JLPT N4 home, food, and everyday objects vocabulary covers 52 essential words — from house parts specific to Japanese homes (畳, 押し入れ) to food ingredients and household items. This guide covers 30 of the most useful words across three categories.

This article is part of our JLPT N4 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 52 words with the N4 Home, Food & Things deck in Onigiri Anki.

Home & House Parts (12)

These words describe traditional and modern Japanese home features — some, like 畳 and 押し入れ, are unique to Japanese-style rooms.

closet (Japanese-style)押し入れoshiire

ふとんは押し入れにあります。 — The futon is in the closet.

drawer引き出しhikidashi

かぎは引き出しの中にあります。 — The keys are in the drawer.

roof屋根yane

この家の屋根は赤いです。 — The roof of this house is red.

wall壁kabe

壁に写真があります。 — There is a picture on the wall.

hallway廊下rouka

廊下を走らないでください。 — Please do not run in the hallway.

tatami mat畳tatami

この畳は新しいです。 — This tatami mat is new.

floor床yuka

床にくつを置かないでください。 — Please do not put your shoes on the floor.

stairs階段kaidan

階段に気をつけてください。 — Please be careful on the stairs.

mirror鏡kagami

鏡で顔を見ました。 — I looked at my face in the mirror.

shelf棚tana

本は棚の上にあります。 — The books are on the shelf.

gasガスgasu

ガスのコンロは危ないです。 — The gas stove is dangerous.

air conditioning冷房reibou

このへやは冷房がついています。 — The air conditioning is on in this room.

Everyday Items (10)

Common objects that appear throughout N4 reading passages about daily life, shopping, and gift-giving.

blanket毛布moufu

昨日の夜、毛布を使いました。 — I used a blanket last night.

suitcaseスーツケースsuutsukeesu

服をスーツケースに入れました。 — I packed my clothes in the suitcase.

ring指輪yubiwa

彼女は指輪をしています。 — She is wearing a ring.

doll人形ningyou

人形はベッドの上にあります。 — The doll is on the bed.

toyおもちゃomocha

このおもちゃは子どものためです。 — This toy is for children.

towelタオルtaoru

タオルをください。 — Please give me a towel.

mobile phone携帯電話keitai denwa

携帯電話はかばんの中にあります。 — The mobile phone is in the bag.

machine機械kikai

この機械はとても便利です。 — This machine is very useful.

tool道具dougu

その道具をください。 — Please give me that tool.

souvenirお土産omiyage

友だちにお土産を買いました。 — I bought a souvenir for my friend.

Food & Ingredients (10)

N4 expands food vocabulary beyond basic meals to ingredients and grocery items.

uncooked rice米kome

毎日米を食べます。 — I eat rice every day.

beans豆mame

私は豆が好きです。 — I like beans.

grapes葡萄budou

この葡萄は甘いです。 — These grapes are sweet.

hot water湯yu

湯を入れてください。 — Please add hot water.

sandwichサンドイッチsandoitchi

サンドイッチを食べました。 — I ate a sandwich.

saladサラダsarada

サラダを食べたいです。 — I want to eat salad.

cakeケーキkeeki

このケーキはおいしいです。 — This cake is delicious.

pickles漬物tsukemono

わたしはごはんと漬物を食べます。 — I eat pickles with rice.

groceries食料品shokuryouhin

スーパーで食料品を買います。 — I buy groceries at the supermarket.

taste味aji

このスープは味がいいです。 — This soup has a good taste.

Understanding 畳 — The Japanese Tatami Room

畳 (tatami) mats are a defining feature of traditional Japanese rooms and are even used as a unit of room-size measurement (a "6-tatami room" is a standard apartment size in Japan). Related vocabulary like 押し入れ (oshiire, a built-in closet for storing futons) reflects the traditional Japanese living style still common today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 米 and ご飯?

米 (kome) refers to uncooked rice grains — what you buy at the store. ご飯 (gohan) refers to cooked rice, ready to eat, and is also used generally to mean "meal." This distinction is commonly tested on the N4.

Why does 携帯電話 sound so long compared to English?

携帯電話 (keitai denwa) literally means "portable telephone." In casual speech, Japanese speakers usually shorten it to just 携帯 (keitai). Both forms are useful to recognize for the N4.

Practice All 52 N4 Home, Food & Things Words

Import the N4 Home, Food & Things deck into Onigiri Anki and master household and food vocabulary with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N4 Home, Food & Things Vocabulary: 52 Essential Words (2026)