Daily Life

Introduction

Even at N2, some of the most useful words are the ones that make ordinary life feel natural. This chapter collects higher-level vocabulary for routines, neighbourhood life, domestic concerns, and the small practical situations adults navigate every day.

These are the words that make your Japanese sound lived-in rather than classroom-bound.

Themes

All JLPT N2 Vocabulary in This Chapter (77)

1. 跡継ぎ あとつぎ Heir; inheritor. A person who succeeds to a family business, estate, or position.
2. 家柄 いえがら Social standing of a family; lineage; pedigree. The reputation and status associated with a family name.
3. 育児 いくじ Childcare; child-rearing; nursing. The act of raising and caring for young children.
4. 移住する いじゅうする To migrate; to relocate; to emigrate. To move one's residence to a different place, especially a different region or country.
5. 衣装 いしょう Clothing; costume; outfit; garment. Attire worn for a specific occasion or performance.
6. 遺族 いぞく Bereaved family; surviving family; family of the deceased. Those left behind after someone's death.
7. 衣類 いるい Clothes; clothing; garments. A general, slightly formal term for articles of clothing.
8. 外貨 がいか Foreign currency; foreign money; foreign exchange. Money denominated in a currency other than one's own.
9. 家具職人 かぐしょくにん Furniture artisan; furniture craftsman. A skilled maker of handcrafted furniture.
10. 家計 かけい Household economy; family finances. The income and expenditure of a household.
11. 家族ぐるみ かぞくぐるみ Whole family; including the entire family. Describes relationships or activities involving all family members together.
12. 家電量販店 かでんりょうはんてん Electronics retail store; volume-sales electronics retailer. A large store specializing in home appliances and electronics.
13. 看護 かんご Nursing; medical care. The professional practice of caring for sick or injured people.
14. 食い違い くいちがい Difference; disagreement; discrepancy; conflict. A gap between two things that should align but don't.
15. 暮らし向き くらしむき Life circumstances; lifestyle; family finances. The general state of one's living conditions and financial situation.
16. 化粧室 けしょうしつ Toilet; lavatory; powder room. A polite, euphemistic term for a restroom.
17. 更衣室 こういしつ Locker room; changing room; dressing room. A room designated for changing clothes.
18. 合成洗剤 ごうせいせんざい Synthetic detergent. A cleaning agent made from chemical compounds rather than natural soap.
19. 豪邸 ごうてい Magnificent house; luxurious home; palatial residence; stately mansion.
20. 小売り店 こうりてん Retail store; retail shop. A store that sells goods directly to consumers.
21. 個室 こしつ Private room; single room. A room for one person or a small group, offering privacy.
22. 戸籍 こせき Family register. Japan's official registry system that records births, marriages, deaths, and family relationships.
23. 子育て こそだて Child rearing; raising children; parenting. The process and experience of bringing up children.
24. 再婚 さいこん Remarriage; second marriage. Marrying again after a previous marriage has ended.
25. 子音 しいん Consonant. A speech sound produced by partially or fully obstructing airflow, as opposed to a vowel.
26. 痺れ しびれ Numbness; pins and needles. The tingling or loss of sensation in a limb, typically from poor circulation or sustained pressure.
27. 主食 しゅしょく Staple food. The primary grain or carbohydrate that forms the base of a diet.
28. 出生率 しゅっしょうりつ Birth rate. The ratio of live births to the total population in a given area and time period.
29. 賞味期限 しょうみきげん Best-before date; expiry date. The date printed on food packaging indicating when the product is at its best quality.
30. 賞味する しょうみする To relish; to savour. To eat or drink something with full appreciation of its flavour and quality.
31. 新規開店 しんきかいてん Grand opening; opening of a new store. The event or act of a brand-new business establishment opening its doors for the first time.
32. 人生観 じんせいかん One's view of life; outlook on life. A personal philosophy about how life should be understood and lived.
33. 親善 しんぜん Goodwill; friendship; amity. Friendly relations, especially between groups, organisations, or nations.
34. 親族 しんぞく Relative; relation; kin. Family members connected by blood or marriage.
35. 隙 すき Gap; opening; vulnerability. An unguarded moment or weak point in someone's defences or attention.
36. 裾 すそ Hem; cuff; bottom edge of a garment. The lower edge of clothing such as trousers, skirts, or kimono.
37. 住まい すまい Dwelling; residence; home. The place where one lives, encompassing both the location and the building itself.
38. 生計 せいけい Livelihood; living. The means by which one earns money to support daily life and expenses.
39. 精算する せいさんする To settle an account; to pay off; to adjust a fare. To calculate and pay the exact amount owed.
40. 世帯 せたい Household; family unit. A group of people living together and sharing living expenses under one roof.
41. 世帯主 せたいぬし Head of the household; householder. The person officially registered as the representative of a household unit.
42. 退社する たいしゃする To leave the office; to go home from work. Can also mean to resign from a company depending on context.
43. 食べ物に当たる たべものにあたる To get food poisoning. To become ill from eating contaminated or spoiled food.
44. 血筋 ちすじ Lineage; bloodline; descent. Family heritage and traits passed down through blood relations.
45. 着手する ちゃくしゅする To start; to commence; to embark on. To begin working on a task, project, or initiative.
46. 着信 ちゃくしん Incoming call; received message. The arrival of a phone call, email, or other electronic notification.
47. 着目 ちゃくもく Attention; focus; noticing. Directing one's notice to a specific point or aspect of something.
48. 着工する ちゃっこうする To start construction; to break ground. To begin building or construction work on a project.
49. 賃貸 ちんたい Rental; leasing. The act of renting out property, especially housing and real estate.
50. 通信販売 つうしんはんばい Mail order; online shopping. A method of purchasing goods remotely through catalogues, television, or the internet with delivery by post.
51. 定住 ていじゅう Settlement; permanent residency. Living in one place on a long-term or permanent basis.
52. 転居 てんきょ Moving; changing residence; change of address. The act of relocating one's home.
53. 同居 どうきょ Living together; cohabitation. Sharing a residence with someone.
54. 凍死 とうし Death from cold; freezing to death. Dying due to exposure to extreme cold.
55. 庭いじり にわいじり Gardening; puttering around in the garden. Casual, leisurely tending of one's garden.
56. 値段交渉 ねだんこうしょう Price negotiation; haggling over price. The act of bargaining to reach an agreeable price.
57. 配偶者 はいぐうしゃ Spouse; husband or wife; partner. A gender-neutral legal term for one's married partner.
58. 晩年 ばんねん One's later years; final years of life. The closing period of a person's life.
59. 控え室 ひかえしつ Waiting room; anteroom; green room. A room where people wait before an event or appointment.
60. 普段着 ふだんぎ Everyday clothes; casual wear; informal dress. Clothing worn in daily life as opposed to formal attire.
61. 扶養 ふよう Support; maintenance. Financially supporting one's dependents such as children or elderly parents.
62. 分子構造 ぶんしこうぞう Molecular structure. The arrangement of atoms within a molecule.
63. 別居 べっきょ Separation; living apart. Living separately from one's spouse or family members.
64. 母国 ぼこく One's home country; homeland; motherland. The country where one was born or holds citizenship.
65. 待合室 まちあいしつ Waiting room. A public room where people sit and wait, especially at clinics, stations, or offices.
66. 間取り まどり Layout; floor plan. The arrangement of rooms in a house or apartment.
67. 身内 みうち Relatives; one's family; close relations. People connected by blood or marriage.
68. 身なり みなり Dress; attire; personal appearance. How someone looks based on their clothing and grooming.
69. 身元 みもと Identity; background; personal origins. Information about who someone is and where they come from.
70. 民家 みんか Private house; residential dwelling. An ordinary house where people live, as opposed to public or commercial buildings.
71. 持ち家 もちいえ One's own house; owner-occupied home. A house that one owns rather than rents.
72. 養育 よういく Bringing up; rearing; raising a child. The act of nurturing and educating children.
73. 余生 よせい One's remaining years; the rest of one's life. The time left to live.
74. 余地 よち Room; margin; scope; leeway. Space or opportunity for something to happen or be done.
75. 理念 りねん Ideal; foundational principle; philosophy. A guiding concept or doctrine that shapes beliefs and actions.
76. 料理人 りょうりにん Cook; chef. A person who prepares food professionally or with skill.
77. 隣人 りんじん Neighbour; a person who lives nearby. Also used figuratively for people in the broader community.