Environment and Nature Vocabulary
This lesson covers essential vocabulary for discussing environmental topics at the N2 level. You will study terms for weather conditions, natural disasters, ecosystems, and conservation, with example sentences to reinforce usage.
🎯 Goal: Learn N2 vocabulary related to environment and nature.
Lesson Content
Learning Goal
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and use 18 N2-level vocabulary words related to environment, nature, and abstract concepts like objectivity and comparison. You’ll understand how these words connect to daily life and formal contexts.
Concept
N2 vocabulary often moves beyond simple concrete nouns to more abstract or compound words. Today’s set includes words about objectivity (客観的), appearance (容姿), capacity (容量), lodging (宿泊先), movement/direction (寄せる, 寄り道), secrecy (密か, 密接, 密閉), lying down (寝転がる), dormitory (寮), and a large group of words built with 対 (たい) meaning "opposition" or "comparison."
Many of these words are compound kanji words (e.g., 客観的, 密接, 対処). Understanding the kanji components will help you remember them.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
1. 客観的 (きゃっかんてき) — objective
- Kanji breakdown: 客 (guest/object) + 観 (view) + 的 (like; -ic)
- Meaning: Not influenced by personal feelings; based on facts.
- Example: 客観的に考える必要がある。 (We need to think objectively.)
2. 容姿 (ようし) — (physical) appearance
- Kanji breakdown: 容 (form) + 姿 (figure)
- Meaning: A person’s face and body shape.
- Example: 彼女は容姿が美しい。 (She has a beautiful appearance.)
3. 容量 (ようりょう) — capacity; volume
- Kanji breakdown: 容 (contain) + 量 (quantity)
- Meaning: How much something can hold.
- Example: このタンクの容量は100リットルだ。 (This tank has a capacity of 100 liters.)
4. 宿泊先 (しゅくはくさき) — lodging place
- Kanji breakdown: 宿 (stay overnight) + 泊 (stay) + 先 (destination)
- Meaning: The place where you stay (hotel, inn, etc.).
- Example: 宿泊先を予約しました。 (I booked the lodging.)
5. 寄せる (よせる) — to come near; to bring together
- Kanji: 寄 (draw near)
- Meaning: Physically or emotionally bring something close; also "to contribute" (e.g., 意見を寄せる).
- Example: 机を壁に寄せてください。 (Please move the desk closer to the wall.)
6. 寄り道 (よりみち) — making a detour; stopping off
- Kanji breakdown: 寄 (draw near) + 道 (road)
- Meaning: Going a different way to visit somewhere else.
- Example: 帰りにコンビニに寄り道した。 (I stopped by a convenience store on the way home.)
7. 密か (ひそか) — secret; private; surreptitious
- Kanji: 密 (secret)
- Meaning: Done quietly, without others knowing.
- Example: 彼は密かに練習した。 (He practiced secretly.)
8. 密接 (みっせつ) — close (relationship); intimate
- Kanji breakdown: 密 (secret/dense) + 接 (connect)
- Meaning: Very closely connected.
- Example: 環境と経済は密接に関係している。 (The environment and economy are closely related.)
9. 密閉 (みっぺい) — sealing airtight
- Kanji breakdown: 密 (dense) + 閉 (close)
- Meaning: Shut completely so no air or water gets in.
- Example: 密閉容器に入れて保存する。 (Store it in an airtight container.)
10. 寝転がる (ねころがる) — to lie down; to throw oneself down
- Kanji breakdown: 寝 (sleep) + 転 (roll)
- Meaning: To lie down casually, often on the floor or ground.
- Example: 芝生の上に寝転がった。 (I lay down on the grass.)
11. 寮 (りょう) — dormitory
- Kanji: 寮 (dormitory)
- Meaning: Shared housing, often for students or workers.
- Example: 大学の寮に住んでいる。 (I live in a university dormitory.)
12. 対 (たい) — opposite; versus; vs.
- Kanji: 対 (opposition)
- Meaning: Used in matchups or comparisons (e.g., A対B).
- Example: 日本対ブラジルの試合。 (Japan vs. Brazil match.)
13. 対処 (たいしょ) — dealing with; coping with
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 処 (dispose)
- Meaning: Handling a problem or situation.
- Example: 問題に早く対処する。 (Deal with the problem quickly.)
14. 対応 (たいおう) — correspondence; equivalence
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 応 (respond)
- Meaning: Matching or responding appropriately.
- Example: お客様の要望に対応する。 (Respond to the customer’s requests.)
15. 対戦 (たいせん) — waging war; competition
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 戦 (war)
- Meaning: Competing against someone (sports, games, etc.).
- Example: 明日、ライバルと対戦する。 (Tomorrow I compete against my rival.)
16. 対抗 (たいこう) — opposition; antagonism
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 抗 (resist)
- Meaning: Resisting or competing against.
- Example: 対抗手段を考える。 (Think of countermeasures.)
17. 対比 (たいひ) — contrast; comparison
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 比 (compare)
- Meaning: Comparing two things to see differences.
- Example: 二つの文化を対比する。 (Contrast the two cultures.)
18. 対立 (たいりつ) — conflict; opposition
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 立 (stand)
- Meaning: Two sides standing against each other.
- Example: 意見が対立している。 (Opinions are in conflict.)
19. 対等 (たいとう) — equality; on equal terms
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 等 (equal)
- Meaning: Having the same status or power.
- Example: 対等な立場で話し合う。 (Discuss on equal footing.)
20. 対象外 (たいしょうがい) — not covered; not subject to
- Kanji breakdown: 対 (oppose) + 象 (phenomenon) + 外 (outside)
- Meaning: Excluded from a rule or category.
- Example: この商品は返品対象外です。 (This product is not eligible for returns.)
Mini Examples
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 客観的なデータが必要だ。 | Kyakkanteki na dēta ga hitsuyō da. | Objective data is necessary. |
| 彼は容姿に自信がない。 | Kare wa yōshi ni jishin ga nai. | He lacks confidence in his appearance. |
| このバッグの容量は小さい。 | Kono baggu no yōryō wa chiisai. | This bag has a small capacity. |
| 宿泊先は駅の近くです。 | Shukuhakusaki wa eki no chikaku desu. | The lodging is near the station. |
| 友達を家に寄せた。 | Tomodachi o ie ni yoseta. | I invited my friend over (brought them near). |
| 学校の帰りに寄り道する。 | Gakkō no kaeri ni yorimichi suru. | I make a detour on the way home from school. |
| 密かに計画を進める。 | Hisoka ni keikaku o susumeru. | Advance the plan secretly. |
| 密接な関係がある。 | Missetsu na kankei ga aru. | There is a close relationship. |
| 密閉して保存する。 | Mippei shite hozon suru. | Store it airtight. |
| ソファに寝転がる。 | Sofa ni nekorogaru. | Lie down on the sofa. |
| 寮で一緒に暮らす。 | Ryō de issho ni kurasu. | Live together in the dormitory. |
| 対処方法を教えてください。 | Taisho hōhō o oshiete kudasai. | Please tell me how to deal with it. |
| お客様の対応をします。 | Okyaku-sama no taiō o shimasu. | I will handle the customer. |
| 対戦相手は強い。 | Taisen aite wa tsuyoi. | The opponent in the match is strong. |
| 対抗策を練る。 | Taikōsaku o neru. | Devise a countermeasure. |
| 二つの絵を対比する。 | Futatsu no e o taihi suru. | Contrast the two pictures. |
| 意見が対立する。 | Iken ga tairitsu suru. | Opinions conflict. |
| 対等な関係を築く。 | Taitō na kankei o kizuku. | Build an equal relationship. |
| この割引は対象外です。 | Kono waribiki wa taishōgai desu. | This discount is not applicable. |
Common Mistake
❌ Mixing up 対処 (taisho) and 対応 (taiō)
- 対処 = dealing with a problem (focus on solving)
- 対応 = responding to a situation (focus on matching/adapting)
✅ Correct:
- 問題に対処する (deal with the problem)
- お客様に対応する (respond to the customer)
❌ Using 密か (hisoka) for "secret" in a formal document — it's more literary/poetic. For official "secret," use 秘密 (himitsu).
Quick Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the lesson.
-
この会議は____な立場で話し合いましょう。 (Let's discuss on equal terms.)
→ Answer: 対等 (taitō) -
帰りに本屋に____した。 (I stopped by a bookstore on the way home.)
→ Answer: 寄り道 (yorimichi) -
環境問題に早く____する必要がある。 (We need to deal with environmental issues quickly.)
→ Answer: 対処 (taisho) -
彼は____に練習して上手になった。 (He practiced secretly and got good.)
→ Answer: 密か (hisoka) -
この容器は____されている。 (This container is sealed airtight.)
→ Answer: 密閉 (mippei)
Summary and Next Step
You’ve learned 20 N2 vocabulary words covering:
- Objectivity & appearance (客観的, 容姿)
- Capacity & lodging (容量, 宿泊先)
- Movement & detours (寄せる, 寄り道)
- Secrecy & closeness (密か, 密接, 密閉)
- Lying down & dormitories (寝転がる, 寮)
- Opposition & comparison (対, 対処, 対応, 対戦, 対抗, 対比, 対立, 対等, 対象外)
Next step: Try using these words in your own sentences. For example, describe your dormitory (寮), talk about a detour you made (寄り道), or compare two things using 対比. Practice reading them aloud with correct pitch accent.
Practice Drills
No interactive practices assigned to this lesson yet.
Lesson Materials
Vocabulary (55)
Grammar (0)
No grammar rules in this lesson.
Kanji (0)
No kanji characters in this lesson.
Kana (0)
No kana characters in this lesson.