JLPT N3 nature and environment vocabulary covers 33 essential words — natural disaster terms, weather phenomena, and environmental vocabulary. Given Japan's frequent natural disasters, this vocabulary is both exam-critical and practically important for daily life.

This article is part of our JLPT N3 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 33 words with the N3 Nature & Environment deck in Onigiri Anki.

Natural Disasters (7)

This vocabulary is essential for understanding Japanese disaster warnings and news reports about earthquakes, floods, and typhoons.

disaster災害saigai

その町で大きな災害が起こりました。 — A big disaster happened in that town.

flood洪水kouzui

洪水で道がこわれました。 — The flood damaged the road.

tsunami津波tsunami

津波が海岸をおそいました。 — A tsunami hit the coast.

volcano火山kazan

その火山はまだ活動しています。 — That volcano is still active.

damage被害higai

台風で大きな被害が出ました。 — The typhoon caused a lot of damage.

evacuation避難hinan

学校は私たちに避難するように言いました。 — The school told us to evacuate.

storm嵐arashi

嵐が来ています。 — A storm is coming.

Weather Phenomena (10)

N3 weather vocabulary goes beyond N5/N4 basics to cover humidity, temperature measurement, and atmospheric conditions.

climate気候kikou

ここは気候が暖かいです。 — The climate here is warm.

temperature温度ondo

部屋の温度を確認してください。 — Please check the room temperature.

air temperature気温kion

今日は気温が下がりました。 — The temperature dropped today.

humidity湿度shitsudo

今日は湿度が高いです。 — Today the humidity is high.

moisture / dampness湿気shikke

今日は湿気が多いです。 — The humidity is high today.

thunder雷kaminari

昨夜、雷が聞こえました。 — I heard thunder last night.

fog霧kiri

今朝は霧がひどかったです。 — This morning there was a lot of fog.

strong wind強風kyoufuu

強風で傘が飛ばされました。 — The strong wind blew my umbrella away.

forecast予報yohou

予報では、明日は雨です。 — The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow.

dryness乾燥kansou

この部屋は乾燥が問題です。 — Dryness is a problem in this room.

Environment & Landscape (8)

These words describe natural environments and conservation concepts — common in N3 passages about environmental issues.

environment環境kankyou

環境を保護しなければなりません。 — We must protect the environment.

nature自然shizen

自然を守りたいです。 — I want to protect nature.

forest森林shinrin

家の近くに大きな森林があります。 — There is a big forest near my house.

coast海岸kaigan

海岸を歩きました。 — I walked along the coast.

plant植物shokubutsu

この植物は早く育ちます。 — This plant grows quickly.

wave波nami

今日は波が高いです。 — The waves are high today.

protection保護hogo

子どもたちの保護が必要です。 — The children need protection.

season季節kisetsu

この季節はとても忙しいです。 — This season is very busy.

湿度 vs 湿気: A Subtle Distinction

湿度 (shitsudo) is the technical/measured term for humidity — used in weather forecasts (湿度70%). 湿気 (shikke) is the everyday, felt sense of dampness or moisture in the air — used in casual conversation about how a room or day feels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does N3 emphasize disaster vocabulary?

Japan experiences frequent earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural disasters. This vocabulary is practically essential for anyone living in Japan and appears regularly in news broadcasts and emergency announcements, making it a natural fit for intermediate-level testing.

What is the difference between 気候 and 天気?

気候 (kikou) refers to climate — the long-term weather pattern of a region (e.g., "Japan has four seasons"). 天気 (tenki, learned at N5) refers to the weather on a specific day. Don't confuse the two on the exam.

Practice All 33 N3 Nature & Environment Words

Import the N3 Nature & Environment deck into Onigiri Anki and master weather and disaster vocabulary with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N3 Nature & Environment Vocabulary: 33 Essential Words (2026)