where you're from |
| 趣味 | しゅみ | hobby |
| 誕生日 | たんじょうび | birthday |

*自分と家族 - 14 words*

## Food and drink

Talk about meals, drinks and how food tastes.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ご飯 | ごはん | rice; meal |
| パン | パン | bread |
| 肉 | にく | meat |
| 魚 | さかな | fish |
| 野菜 | やさい | vegetables |
| 卵 | たまご | egg |
| 水 | みず | water |
| お茶 | おちゃ | tea |
| 牛乳 | ぎゅうにゅう | milk |
| 朝ご飯 | あさごはん | breakfast |
| 昼ご飯 | ひるごはん | lunch |
| 晩ご飯 | ばんごはん | dinner |
| 甘い | あまい | sweet |
| 辛い | からい | spicy, hot |
| おいしい | おいしい | delicious |

*食べ物・飲み物 - 15 words*

## Home and housing

Rooms, rent, laundry and the rubbish.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 部屋 | へや | room |
| 台所 | だいどころ | kitchen |
| お風呂 | おふろ | bath |
| トイレ | トイレ | toilet |
| 窓 | まど | window |
| 鍵 | かぎ | key |
| 家賃 | やちん | rent |
| 冷蔵庫 | れいぞうこ | refrigerator |
| 洗濯 | せんたく | laundry |
| 掃除 | そうじ | cleaning |
| ごみ | ごみ | rubbish |
| 隣 | となり | next door, neighbour |
| 引っ越す | ひっこす | to move house |

*住まい - 13 words*

## Shopping and money

Prices, discounts and paying at the till.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 店 | みせ | shop |
| 値段 | ねだん | price |
| 安い | やすい | cheap |
| 高い | たかい | expensive; tall |
| お金 | おかね | money |
| 財布 | さいふ | wallet |
| レシート | レシート | receipt |
| 袋 | ふくろ | bag |
| 売り場 | うりば | sales floor, section |
| 割引 | わりびき | discount |
| 税込 | ぜいこみ | tax included |
| 払う | はらう | to pay |
| 買う | かう | to buy |

*買い物 - 13 words*

## Getting around

Trains, tickets, exits and asking the way.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 駅 | えき | station |
| 電車 | でんしゃ | train |
| バス | バス | bus |
| 切符 | きっぷ | ticket |
| 乗り換え | のりかえ | transfer, change trains |
| 出口 | でぐち | exit |
| 入口 | いりぐち | entrance |
| 道 | みち | road, way |
| 右 | みぎ | right |
| 左 | ひだり | left |
| まっすぐ | まっすぐ | straight ahead |
| 信号 | しんごう | traffic light |
| 自転車 | じてんしゃ | bicycle |
| 遅れる | おくれる | to be late, delayed |

*交通 - 14 words*

## At work

Breaks, overtime, pay and staying safe.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 会社 | かいしゃ | company |
| 仕事 | しごと | work, job |
| 上司 | じょうし | boss |
| 同僚 | どうりょう | colleague |
| 休憩 | きゅうけい | break |
| 残業 | ざんぎょう | overtime |
| 給料 | きゅうりょう | salary |
| 休み | やすみ | day off, holiday |
| 会議 | かいぎ | meeting |
| 遅刻 | ちこく | being late |
| 連絡 | れんらく | contact, getting in touch |
| 安全 | あんぜん | safety |
| 危険 | きけん | danger |
| 手袋 | てぶくろ | gloves |
| 制服 | せいふく | uniform |

*仕事 - 15 words*

## Health and the body

Tell a doctor what hurts and how you feel.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 病院 | びょういん | hospital |
| 医者 | いしゃ | doctor |
| 薬 | くすり | medicine |
| 熱 | ねつ | fever |
| 風邪 | かぜ | a cold |
| 頭 | あたま | head |
| お腹 | おなか | stomach |
| 歯 | は | tooth |
| 痛い | いたい | painful, it hurts |
| けが | けが | injury |
| 保険証 | ほけんしょう | health insurance card |
| 受付 | うけつけ | reception |
| 具合 | ぐあい | condition, how you feel |

*健康 - 13 words*

## Time and dates

Days, times, plans and deadlines.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 今日 | きょう | today |
| 明日 | あした | tomorrow |
| 昨日 | きのう | yesterday |
| 毎日 | まいにち | every day |
| 午前 | ごぜん | a.m. |
| 午後 | ごご | p.m. |
| 週末 | しゅうまつ | weekend |
| 来週 | らいしゅう | next week |
| 先月 | せんげつ | last month |
| 今年 | ことし | this year |
| 半 | はん | half past |
| 予定 | よてい | plan, schedule |
| 締め切り | しめきり | deadline |

*時間と日付 - 13 words*

## Around town

Find the bank, post office and city office.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 銀行 | ぎんこう | bank |
| 郵便局 | ゆうびんきょく | post office |
| 市役所 | しやくしょ | city office |
| コンビニ | コンビニ | convenience store |
| スーパー | スーパー | supermarket |
| 公園 | こうえん | park |
| 図書館 | としょかん | library |
| 交番 | こうばん | police box |
| 喫茶店 | きっさてん | café |
| 近く | ちかく | nearby |
| 遠い | とおい | far |
| 営業時間 | えいぎょうじかん | opening hours |

*町 - 12 words*

## Signs and notices

Read the signs and notices you see every day.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 禁止 | きんし | prohibited |
| 禁煙 | きんえん | no smoking |
| 注意 | ちゅうい | caution |
| 非常口 | ひじょうぐち | emergency exit |
| 立入禁止 | たちいりきんし | no entry |
| 押す | おす | push |
| 引く | ひく | pull |
| 営業中 | えいぎょうちゅう | open (for business) |
| 準備中 | じゅんびちゅう | not yet open, preparing |
| 故障 | こしょう | out of order |
| 燃えるごみ | もえるごみ | burnable rubbish |
| 無料 | むりょう | free (of charge) |

*表示 - 12 words*

## Weather and seasons

Talk about the weather and the four seasons.

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 天気 | てんき | weather |
| 晴れ | はれ | sunny |
| 雨 | あめ | rain |
| 雪 | ゆき | snow |
| 曇り | くもり | cloudy |
| 暑い | あつい | hot (weather) |
| 寒い | さむい | cold (weather) |
| 台風 | たいふう | typhoon |
| 地震 | じしん | earthquake |
| 春 | はる | spring |
| 夏 | なつ | summer |
| 秋 | あき | autumn |
| 冬 | ふゆ | winter |

*天気 - 13 words*

## Vocabulary questions

### What topics do the word lists cover?

Me and my family, Food and drink, Home and housing, Shopping and money, Getting around, At work, Health and the body, Time and dates, Around town, Signs and notices, Weather and seasons: the everyday topics JFT-Basic covers. Tap any word in the tool above to hear it, or practice them as [flashcards](/jft-basic/flashcards).

### How many words do I need for JFT-Basic?

There is no official list, but the test uses everyday words for life and work in Japan, around A2 level. Topic lists like these are the most efficient place to start.

### Should I learn the kanji too?

Yes, for common words. JFT-Basic's Script and Vocabulary section includes kanji reading and meaning, especially on signs and notices.