Society & Culture

Introduction

N3 deepens your understanding of Japanese society with vocabulary covering social issues, cultural norms, and community dynamics. From 伝統 (tradition) to 差別 (discrimination), these words help you discuss complex social topics.

Essential for understanding opinion pieces, social commentary, and cultural discussions.

Themes

All JLPT N3 Vocabulary in This Chapter (25)

1. 地域 ちいき Area; region; district; locality. Refers to a defined geographical area within a city, country, or broader context.
2. 住民 じゅうみん Inhabitant; resident; citizen. Refers to the people who live in a particular area or community.
3. 国民 こくみん People of a country; nation; citizen; national. Refers to the collective citizenry of a nation.
4. 外国人 がいこくじん Foreigner; foreign citizen; foreign national. A person from another country.
5. 移民 いみん Immigration; emigration; immigrant; migrant. Refers to the act of moving to another country or a person who does so.
6. 差別 さべつ Discrimination; distinction; differentiation. Treating people unfairly based on group identity.
7. 平等 びょうどう Equality; impartiality; evenness. The state of being equal in status, rights, or opportunities.
8. 福祉 ふくし Welfare; well-being; social welfare; social services. Systems and programmes that support public well-being.
9. 保険 ほけん Insurance. A system of financial protection against loss, damage, illness, or death.
10. 介護 かいご Nursing; care; caregiving. Providing physical and emotional support to the elderly or disabled.
11. 少子化 しょうしか Declining birth rate; decline in the number of children. A demographic trend of fewer children being born.
12. 高齢化 こうれいか Ageing of a population; population ageing. The demographic shift toward a higher proportion of elderly people.
13. 治安 ちあん Public order; public peace; public security; law and order. The state of safety and stability in a community.
14. 環境問題 かんきょうもんだい Environmental problem; environmental issue. Problems related to the natural environment such as pollution and climate change.
15. 汚染 おせん Pollution; contamination. The introduction of harmful substances into the environment.
16. リサイクル リサイクル Recycling. The process of converting waste into reusable materials.
17. 省エネ しょうエネ Energy conservation; economical use of energy. Reducing energy consumption for environmental or economic reasons.
18. 温暖化 おんだんか Global warming. The gradual increase of the Earth's average surface temperature.
19. ボランティア ボランティア Volunteer; volunteering. Performing unpaid work to help others or the community.
20. 寄付 きふ Contribution; donation. Giving money, goods, or resources to a cause or organization.
21. 支援 しえん Support; backing; aid; assistance. Providing help or resources to someone in need.
22. 援助 えんじょ Assistance; aid; support. Providing help, especially material or financial, to those in difficulty.
23. 協力 きょうりょく Cooperation; collaboration; help; support. Working together toward a common goal.
24. 世間 せけん World; society; the public; people around you. The community of people whose opinions and judgements one is aware of.
25. 強力 きょうりょく Powerful; strong; mighty. Having great force or influence.