Core Vocabulary in Japanese #
What are the most basic concepts that virtually all languages express? I’ve done my best to answer this question with a list of 200 core vocabulary items, and this is part one of the Japanese version. To learn how I settled on these particular concepts and see what other languages have been added so far, check out “Core Vocabulary Across Languages.”
Nouns #
- name = 名前 (namae)
- water = 水 (mizu)
- blood = 血 (chi)
- fire = 火 (hi)
- stone/rock = 石 (ishi), 岩 (iwa)
- dog = 犬 (inu)
- fish = 魚 (sakana)
- louse/flea = 虱 (shirami), 蚤 (nomi)
- hand/arm = 手 (te), 腕 (ude)
- eye = 目 (me)
- ear = 耳 (mimi)
- nose = 鼻 (hana)
- tongue = 舌 (shita)
- tooth = 歯 (ha)
- bone = 骨 (hone)
- horn = 角 (tsuno)
- tail = 尻尾 (shippo)
- egg = 卵 (tamago)
- leaf = 葉っぱ (happa)
- night/evening = 夜 (yoru)
- star = 星 (hoshi)
- sun = 日 (hi)
- moon = 月 (tsuki)
- earth/soil = 土 (tsuchi), 地 (chi)
- salt = 塩 (shio)
- mountain = 山 (yama)
- tree = 木 (ki)
- rain = 雨 (ame)
- wind = 風 (kaze)
- bird = 鳥 (tori)
- flesh/meat = 身 (mi), 肉 (niku)
- liver = 肝 (kimo)
- skin/hide = 皮 (kawa), 革 (kawa)
- knee = 膝 (hiza)
- breast/chest = 胸 (mune)
- person/human = 人 (hito)
- man = 男 (otoko)
- woman = 女 (onna)
- child = 子供 (kodomo)
- hair/fur = 髪 (kami), 毛皮 (kegawa)
- mouth = 口 (kuchi)
- neck = 首 (kubi)
- foot/leg = 足 (ashi), 脚 (ashi)
- feather = 羽 (hane)
- grease/fat = 脂 (abura)
- smoke = 煙 (kemuri)
- ash/soot = 灰 (hai)
- sand = 砂 (suna)
- wood = 木 (ki)
- root = 根 (ne)
- rope/cord = 綱 (tsuna)
- path/road = 道 (michi), 路 (michi)
- year = 年 (toshi)
Verbs #
- die = 死ぬ (shinu)
- see/look/watch = 見る (miru)
- hear/listen = 聞く (kiku), 聴く (kiku)
- know = 知る (shiru)
- drink = 飲む (nomu)
- give = 与える (ataeru)
- come = 来る (kuru)
- stand = 立つ (tatsu)
- sit/set = 座る (suwaru), 置く (oku)
- lie/lay = 寝る (neru), 張る (haru)
- fly = 飛ぶ (tobu)
- eat = 食べる (taberu), 食う (kuu)
- bite = 噛む (kamu)
- burn = 燃える (moeru)
- kill = 殺す (korosu)
- say/tell/speak/talk = 言う (iu), 話す (hanasu)
- laugh = 笑う (warau)
Adjectives #
- new = 新しい (atarashii)
- full = 満ちている (michiteiru)
- good = 良い (yoi/ii)
- long = 長い (nagai)
- red = 赤い (akai)
- black = 黒い (kuroi)
- white = 白い (shiroi)
- green = 青い (aoi)
- yellow = 黄色 (kiiro)
- small/little = 小さい (chiisai)
- big/large = 大きい (oukii)
- wide/broad = 広い (hiroi)
- heavy = 重い (omoi)
- old = 古い (furui)
- dry = 乾いた (kawaita)
Other #
- I/me = 私 (watashi), 僕 (boku), 俺 (ore)
- you = 貴方 (anata), 君 (kimi)
- what/which = 何 (nani), どれ (dore), どの (dono)
- who/whom = 誰 (dare)
- one = 一 (ichi), 一つ (hitotsu)
- two = 二 (ni), 二つ (futatsu)
- not/no = 無い (nai), いいえ (iie)
- this/these = 此れ (kore), 此の (kono), これら (korera), これらの (korerano)
- we/us = 私達 (watashi-tachi), 我々 (wareware)
- all/everything/everyone = 全て (subete), 皆 (minna)