JLPT N1 Na-Adjectives Vocabulary (2026)
Complete JLPT N1 Na-Adjectives vocabulary with readings and example sentences (89 words).
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89 formal, often literary na-adjectives spanning the full evaluative range — from refined and elegant to crude and cowardly — the descriptive vocabulary of literary criticism and character description at the N1 level.
This article is part of our JLPT N1 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 89 words with the Na-Adjectives Vocabulary deck in Onigiri Anki.
Severity, Harshness & Coldness (15)
Personalities or situations marked by strictness, cruelty, or emotional distance.
彼は冷徹な口調で答えた。 — He answered in a cold tone.
今年の競争は苛烈を極めた。 — The competition this year was fierce.
厳峻な山道を、雪の中で進み続けた。 — We continued along the severe mountain path through the snow.
苛酷な冬の試練は私たちを限界まで追い込んだ。 — The harsh winter test pushed us to our limits.
彼の文句ばかり言う態度は苛立たしい。 — His habit of complaining all the time is irritating.
彼の声は冷厳だった。 — His voice was severe and stern.
その山道は峻険で、途中で何度も足を止めた。 — The mountain path was precipitous, and I had to stop many times along the way.
議論はさらに強烈になった。 — The debate became even more intense.
彼の剛直な態度は、みんなの信頼を集めた。 — His upright attitude earned everyone's trust.
彼女は剛毅さで危機を乗り越えた。 — She overcame the crisis with great resoluteness.
彼の傲岸な言い方は、周りを不快にした。 — His arrogant way of speaking made those around him uncomfortable.
彼は批判に冷淡で、何も言わなかった。 — He was indifferent to the criticism and said nothing.
彼女の辛辣な批判はこたえた。 — Her sharp criticism was hard to take.
彼はその提案を軽侮するように笑った。 — He laughed in contempt of the proposal.
会社は計画を厳正に見直した。 — The company reviewed the plan rigorously.
Crudeness, Poor Quality & Vulgarity (14)
Rough, cheap, or tasteless — the opposite end of refinement.
彼の説明は稚拙で、わかりにくかった。 — His explanation was crude and hard to follow.
その報告書は杜撰だったので、書き直した。 — The report was sloppy, so I had to redo it.
その週刊誌の俗悪な論調は、多くの読者に嫌われた。 — The tabloid's vulgar tone made many readers dislike it.
彼は卑俗な冗談を笑い飛ばして、話題を変えた。 — He laughed off the vulgar joke and changed the subject.
彼の粗野な態度は人を不快にした。 — His rough manners made people uncomfortable.
容疑者は粗暴なふるまいで逮捕された。 — The suspect was arrested for violent behavior.
彼の粗雑な扱いで、その書類は傷んだ。 — His rough handling damaged the document.
その家の粗悪な作りにがっかりした。 — I was disappointed by the shoddy construction of the house.
その報告書は無味乾燥で、眠くなった。 — The report was so dry and lifeless that I almost fell asleep.
彼は無骨だが、うそはつかない。 — He is blunt, but he never lies.
その言い訳は陳腐です。 — That excuse is trite.
彼の軽薄な発言は皆をいら立たせた。 — His frivolous remark irritated everyone.
考えずに辞めるのは軽率だった。 — It was rash to quit without thinking.
部長の説明は空疎に聞こえた。 — The manager's explanation sounded hollow.
Refinement, Elegance & Excellence (11)
Words of admiration for taste, style, and sophistication.
彼女は芸術に洗練された趣味を持っています。 — She has sophisticated taste in art.
探偵は巧妙な手口で犯人を追い詰めた。 — The detective cornered the culprit with an ingenious method.
彼女の優美な動きは、舞台の上で人々を魅了した。 — Her graceful movements captivated people on stage.
式典のために、会場は華麗に飾られていた。 — The hall was decorated in a gorgeous style for the ceremony.
その俳優は端麗な顔立ちで、どこへ行っても目立った。 — The actor had handsome features and stood out wherever he went.
その大臣は清廉だったので、国民に信頼されていた。 — Because the minister was incorruptible, he was trusted by the public.
彼の講演は高尚で、皆が黙って聞いていた。 — His lecture was lofty, and everyone listened silently.
彼女の提案は斬新だった。 — Her proposal was refreshingly novel.
彼女の作品はとても繊細です。 — Her work is very delicate.
綿密な計画を立てました。 — We made a meticulous plan.
彼は仕事に細心です。 — He is meticulous in his work.
Scale, Emptiness & Extent (12)
How vast, sparse, or substantial something is.
拍手が終わると、空虚な気持ちだけが残った。 — After the applause ended, only an empty feeling remained.
それは些細な違いにすぎない。 — That is only a trivial difference.
広大な草原が目の前に広がっていた。 — A vast grassland spread out before us.
そのコンサートは壮大でした。 — The concert was magnificent.
その話は平板で面白くなかった。 — The story was flat and uninteresting.
膨大なデータを分析した。 — We analyzed an enormous amount of data.
彼とは頻繁に連絡を取っている。 — I keep in touch with him frequently.
商品は店先にきれいに陳列されていた。 — The products were neatly displayed in the window.
欠陥の有無を確認してください。 — Please check whether there are any defects.
その計画は空前の成功を収めた。 — The project achieved unprecedented success.
そのソースは淡白な味だったので、塩を足した。 — The sauce had a bland taste, so I added some salt.
この学校は成績に偏重している。 — This school places too much emphasis on grades.
Composure, Caution & Deliberateness (10)
Careful, unhurried, or emotionally steady dispositions.
悠長なことを言っている場合ではない。 — This is no time to be leisurely.
彼は沈着に質問に答えた。 — He answered with calm composure.
彼の説明は迂遠で分かりにくかった。 — His explanation was too roundabout and hard to understand.
その重厚なホールは強い印象を与えた。 — The dignified hall made a strong impression.
そのホールは荘重な雰囲気に包まれていた。 — The hall had a stately atmosphere.
雨上がりの庭は静謐だった。 — The garden was serene after the rain.
私たちは閑静な住宅街に家を買った。 — We bought a house in a quiet neighborhood.
その理論は結論を支えるには薄弱だ。 — That theory is too weak to support the conclusion.
彼の答えは曖昧模糊としていて、誰にも理解できなかった。 — His answer was so vague that no one could understand it.
彼女は同僚に対して陰湿な噂を流した。 — She spread malicious rumors about her coworker.
Cowardice, Meanness & Self-Regard (16)
Negative personal qualities — timidity, contempt, or self-deprecation.
何も言わずに逃げるのは卑怯だ。 — It was cowardly to run away without saying anything.
それは卑劣なうそでした。 — That was a despicable lie.
彼の卑下は、かえってみんなを困らせた。 — His self-deprecation only made everyone uncomfortable.
同じ毎日に厭気がさしてきた。 — I have grown weary of the same routine every day.
そのドアは頑強で、びくともしなかった。 — The door was sturdy and did not budge at all.
彼は孤高を保ち、他人に流されなかった。 — He maintained his aloofness and was not swayed by others.
彼は討論で孤立無援の状態だった。 — He was isolated and had no support in the debate.
彼は無難な答えを選んだ。 — He chose the safe answer.
その部屋は陰鬱な雰囲気に包まれていた。 — The room was enveloped in a gloomy atmosphere.
夜の駅は荒涼としていた。 — The deserted station looked desolate at night.
その事故は無惨な結末を迎えた。 — The accident ended in a tragic end.
洪水の後、村は悲惨な状態になった。 — The village was left in a miserable state after the flood.
そんな説明は荒唐無稽だ。 — That explanation is completely preposterous.
電車に財布を忘れるとは迂闊だった。 — It was careless of me to leave my wallet on the train.
彼は寡黙だが、言葉はいつも頼りになる。 — He is taciturn, but his words are always reliable.
私は現代美術について寡聞です。 — I am not very informed about modern art.
Simplicity & Directness (11)
Stripped-down, uncomplicated, or straightforward.
説明を簡略してください。 — Please simplify the explanation.
部屋は簡素で、飾りがなかった。 — The room was simple and plain, with no decoration.
このアプリは簡便で使いやすい。 — This app is convenient and easy to use.
彼女の説明は簡明だった。 — Her explanation was clear and concise.
実用的な解決策が必要です。 — We need a pragmatic solution.
この理論はかなり難解です。 — This theory is quite esoteric.
原因を徹底的に調査した。 — We thoroughly investigated the cause.
彼は露骨に嫌な顔をした。 — He made a blatantly displeased face.
彼の唐突な質問に、みんなが固まった。 — His abrupt question made everyone freeze.
この決定は恣意的に見えます。 — This decision seems arbitrary.
この市場には潜在的な需要がある。 — This market has latent demand.
The 卑 (low/base) family
Four words share the kanji 卑 ("low, base, humble"): 卑怯 (cowardly), 卑劣 (despicable), 卑下 (self-deprecation), and 卑俗 (vulgar). All carry a moral judgment of something being beneath a proper standard, but they attach to different targets — 卑怯/卑劣 judge an action or character, 卑下 describes lowering oneself (often excessively, in false modesty), and 卑俗 judges taste or culture. Separately, 稚拙 (crude, unskilled — literally "childish-clumsy") and 杜撰 (sloppy, slipshod, historically from a Chinese poet whose verses were said to be error-ridden) are a useful pair for describing poor-quality work, one about skill level and one about carelessness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 冷徹 and 冷淡?
冷徹 describes a cold, clear-eyed rationality — someone who judges situations without letting emotion interfere, often used with grudging respect (冷徹な判断力, a coldly clear-headed judgment). 冷淡 simply means cold and indifferent toward other people, with no positive connotation — it's closer to "uncaring."
Are 簡略, 簡素, 簡便, and 簡明 interchangeable?
No — each modifies something different. 簡略 describes a process or procedure made brief/abbreviated (簡略化する, to simplify). 簡素 describes a lifestyle or design as plain/unadorned. 簡便 describes a method as convenient and easy to use. 簡明 describes an explanation as clear and easy to understand. All four share 簡 ("simple") but attach to different kinds of nouns.
Practice All 89 Na-Adjectives Vocabulary Words
Import the Na-Adjectives Vocabulary deck into Onigiri Anki and master this category with spaced repetition.