JLPT N5 Vocabulary List: Complete Guide with Anki (2026)

The JLPT N5 is the entry level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test — designed for learners who can read hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji, and understand simple conversations about daily life. To pass, you need to master approximately 800 vocabulary words across 10 categories.

This guide is your complete N5 vocabulary hub. Use the category guides below to study each word group in depth, or import the ready-made decks into Onigiri Anki and start drilling with spaced repetition today.

What the JLPT N5 Exam Tests

• Vocabulary: ~800 words across everyday categories
• Kanji: ~100 basic characters (水, 山, 日, 本…)
• Grammar: ~80 patterns — particles, て-form, ます-form, negative, past tense
• Reading: Short sentences and simple passages (hiragana + basic kanji)
• Listening: Slow, clear conversations about everyday situations

Vocabulary is tested across all three sections (Language Knowledge, Reading, Listening). A weak vocabulary is the single biggest reason beginners fail N5 — knowing all 800 words gives you the base to tackle grammar and kanji at the same time.

Complete N5 Vocabulary by Category

Each category below has a dedicated guide with every word, its reading, and an example sentence. Click any category to study in depth — or use the Onigiri Anki deck linked in each guide to start spaced repetition immediately.

Total across all 10 categories: 513 words with readings and example sentences. The remaining ~287 words from the full N5 list are covered within each deck.

N5 Vocabulary at a Glance

Here are the most important words from each category to give you a quick overview before you dive into the detailed guides.

Core Verbs

• 食べる (taberu) — to eat  ·  飲む (nomu) — to drink  ·  行く (iku) — to go
• 来る (kuru) — to come  ·  見る (miru) — to see  ·  する (suru) — to do
• 話す (hanasu) — to speak  ·  読む (yomu) — to read  ·  書く (kaku) — to write

Core Adjectives

• 大きい (ookii) — big  ·  小さい (chiisai) — small  ·  高い (takai) — tall / expensive
• 新しい (atarashii) — new  ·  古い (furui) — old  ·  おいしい (oishii) — delicious

Question Words

• 何 (nani) — what  ·  どこ (doko) — where  ·  だれ (dare) — who
• いつ (itsu) — when  ·  どうして (doushite) — why  ·  いくら (ikura) — how much

Essential Greetings

• こんにちは — hello  ·  ありがとうございます — thank you  ·  すみません — excuse me
• いただきます — before eating  ·  ただいま — I'm home  ·  よろしくお願いします — pleased to meet you

How to Study N5 Vocabulary with Spaced Repetition

Step 1 — Import a category deck

Start with the category you find most useful — most learners begin with Greetings, then Verbs. Each guide above links directly to the Onigiri Anki deck for that category. Import it in one tap.

Step 2 — Set a daily new-card target

• 10 new words/day — gentle pace, ~80 days to cover all 10 decks
• 20 new words/day — standard pace, ~40 days
• 30+ new words/day — intensive pace for exam prep in under a month

Step 3 — Never skip reviews

New cards are easy — reviews are where retention is built. Missing a review session pushes words back on the forgetting curve. 15 minutes of reviews every morning before new cards is the single most effective habit for N5 vocabulary mastery.

Step 4 — Work through all 10 categories

N5 listening and reading passages are designed to cross categories — a food dialogue will use time words and people vocabulary at the same time. Broad coverage wins over deep drilling in one category.

N5 Vocabulary FAQ

How many words do I need for JLPT N5?

The official N5 list is approximately 800 words. Knowing 650–700 thoroughly is usually enough to pass — the exam tests recognition, not production, so you do not need to recall every word from memory.

How long does it take to learn N5 vocabulary?

At 15–20 new words a day with daily reviews, most learners complete the N5 vocabulary list in 6–8 weeks. The 10 category decks in Onigiri Anki make this systematic — import one deck per week and you'll be done before a typical exam date.

Which N5 vocabulary category should I learn first?

Start with Greetings & Expressions (30 words, high daily-life utility), then Verbs (112 words, used in every sentence). After those two, the other eight categories can be studied in any order.

Do I need kanji for N5?

Yes — about 100 kanji appear on the N5. The good news: most N5 vocabulary words are written in kanji that you'll already be learning (水, 食べる, 行く). Learning vocabulary and kanji together is more efficient than studying them separately.

Is the N5 vocabulary list the same every year?

The official JLPT vocabulary list (published by the Japan Foundation) has been stable for many years. The 10 decks in this guide are based on the official list and cover all word categories that appear on the exam.

Start Studying N5 Vocabulary Today

Import any of the 10 N5 category decks into Onigiri Anki and start building your vocabulary with spaced repetition. Available on web, iOS, and Android.

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