こ JLPT N1 Vocabulary

Kana こ

1. 膠質 こうしつ Colloid; a colloidal substance. A mixture in which microscopically dispersed insoluble particles are suspended throughout another substance.
2. 光年 こうねん Light year; the distance that light travels in one year in a vacuum, approximately 9.461 × 10¹⁵ metres. Used as a unit of astronomical di...
3. 公言 こうげん Public declaration; avowal; openly stating something before others.
4. 高言 こうげん Boasting; bragging; big talk. Grandiose statements that exceed what one can actually deliver.
5. 口述 こうじゅつ Oral statement; dictation; a verbal rather than written account or explanation.
6. 告白 こくはく Confession; declaration; admission. An honest disclosure of feelings, secrets, or wrongdoing.
7. 言葉を濁す ことばをにごす To speak evasively; to be deliberately vague; to equivocate rather than giving a clear answer.
8. 高原 こうげん Plateau; highland; tableland. An elevated flat or gently rolling land area, typically with a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands.
9. 荒野 こうや Wasteland; wilderness; desolate plain. A barren, empty expanse devoid of cultivation or settlement, often harsh and inhospitable.
10. 紅葉 こうよう Autumn leaves; fall foliage; the seasonal reddening and yellowing of deciduous leaves.
11. 古木 こぼく Old tree; ancient tree. A tree of great age, often revered for its size, longevity, and spiritual significance.
12. 木漏れ日 こもれび Sunlight filtering through leaves; dappled light. The interplay of light and shadow when sunlight passes through a forest canopy.
13. 高度成長 こうどせいちょう Rapid economic growth; high economic growth. Most specifically refers to Japan's extraordinary postwar economic expansion from the late 1...
14. 暦 こよみ Calendar; almanac. Both the abstract system for organising days and months, and the physical printed calendar or almanac itself.
15. 小粋 こいき Smart; stylish; chic; tasteful. Describes a person or thing that has a refined, slightly sophisticated elegance — particularly in the und...
16. 煌々とした こうこうとした Brightly lit; brilliantly glowing; resplendent. Describes light that is intense, clear, and luminous — whether from the moon, stage light...
17. 小うるさい こうるさい Nagging; fussy; fastidious; fault-finding. Describes someone who is persistently picky about minor details or constantly finding fault.
18. 小気味よい こきみよい Satisfying; pleasing; gratifying; smartly enjoyable. Describes something that gives a clean, crisp sense of satisfaction — a witty comeba...
19. 心強い こころづよい Reassuring; encouraging; heartening. Describes the feeling of confidence and security that comes from having reliable support.
20. 心憎い こころにくい Admirably clever; exquisitely well done; impressively accomplished. Describes something done with such skill that one feels almost enviou...
21. 心許ない こころもとない Unreliable; uncertain; anxious; uneasy. Describes a nagging sense of insecurity about something or someone that seems insufficient or unt...
22. 小癪 こしゃく Impudent; cheeky; annoying; saucy. Used to describe someone who acts above their station or behaves in an irritatingly presumptuous way.
23. 滑稽 こっけい Funny; comical; ridiculous; absurd. Refers to something that is laughable, either intentionally amusing or unintentionally ridiculous.
24. 殊更 ことさら Deliberately; particularly; especially; intentionally. Indicates that something is done on purpose or with special emphasis, often implyi...
25. 小憎らしい こにくらしい Annoyingly cheeky; provoking; impudent in a way that is difficult to ignore. Describes someone whose boldness or sharpness is irritating ...
26. 小回りが利く こまわりがきく Agile; manoeuvrable; flexible; nimble. Describes the ability to respond quickly and efficiently in tight or rapidly changing situations.
27. 込み入った こみいった Complicated; intricate; involved; complex. Describes a situation, problem, or relationship with many interlocking elements that make it h...
28. 子会社 こがいしゃ Subsidiary company; a company controlled by a parent corporation (親会社) through majority ownership.
29. 焦げ付く こげつく To become a bad debt; for a loan or receivable to go unrecoverable; (literally) to burn and stick to a surface.
30. 固定費 こていひ Fixed costs; overhead expenses that remain constant regardless of production volume or sales.
31. 抗生物質 こうせいぶっしつ Antibiotic; a substance derived from microorganisms or synthesised that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria.
32. 交錯 こうさく Intertwining; mixing; complication. A state where multiple elements become entangled.
33. 高邁 こうまい Lofty; noble; elevated; high-minded. Describes ideals or character of exceptional moral height.
34. 枯渇 こかつ Drying up; depletion; exhaustion of a resource or supply.
35. 心得 こころえ Knowledge; understanding; know-how; guiding rules or principles one should keep in mind.
36. 来し方 こしかた The past; one's history; the path one has travelled through life.
37. 骨格 こっかく Skeleton; framework; build; the essential structure of something.
38. 根幹 こんかん Root and trunk; the fundamental basis or core of something.
39. 困窮 こんきゅう Poverty; destitution; severe distress or hardship.
40. 困窮する こんきゅうする To be in poverty; to be destitute; to suffer from severe hardship.
41. 渾身 こんしん With all one's might; one's whole body and soul; every ounce of one's strength.
42. 懇切 こんせつ Kind; cordial; thorough and careful in explanation or guidance.
43. 渾然 こんぜん Blended; unified; harmoniously integrated into a single whole.
44. 根底 こんてい Basis; foundation; root; the deepest underlying layer of something.
45. 混沌 こんとん Chaos; confusion; a state of primordial disorder.
46. 混迷 こんめい Confusion; bewilderment; turmoil; a situation that has become deeply muddled.
47. 困惑する こんわくする To be bewildered; to be puzzled; to be perplexed or at a loss.
48. 衣替え ころもがえ Seasonal change of wardrobe; the biannual practice of switching between summer and winter clothes.
49. 献立 こんだて Menu; meal plan; a set list of dishes to be served. Also used for any organised programme or schedule.
50. 校閲 こうえつ Proofreading; editorial review. The careful checking of a manuscript or document for errors of fact, consistency, and expression before p...
51. 講談 こうだん Kodan; traditional Japanese narrative storytelling. A performing art in which a storyteller recites historical tales from a lectern, usin...
52. 校訂 こうてい Textual revision; critical editing. The scholarly process of collating manuscript variants and establishing an authoritative text.
53. 口碑 こうひ Oral tradition; popular legend; lore passed down by word of mouth. A story or belief transmitted across generations through speech rather...
54. 故事成語 こじせいご Idiom derived from a historical anecdote. A set expression whose meaning originates in a classical Chinese or Japanese historical story.
55. 古文 こぶん Classical Japanese; old writing. The form of Japanese used in texts from the Nara through Edo periods, characterised by historical kana o...
56. 公示 こうじ Public announcement; official notice; proclamation. An official declaration made known to the public by a government or authority.
57. 公聴会 こうちょうかい Public hearing; public inquiry. A formal session at which citizens, experts, or stakeholders present testimony to a legislative or admini...
58. 公約 こうやく Public pledge; campaign promise; manifesto commitment. A formal promise made by a politician or party to voters regarding policy if elected.
59. 国粋主義 こくすいしゅぎ Ultranationalism; national chauvinism. An extreme form of nationalism that asserts the superiority of one's nation and rejects foreign in...
60. 国政 こくせい National politics; national government. The administration and governance of a country at the national level.
61. 国是 こくぜ National policy; national principle. A fundamental principle or direction that guides the overall policy of a nation and commands broad c...
62. 国防 こくぼう National defence; national security. The protection of a nation's sovereignty, territory, and citizens from external threats.
63. 国務 こくむ National affairs; state affairs. The business and duties of governing a nation at the highest level.
64. 国交断絶 こっこうだんぜつ Severance of diplomatic relations. The formal termination of official relations between two countries.
65. 公益 こうえき Public interest; public benefit; the common good. Actions or policies that serve society at large rather than private interests.
66. 拘置所 こうちしょ Detention centre; holding facility; jail. A facility where suspects or defendants are held before or during trial, distinct from a prison...
67. 香典 こうでん Condolence gift; funeral offering; incense money. Cash given in a special envelope to bereaved families to help cover funeral expenses.
68. 公徳心 こうとくしん Public morality; civic virtue; public spirit. A sense of responsibility and consideration for others in shared spaces and public life.
69. 興亡 こうぼう Rise and fall; ups and downs. The cycle of flourishing and decline experienced by nations, civilisations, dynasties, or organisations.
70. 拘留 こうりゅう Detention; custody; confinement. The legally authorised holding of a person, especially before trial or as a minor criminal penalty.
71. 功労 こうろう Meritorious service; distinguished contribution. Exceptional achievement or effort in service of an organisation, cause, or nation.
72. 告知 こくち Notification; announcement; notice. The formal or official act of informing someone of something important.
73. 告発 こくはつ Denunciation; accusation; exposure; indictment. The act of formally reporting or publicly accusing someone of wrongdoing.
74. 孤食 こしょく Eating alone; solitary meals. The practice or phenomenon of eating without the company of others.
75. 根絶 こんぜつ Eradication; extermination; rooting out. The complete and permanent elimination of something harmful.
76. 恍惚 こうこつ Ecstasy; rapture; trance; fascination. A state of being so entranced by beauty, pleasure, or sensation that one loses awareness of the su...
77. 高揚 こうよう Elation; exaltation; uplift; heightening. A lifting or intensification of mood, spirit, or energy, often in a positive and energising dir...
78. 心が洗われる こころがあらわれる To feel purified; to be spiritually cleansed. Describes the refreshing, purifying effect that a beautiful sight, piece of music, or kind ...
79. 心が折れる こころがおれる To lose heart; to be broken; to give up. Describes the moment when one's willpower or emotional resilience finally snaps under the weight...
80. 心を鬼にする こころをおににする To steel oneself; to harden one's heart; to be ruthlessly decisive for someone's own good. Forcing oneself to act severely despite compas...
81. 講じる こうじる To take measures; to implement countermeasures; to lecture on; to expound. A formal verb for deliberate, considered action or explanation.
82. 漕ぎ出す こぎだす To set sail; to row out from shore; to launch; to embark on a new venture. Carries a sense of courageous departure into the unknown.
83. 拵える こしらえる To make; to create; to prepare; to put together; to fabricate. Implies hands-on crafting or preparation with care.
84. 腰を据える こしをすえる To settle down; to commit seriously to something; to dig in; to plant oneself and engage with patience. Expresses sustained, wholehearted...
85. 拗れる こじれる To become complicated; to get entangled; to worsen; to go badly awry. Describes a situation or relationship deteriorating into a more int...
86. 糊塗する ことする To gloss over; to cover up; to whitewash; to paper over defects or wrongdoing with superficial fixes.
87. 捏ねる こねる To knead; to mix thoroughly; to quibble; to complain unreasonably; to be obstinate in one's arguments.
88. 拒む こばむ To refuse; to reject; to decline; to resist; to rebuff. Expresses active, principled opposition or denial.
89. 堪える こらえる To bear; to endure; to put up with; to hold back; to restrain oneself. Expresses patient, active endurance of pain or emotion.
90. 凝らす こらす To concentrate; to focus intently; to elaborate; to apply with great care and ingenuity.
91. 凝り固まる こりかたまる To be rigidly set in one's ways; to become inflexibly fixed in beliefs; to stiffen physically through tension.
92. 転がり込む ころがりこむ To roll in; to turn up unexpectedly; to crash at someone's place; to fall into one's lap. Describes uninvited arrival or a windfall.