Media and Journalism Vocabulary
This lesson introduces key Japanese vocabulary used in media and journalism contexts, such as articles, headlines, interviews, and editorial terminology. Practice through context-based exercises to reinforce understanding and usage at the N2 level.
🎯 Goal: Learn N2 vocabulary related to media and journalism.
Lesson Content
Learning Goal
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and use 20 N2-level vocabulary words related to media, journalism, and everyday situations. You will understand how prefixes like 再- (sai-, "again/re-") and 出- (shutsu-/de-, "out/exit") change the meaning of words, and you'll practice using them in context.
Concept
In Japanese, many vocabulary words are built from common prefixes and roots. Today we focus on two powerful prefixes:
- 再 (sai) – means "again" or "re-"
- 出 (shutsu/de) – means "out," "exit," or "appearance"
These prefixes attach to verbs and nouns to create new meanings. For example, 再生 (sai-sei) literally means "again + life" → "rebirth" or "playback." 出演 (shutsu-en) means "appearance + performance" → "to appear on stage/TV."
Understanding these building blocks will help you guess the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
1. Words with 再 (sai) – "again / re-"
| Word | Romaji | Meaning | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 再度 | sai-do | twice; again; second time | 再 (again) + 度 (time/occasion) |
| 再生 | sai-sei | resuscitation; playback; regeneration | 再 (again) + 生 (life) |
| 再発 | sai-hatsu | return; relapse; reoccurrence | 再 (again) + 発 (outbreak/start) |
| 再開 | sai-kai | reopening; resumption; restarting | 再 (again) + 開 (open) |
Example sentences:
-
そのニュースは再度放送された。
Sono nyūsu wa saido hōsō sareta.
"That news was broadcast a second time." -
この動画の再生回数は100万回を超えた。
Kono dōga no saisei kaisū wa hyaku-man-kai o koeta.
"The number of views (playbacks) of this video exceeded 1 million." -
彼の病気が再発した。
Kare no byōki ga saihatsu shita.
"His illness relapsed." -
会議は明日再開される。
Kaigi wa ashita saikai sareru.
"The meeting will resume tomorrow."
2. Words with 出 (shutsu/de) – "out / appearance / exit"
| Word | Romaji | Meaning | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 出演 | shutsu-en | performance; appearance (on stage, TV, film) | 出 (out) + 演 (perform) |
| 出演者 | shutsu-en-sha | performer; entertainer; actor | 出演 + 者 (person) |
| 出版社 | shuppan-sha | publishing company | 出版 (publish) + 社 (company) |
| 出発点 | shuppatsu-ten | starting point; point of departure | 出発 (departure) + 点 (point) |
| 出社 | shussha | going to work (in the morning) | 出 (out) + 社 (company) |
| 出身地 | shusshin-chi | birthplace; native place | 出身 (origin) + 地 (place) |
| 出来上がる | deki-agaru | to be completed; to be finished; to be ready | 出来 (can do) + 上がる (go up) |
| 出世 | shusse | success in life; promotion; climbing the corporate ladder | 出 (out) + 世 (world) |
| 出席者 | shusseki-sha | those present; attendance | 出席 (attend) + 者 (person) |
Example sentences:
-
彼女は有名な出演者です。
Kanojo wa yūmei na shutsuen-sha desu.
"She is a famous performer." -
この本は大手出版社から出ている。
Kono hon wa ōte shuppan-sha kara dete iru.
"This book is published by a major publishing company." -
出発点に戻って考えよう。
Shuppatsu-ten ni modotte kangaeyō.
"Let's go back to the starting point and think." -
毎朝9時に出社します。
Maiasa ku-ji ni shussha shimasu.
"I go to work at 9 every morning." -
彼の出身地は大阪です。
Kare no shusshin-chi wa Ōsaka desu.
"His birthplace is Osaka." -
料理が出来上がった。
Ryōri ga dekiagatta.
"The food is ready (finished)." -
彼は若くして出世した。
Kare wa wakaku shite shusse shita.
"He got ahead in his career at a young age." -
出席者は全員で50人だった。
Shusseki-sha wa zen'in de go-jū-nin datta.
"The total number of attendees was 50."
3. Other Key Vocabulary
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 写生 | shasei | sketching; drawing from nature |
| 写真家 | shashin-ka | photographer |
| 冷やす | hiyasu | to cool (room temperature → cold); to chill; to calm down |
| 冷水 | reisui | cold water |
| 分かれる | wakareru | to separate; to split; to divide |
| 分別 | bunbetsu | separation (e.g. of rubbish for recycling); classification |
| 分割 | bunkatsu | partition; division; separation; segmenting |
Example sentences:
-
公園で写生をしている。
Kōen de shasei o shite iru.
"I am sketching in the park." -
彼はプロの写真家だ。
Kare wa puro no shashin-ka da.
"He is a professional photographer." -
ビールを冷やしてください。
Bīru o hiyashite kudasai.
"Please chill the beer." -
冷水で手を洗った。
Reisui de te o aratta.
"I washed my hands with cold water." -
意見が分かれた。
Iken ga wakareta.
"Opinions were divided." -
ゴミの分別を忘れないで。
Gomi no bunbetsu o wasurenaide.
"Don't forget to separate the trash." -
土地を分割して売る。
Tochi o bunkatsu shite uru.
"Divide the land and sell it."
Mini Examples (Quick Reference)
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 再度の挑戦 | saido no chōsen | a second attempt |
| 再生ボタン | saisei botan | play button |
| 再発防止 | saihatsu bōshi | prevention of recurrence |
| 再開式 | saikai-shiki | reopening ceremony |
| 出演予定 | shutsuen yotei | scheduled appearance |
| 出社時間 | shussha jikan | time to go to work |
| 出来上がり | dekiagari | finished product; completion |
| 冷水摩擦 | reisui masatsu | cold-water rubdown |
| 意見が分かれる | iken ga wakareru | opinions are split |
| 分割払い | bunkatsu barai | installment payment |
Common Mistake
Confusing 再生 (saisei) with 再製 (saisei – remanufacturing)
Both are read saisei, but:
- 再生 = playback / regeneration (common in media)
- 再製 = remanufacturing (rare, used for products)
Tip: In media contexts (video, audio), always use 再生.
Mixing up 出身地 (shusshin-chi) and 出生地 (shussei-chi)
- 出身地 = where you grew up / your hometown (more common)
- 出生地 = where you were born (formal, medical)
Tip: For casual conversation about where you're from, use 出身地.
Quick Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the list:
再度, 再生, 再開, 出演者, 出身地, 出来上がる, 冷やす, 分割
-
この動画の______回数が増えている。
Kono dōga no ______ kaisū ga fuete iru.
(The number of views of this video is increasing.) -
コンサートの______は全員ベテランだ。
Konsāto no ______ wa zen'in beteran da.
(All the performers at the concert are veterans.) -
彼の______は北海道だと聞いた。
Kare no ______ wa Hokkaidō da to kiita.
(I heard his hometown is Hokkaido.) -
ジュースを______から飲もう。
Jūsu o ______ kara nomō.
(Let's chill the juice first, then drink it.) -
この仕事は来週までに______。
Kono shigoto wa raishū made ni ______.
(This work will be completed by next week.)
Answers: 1. 再生, 2. 出演者, 3. 出身地, 4. 冷やして, 5. 出来上がる
Try writing your own sentence using 再開 (sai-kai):
Example: 学校は4月に再開する。
Gakkō wa shigatsu ni saikai suru.
"School resumes in April."
Summary and Next Step
What you learned today:
- 4 words with the prefix 再 (sai) meaning "again/re-"
- 9 words with 出 (shutsu/de) meaning "out/appearance"
- 7 other N2 vocabulary words related to media, photography, temperature, and separation
- How to use these words in sentences about news, work, and daily life
Next step: Practice using these words in context. Try reading a short news article in Japanese and look for 再- and 出- words. Write 3 sentences using today's vocabulary (e.g., about your favorite TV show, your work schedule, or recycling habits). In the next lesson, we'll explore more N2 vocabulary related to politics and society.
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