Most useful words for each reading of every Jōyō kanji

Kanji Usefulness Level 4 1-100 Level-Appropriate Vocab

This collection contains 144 words.
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1
noun
armed forces; military; troops
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1
noun
soldier
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0
noun
peninsula
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2
noun
1. island
2. territory (of a prostitute, organized crime gang, etc.); turf  (often written with kana only)
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1
noun
village
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0
noun
1. agricultural community; farm village
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1
noun, noun (suffix)
1. gate
2. branch of learning based on the teachings of a single master
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1
noun
gate
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1
noun
water well
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0
noun
1. family register
2. census
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0
Most common form:
noun
1. door (esp. Japanese-style)  (see also: ; this meaning is restricted to form 戸)
2. shutter; window shutter
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1
noun
1. weapon; arms; ordnance
2. weapon (something used to gain an advantage); asset
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0
Most common form: しろ
noun
castle
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0
1. synthesis; coordination; putting together; integration; composite
noun or verb acting prenominally
2. comprehensive
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0
noun
1. futon (quilted Japanese-style mattress laid out on the floor)
2. round cushion used for Zen meditation (traditionally made of woven bulrush leaves)
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0
noun
organization; organisation; association
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1
Most common form: せん
noun, noun (suffix)
1. line; stripe; stria
2. line (e.g. telephone line); wire
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0
plan; design; layout
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3
ichidan verb, transitive verb
1. to prepare ahead of time
2. to create; to establish
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0
noun
attitude; posture; stance; approach; carriage (of the body)
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3
many; crowd; great number of people
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0
political party
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0
history
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3
'mu' godan verb, transitive verb
to carry on (e.g. in ceremony); to run a business
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0
management; administration; operation; running (business); conducting
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1
noun
government; administration
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3
Most common form: 巻込む
'mu' godan verb, transitive verb
to roll up; to involve; to enfold; to swallow up; to drag into
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0
introduction; presentation; referral; listing
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3
noun
refrigerator
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0
noun
Ministry of Finance
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2
Most common form: 作る
'ru' godan verb, transitive verb
1. to make; to produce; to manufacture; to build; to construct  (造る usu. for large-scale building, manufacturing, etc. 創る usu. for creating)
2. to prepare (food); to brew (alcohol)
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0
noun
structure; construction
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1
basis; foundation
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2 0
noun
temple (Buddhist)
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1
noun
temple
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1
adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi), noun (temporal) (jisoumeishi)
future (usually near); prospects
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0
1. betterment; improvement
2. kaizen (Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement)  (often written カイゼン; often written with kana only)
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4
Most common form: 革める
ichidan verb, transitive verb
1. to change; to alter; to revise; to replace  (see also: 改まる; this meaning is restricted to form 改める, 革める)
2. to reform; to correct; to mend; to improve  (this meaning is restricted to form 改める, 革める)
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1 0
noun
prefectural office
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0
noun
spa; hot spring; onsen
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0
Most common form: いずみ
noun
spring; fountain
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0
imagination; guess
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2
1. thin; slender; fine
2. unlucky (billiards slang)  (slang)
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0
detail; particulars
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3
2. fine; minute
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2
Most common form: たに
noun
valley
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1
Most common form: おく
noun
interior; inner part; inside
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0
noun, adverb
year after next
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0
1. resuscitation; regeneration; restoration to life
2. reformation; rehabilitation
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0
Most common form: 二度
again; once more; a second time
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0
blood vessel; vein
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2
noun
blood
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0
noun
blood; consanguinity
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0
1. calculation; reckoning; count
2. forecast
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0
target; object (of worship, study, etc.); subject (of taxation, etc.)
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2
clean; pure; chaste  (see also: 清い)
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0
cleaning; clean-up; garbage collection; scavenging
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2
noun
technique; art; skill
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1
noun, noun (suffix)
1. state; province; county; oblast; department (of ancient China)
2. continent
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3
noun
president; chief executive
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2
Most common form: はし
noun
bridge
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0 1
noun
(fine) art; the arts
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0
large; large scale; big; jumbo  (see also: 小型)
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0
type; pattern; model; epitome; exemplar; archetypal; representative
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2
noun
1. model; type (e.g. of machine, goods, etc.)
2. type; style; pattern  (see also: 朝型; がた when a suffix)
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0
noun
aroma; fragrance; scent; smell
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3
1. weight
2. heavyweight boxer
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2
Most common form: 測る
'ru' godan verb, transitive verb
1. to measure; to weigh; to survey; to time (sound, gauge, estimate)
2. to conjecture; to infer; to surmise
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0
1. eternity; perpetuity; immortality  (とわ tends to be more abstract)
2. Eikyuu era (1113.7.13-1118.4.3)  (this meaning is restricted to reading えいきゅう)
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0 5
a long time (since the last time); it's been a while (since I last saw, mailed, etc., you)
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2
Most common form:
noun
1. border; boundary  (usu. さかい)
2. turning point; watershed  (often ...を境に; this meaning is restricted to reading さかい)
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0
environment; circumstance
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1
distinction; differentiation; classification
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1
noun
1. electromagnetic wave; radio wave; reception; signal  (see also: 電磁波; this meaning is restricted to reading でんぱ)
2. saying strange things  (see also: 電波な奴, 電波系; slang)
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2
noun
wave
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0
1. movement; transfer; migration; removal; travel
noun or verb acting prenominally
2. mobile; moving; traveling; travelling; roving
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2
'su' godan verb, transitive verb
1. to change; to swap; to substitute; to transfer
2. to change the object of one's interest or focus
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1
noun
area; region
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0
noun
1. circumference; outskirts; environs; around; in the area of; in the vicinity of
2. (computer) peripheral  (computer terminology)
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0
noun
1. circumference; girth  (see also: 回り)
2. surroundings; neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity
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3 0
suru verb - special class, intransitive verb
1. to touch; to come in contact with; to border on; to adjoin; to be adjacent; to be close
2. to receive (e.g. visitor); to attend to; to serve; to take care of; to look after; to deal with; to see
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0
noun
railroad; railway; rail transport
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1
Most common form: ころ
noun, adverbial noun (fukushitekimeishi), noun (suffix)
1. (approximate) time; around; about; toward  (ごろ when used as a suffix; often written with kana only)
2. suitable time (or condition)  (see also: 食べ頃)
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3
noun
ingredients; material
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1
individual; private person; personal; private
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0
cooperation; collaboration  (see also: ご協力)
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1
every place; various places
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1 2 0
noun
area; zone; belt (of land)
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0
Most common form: 短篇
noun
short (e.g. story, film)
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0
editing; compilation; editorial (e.g. committee)
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2
noun
1. bottom (or another side that is hidden from view); undersurface; opposite side; reverse side  (opposite: )
2. rear; back; behind (the house)
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0
ichidan verb, transitive verb
1. to compare; to make a comparison  (see also: 見比べる)
2. to compete; to vie  (see also: 力比べ)
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0
comparison
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1
noun
slope; hill
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1
noun
clothing; costume; outfit; garment; dress
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1
equipment; installation; apparatus; device; unit
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3 0
'u' godan verb, transitive verb
1. to wear; to dress
2. to pretend; to feign
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0
omission; abbreviation; abridgment; abridgement  (see also: 省略符号)
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0
1. reflection; reconsideration; introspection; meditation; contemplation
2. regret; repentance; remorse; being sorry
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0
noun
tax; duty
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0
1. competition; contest
2. to compete
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0 3
'mu' godan verb, transitive verb
1. to surround; to encircle; to enclose; to fence; to wall in
2. to besiege; to lay siege to
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1
1. surroundings; environs
2. circumference
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1
Most common form: あたり
noun
1. on the bank of; by the side of (e.g. a river, pond)  (esp. ほとり; often written with kana only)
2. (in the) neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity; nearby
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1
noun
canal; waterway
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3
extreme; extremity
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2
'gu' godan verb, transitive verb
to defend (against); to protect; to prevent
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0
prevention; check
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0
1. least; lowest; worst
2. nasty; disgusting; horrible; yuck!
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2
1. low (rank, degree, value, content, quality, etc.)  (opposite: 高い)
2. low (position); close to the ground
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0
forest; woods
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3 0
noun
1. woods; forest; copse; thicket
2. bunch; line (of something); collection
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0
noun
1. forest
2. shrine grove  (see also: 鎮守の杜; esp. 杜)
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0 2
1. round; circular; spherical  (丸い usu. refers to ball-shaped, and 円い to disc-shaped objects)
2. harmonious; calm  (see also: 丸く収まる)
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0
noun
bullet; shot; shell
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2
noun
1. chest; breast  (むな is usually used in compounds)
2. breasts; bosom; bust
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0 1
1. continent
noun
2. continental Asia (esp. mainland China)
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1 0
medical care; medical treatment
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1
control; management (e.g. of a business)
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3
noun
1. company; fellow; colleague; associate; comrade; mate; group; circle of friends; partner
2. member of the same category
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0
reform; reformation; innovation
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Most common form: かわ
noun
leather
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0
being in charge (of an area of responsibility); being responsible (for a work role, etc.)
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2
'u' godan verb, transitive verb
to carry on shoulder; to bear (burden); to shoulder (gun)
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0
'ku' godan verb, intransitive verb
1. to be effective; to show effect  (see also: 薬が効く)
2. to do its work; to carry out its function well  (see also: 目が利く)
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1
Most common form: しょう
noun, noun (suffix)
prize; award
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0
satellite
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0
noun
1. star; any light-emitting (or reflecting) heavenly body (except for the sun and the moon)
2. offender; perpetrator  (esp. ホシ; slang)
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0
1. restoration; rehabilitation; recovery; return; replevin; improvement  (this meaning is restricted to form 回復, 恢復)
2. recovery (from an illness); recuperation; convalescence  (esp. 快復)
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0
1. revival (e.g. musical); come-back
2. restoration; rebirth; resurrection
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0
fragment; splinter; broken piece
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0
1. one-way (trip)
noun
2. one-way ticket  (see also: 片道切符; abbreviation)
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0
'bu' godan verb, intransitive verb
1. to line up; to stand in a line
2. to rival; to match; to equal
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0
1. (going) side-by-side; abreast  (this meaning is restricted to form 並行, 併行)
2. concurrent; occurring together; at the same time
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0
roadside tree; row of trees
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0
Most common form: そこ
noun
bottom; sole
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0
1. thoroughness; completeness; consistency
2. thorough enforcement; seeing to it that a policy, etc. is carried out without exception
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1
noun
temperature
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3
1. light (i.e. not heavy); feeling light (i.e. offering little resistance, moving easily)  (opposite: 重い)
2. light (i.e. of foot); nimble; agile
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0
abatement; reduction
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0
1. carefree; buoyant; lighthearted; sprightly
noun
2. ease
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0
noun
1. record; minutes; document
2. a record (e.g. in sports); results; score
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0
noun
1. back; lower back; waist; hips; lumbar region
2. body (of hair, noodle, paper, etc.); resilience; spring  (usu. コシ)
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1
noun
author (usu. of a particular book); writer
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