Daily Words

Learn a new word a day for Japanese success!

Today’s Words

Mar 20, 2025
N5
よこ
Definition
horizontal (as opposed to vertical), lying down, side-to-side (as opposed to front-to-back), width, breadth, side (of a box, etc.), beside, aside, next to, unconnected
N4
きもち
Definition
feeling, sensation, mood, preparedness, readiness, attitude, thanks, solicitude, sympathy, just a little, somewhat, slightly
N3
はか
Definition
gravesite, tomb
N2
のうそん
Definition
agricultural community, farm village, rural
N1
ししゅう
Definition
embroidery

Daily Word History

March 19

N5

洋服

ようふく
Western-style clothes (cf traditional Japanese clothes)
N4

きんじ
you
N3

配達

はいたつ
delivery; distribution
N2

年度

ねんど
fiscal year (usu. April 1 to March 31 in Japan); financial year; academic year; school year; product year
N1

視察

しさつ
inspection; observation

March 18

N5

八日

8日
ようか
the eighth day of the month; eight days
N4

決まる

決る、極る
きまる
to be decided; to be settled; to look good in (clothes)
N3

梅雨

黴雨
つゆ、ばいう
rainy season (in Japan from early June to mid-July); rain during the rainy season
N2

狙う

ねらう
to aim at
N1

嗜好

しこう
taste; liking; preference

March 17

N5

ゆっくり

ゆっくり
slowly; at ease; restful
N4

気分

きぶん
feeling; mood
N3

はい
ash; ashes
N2

狙い

ねらい
aim
N1

志向

しこう
intention; aim; preference (for)

March 16

N5

行く

往く、逝く
いく、ゆく
to go; to move (in a direction or towards a specific location); to head (towards); to be transported (towards); to reach; to proceed; to take place; to pass through; to come and go; to walk; to die; to pass away; to do (in a specific way); to stream; to flow; to continue; to have an orgasm; to come; to cum; to trip; to get high; to have a drug-induced hallucination
N4

厳しい

酷しい、厳めしい
きびしい、いかめしい
severe; strict; rigid; unsparing; relentless; stern; austere; grave; solemn; majestic; intense (cold); harsh
N3

はあ

int
はあ、は
yes; indeed; well; ha!; what?; huh?; sigh
N2

寝巻き

寝巻、寝間着、寝衣
ねまき
sleep-wear; nightclothes; pyjamas; pajamas; nightgown; nightdress
N1

思考

しこう
thought; consideration; thinking

March 15

N5

ゆき
snow
N4

きぬ
silk
N3

じょう
place; spot; grounds; arena; stadium; range; course
N2

寝巻き

寝巻、寝間着、寝衣
ねまき
sleep-wear; nightclothes; pyjamas; pajamas; nightgown; nightdress
N1

湿気る

しける、しっける
to be damp; to be moist

March 14

N5

有名

ゆうめい
famous; fame
N4

キット

キット
kit
N3

のんびり

のんびり
carefree; at leisure
N2

熱する

ねっする
to heat; to heat up
N1

死刑

しけい
death penalty; capital punishment

March 13

N5

夕べ

夕、昨夜
ゆうべ、ゆう、さくや
evening; last night
N4

規則

きそく
rules; regulations; conventions
N3

上る

登る、昇る、陞る
のぼる
to ascend; to go up; to climb; to ascend (as a natural process, e.g. the sun); to rise; to go to (the capital); to be promoted; to add up to; to advance (in price); to swim up (a river); to sail up; to come up (on the agenda)
N2

ネックレス

ネックレス、ネックレース
necklace
N1

仕組み

仕組
しくみ
structure; construction; arrangement; contrivance; plan; plot; contrivance

March 12

N5

郵便局

ゆうびんきょく
post office
N4

季節

きせつ
season
N3

述べる

宣べる、陳べる
v1
vt
のべる
to state; to express; to mention
N2

捩る

捻る、拗る、捩じる、捻じる、拗じる
ねじる、よじる、もじる
to screw; to twist; to distort; to parody; to make a pun; to torture; to wrest
N1

しくじる

しくじる
to fail; to fall through; to blunder

March 11

N5

夕飯

ゆうはん、ゆうめし
evening meal
N4

技術

ぎじゅつ
art; craft; technique; technology; engineering; skill
N3

伸びる

延びる
v1
vi
のびる
to stretch; to extend; to lengthen; to spread; to make progress; to grow (beard, body height); to grow stale (soba); to be straightened; to be flattened; to be smoothed; to be exhausted; to be postponed; to be prolonged
N2

螺子

捻子、捩子、螺旋
ねじ、らし
screw; key (of a clock, watch, etc.); spring (of a clock, watch, etc.)
N1

施行

しこう、せぎょう、せこう、しぎょう
execution; enforcing; carrying out; giving alms; giving food to the poor or monks

March 10

N5

夕方

夕がた
ゆうがた
evening; dusk
N4

汽車

きしゃ
train (sometimes specifically a steam train)
N3

伸ばす

延ばす
のばす
to grow long (e.g. hair, nails); to lengthen; to extend; to stretch; to reach out; to hold out; to straighten; to smooth out; to spread evenly (dough, cream, etc.); to dilute; to thin out; to postpone; to prolong; to strengthen; to develop; to expand
N2

濡らす

濡す
ぬらす
to wet; to soak; to dip
N1

資金

しきん
funds; capital

March 09

N5

演る

やる
to perform; to play; to act
N4

聞こえる

聞える、聴こえる、聴える
v1
vi
きこえる
to be heard; to be audible; to be said to be; to be reputed
N3

こん、こう
fish; counter for fish
N2

縫う

ぬう
to sew; to stitch; to weave one's way (e.g. through a crowd)
N1

仕切る

しきる
to partition; to divide; to mark off; to itemize; to direct; to take control; to manage; to take responsibility; to settle accounts; to toe the mark

March 08

N5

suf
さん、ざん
Mt.; Mount; Mt.; Mount
N4

危険

きけん
danger; peril; hazard; risk
N3
あと
behind; rear; after; later; after one's death; remainder; the rest; descendant; successor; heir; past; previous; more (e.g. five more minutes); left
N2

俄か
にわか
sudden; abrupt; unexpected; improvised; hasty; offhand; impromptu skit
N1

頻りに

adv
しきりに
frequently; repeatedly; often; incessantly; constantly; strongly; eagerly

March 07

N5

八つ

8つ
num
やっつ、やつ
eight
N4

機会

きかい
chance; opportunity
N3

望む

のぞむ
to desire; to wish for; to expect; to see; to command (a view of)
N2

煮る

v1
vt
にる
to boil; to simmer; to stew; to seethe
N1

仕来たり

仕来り、為来り
しきたり
custom; conventional practice; mores; ordinance

March 06

N5

休む

やすむ
to be absent; to take a day off; to rest; to have a break; to go to bed; to (lie down to) sleep; to turn in; to retire; to stop doing some ongoing activity for a time; to suspend business
N4

spirit; mind; heart; nature; disposition; motivation; intention; mood; feelings; atmosphere; essence
N3

望み

のぞみ
wish; desire; hope; prospect; expectation; (one's) hopes
N2

睨む

にらむ
to glare at; to scowl at; to glower at; to stare intensely at; to examine carefully; to estimate; to guess; to suspect; to judge; to keep an eye on someone (e.g. a suspicious or untrustworthy person); to watch; to take account of; to take into consideration
N1

式場

しきじょう
ceremonial hall (e.g. wedding, funeral); hall for ceremonies; place of ceremony

March 05

N5

休み

やすみ
rest; recess; respite; vacation; holiday; absence; suspension; dormancy (of a silkworm prior to moulting)
N4

簡単

簡短、簡端
かんたん
simple; easy; uncomplicated; brief; quick; light
N3

除く

のぞく
to remove; to eliminate; to eradicate; to exclude; to except
N2

女房

にょうぼう、にょうぼ、にゅうぼう
wife (esp. one's own wife); court lady; female court attache; woman who served at the imperial palace; woman (esp. as a love interest)
N1

色彩

しきさい
colour; color; hue; tints

March 04

N5

安い

廉い
やすい
cheap; inexpensive; calm; peaceful; quiet
N4

看護師

かんごし
(hospital) nurse; registered nurse; RN
N3

乗せる

載せる
v1
vt
のせる
to place on (something); to give (someone) a ride; to give a lift; to pick up; to help on board; to load (luggage); to carry; to take on board; to send out (on the airwaves, etc.); to deceive; to take for a ride; to (sing) along with (musical accompaniment); to let (someone) take part; to excite (someone); to publish (an article); to run (an ad)
N2

入社

にゅうしゃ
joining a company; getting a job with a company; entering a company
N1

指揮

指麾
しき
command; direction

March 03

N5

易しい

やさしい
easy; plain; simple
N4

関係

かんけい
relation; relationship; connection; participation; involvement; concern; influence; effect; sexual relations; sexual relationship; related to ...; connected to ...
N3

残り

のこり
remnant; residue; remaining; left-over
N2

遅い

鈍い、晩い、遲い
おそい
slow; late (e.g. "late at night"); too late; dull; stupid
N1

市街

しがい
urban areas; the streets; town; city

March 02

N5

野菜

やさい
vegetable
N4

考える

勘える、稽える
v1
vt
かんがえる
to think about; to take into consideration; to ponder; to reflect; to try to come at a conclusion; to think over (something); to intend; to decide (to do); to plan; to come up with; to devise; to scheme; to predict; to anticipate; to expect; to suspect; to doubt; to consider (somebody to be something); to look on
N3

残す

遺す
のこす
to leave (behind, over); to bequeath; to save; to reserve
N2

日程

にってい
schedule; program; programme; agenda
N1

然も

而も、併も
しかも
moreover; furthermore; nevertheless; and yet

March 01

N5

八百屋

やおや
greengrocer
N4

変わる

変る
かわる
to change; to be transformed; to be altered; to vary; to move to; to be different; to be uncommon; to be unusual
N3

けん
counter for buildings (esp. houses); suffix for a pen name, stage name, etc.
N2

日課

にっか
daily lesson; daily work; daily routine
N1

然しながら

併し乍ら、然し乍ら
しかしながら
however; nevertheless

February 28

N5

問題

もんだい
question (e.g. on a test); problem; problem (e.g. societal, political); question; issue; subject (e.g. of research); case; matter; question (i.e. doubt); public discussion; controversy; trouble; problem; inconvenience; difficulty
N4

代わり

替わり、代り、替り
かわり
substitute; replacement; substituting; replacing; stand-in; proxy; alternate; deputy; relief; successor; compensation; exchange; return; second helping; another cup; seconds; upcoming program; upcoming programme
N3

能力

のうりき
low-ranking priest who does manual labour at a temple; male temple employee
N2

日用品

にちようひん
daily necessities
N1

然し

併し
しかし
however; but