Lesson L12N2N2 Vocabulary โ€” Thematic Setsโฑ 25 min

Sports and Leisure Vocabulary

This lesson covers essential Japanese words and phrases for discussing sports, hobbies, and recreational activities, with examples and usage notes suitable for intermediate learners.

๐ŸŽฏ Goal: Learn N2 vocabulary related to sports and leisure.

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 sports, leisure, and everyday situations. You will understand common prefixes like ็„ก (mu-) and key verbs/nouns for describing actions and states.

Concept

Many N2 vocabulary words are built from familiar roots plus prefixes or suffixes. The prefix ็„ก (mu-) means "without" or "un-". It attaches to nouns to create new adjectives or nouns meaning "lack of" or "not having". Other words in this lesson focus on actions (burning, heating), states (impatience, silence), and objects (lighting, focus).

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. The ็„ก (mu-) prefix: "without" or "un-"

This prefix is extremely common at N2 level. It changes the meaning of the base word to its opposite or absence.

WordReadingMeaningBreakdown
็„กๅฃใ‚€ใใก (mukuchi)taciturn, quiet็„ก (without) + ๅฃ (mouth) โ†’ "without a mouth" โ†’ quiet
็„กๆ„่ญ˜ใ‚€ใ„ใ—ใ (muishiki)unconscious, automatic็„ก (without) + ๆ„่ญ˜ (consciousness)
็„กๆ•ฐใ‚€ใ™ใ† (musuu)countless็„ก (without) + ๆ•ฐ (number)
็„กๆกไปถใ‚€ใ˜ใ‚‡ใ†ใ‘ใ‚“ (mujouken)unconditional็„ก (without) + ๆกไปถ (condition)
็„ก็ตฆใ‚€ใใ‚…ใ† (mukyuu)unpaid็„ก (without) + ็ตฆ (salary)
็„ก็ทšใ‚€ใ›ใ‚“ (musen)wireless็„ก (without) + ็ทš (wire)
็„ก็ธใ‚€ใˆใ‚“ (muen)unrelated, having no surviving relatives็„ก (without) + ็ธ (connection, fate)
็„ก่ฆ–ใ‚€ใ— (mushi)ignoring, disregard็„ก (without) + ่ฆ– (to see) โ†’ "not seeing"
็„ก้–ขไฟ‚ใ‚€ใ‹ใ‚“ใ‘ใ„ (mukankei)unrelated็„ก (without) + ้–ขไฟ‚ (relationship)
็„ก้–ขๅฟƒใ‚€ใ‹ใ‚“ใ—ใ‚“ (mukanshin)indifferent, apathetic็„ก (without) + ้–ขๅฟƒ (interest, concern)
็„ก้™ใ‚€ใ’ใ‚“ (mugen)infinite, limitless็„ก (without) + ้™ (limit)

Pattern: ็„ก + noun โ†’ "without [noun]" or "un-[adjective]"

2. Verbs and nouns for actions and states

WordReadingMeaningNotes
็„ฆใ’ใ‚‹ใ“ใ’ใ‚‹ (kogeru)to burn, to scorchIntransitive verb (something burns on its own)
็„ฆใ‚Šใ‚ใ›ใ‚Š (aseri)impatienceNoun form of ็„ฆใ‚‹
็„ฆใ‚‹ใ‚ใ›ใ‚‹ (aseru)to be in a hurry, to be impatientIntransitive verb
็„ฆ็‚นใ—ใ‚‡ใ†ใฆใ‚“ (shouten)focus (photographic), focal point็„ฆ (burn/scorch) + ็‚น (point)
็…งๆ˜Žใ—ใ‚‡ใ†ใ‚ใ„ (shoumei)illumination, lighting็…ง (shine) + ๆ˜Ž (bright)
็†ฑใ™ใ‚‹ใญใฃใ™ใ‚‹ (nessuru)to heat up, to heat็†ฑ (heat) + ใ™ใ‚‹ (to do)
็‰‡ไป˜ใใ‹ใŸใฅใ (katazuku)to be put in order, to be solvedIntransitive verb (things get tidied)
็ฝๅฎณใ•ใ„ใŒใ„ (saigai)calamity, disaster็ฝ (disaster) + ๅฎณ (harm)
็‚นๆคœใฆใ‚“ใ‘ใ‚“ (tenken)inspection, examination็‚น (point) + ๆคœ (check)

Mini Examples

  1. ๅฝผใฏ็„กๅฃใชไบบใงใ™ใ€‚
    Kare wa mukuchi na hito desu.
    He is a quiet person.

  2. ็„ก็ทšใง้€ฃ็ตกใ—ใพใ™ใ€‚
    Musen de renraku shimasu.
    I will contact you by radio/wireless.

  3. ใƒ‘ใƒณใŒ็„ฆใ’ใŸใ€‚
    Pan ga kogeta.
    The bread burned.

  4. ็„ฆใ‚‰ใชใ„ใงใใ ใ•ใ„ใ€‚
    Aseranaide kudasai.
    Please don't be impatient.

  5. ้ƒจๅฑ‹ใŒ็‰‡ไป˜ใ„ใŸใ€‚
    Heya ga katazuita.
    The room got tidied up.

  6. ใใฎๅ•้กŒใฏ็„ก้–ขไฟ‚ใงใ™ใ€‚
    Sono mondai wa mukankei desu.
    That problem is unrelated.

  7. ๅฝผใฏๆ”ฟๆฒปใซ็„ก้–ขๅฟƒใ ใ€‚
    Kare wa seiji ni mukanshin da.
    He is indifferent to politics.

  8. ็…งๆ˜Žใ‚’็‚นใ‘ใฆใใ ใ•ใ„ใ€‚
    Shoumei o tsukete kudasai.
    Please turn on the lighting.

Common Mistake

Mistake: Confusing ็„ก่ฆ– (mushi - ignoring) with ็„กไบ‹ (buji - safety). They look similar but have opposite meanings.

Correct: ็„ก่ฆ– = ignore (bad); ็„กไบ‹ = safe (good)

Mistake: Using ็„ฆใ‚‹ (aseru) as a transitive verb (to make someone impatient). It is intransitive only.

Correct: ็„ฆใฃใฆใ„ใ‚‹ (I am impatient) โœ— ็„ฆใ‚‹ไบบ (to make someone impatient)

Mistake: Forgetting that ็„กๅฃ is a ใช-adjective, not a ใฎ-adjective.

Correct: ็„กๅฃใชไบบ (quiet person) โœ— ็„กๅฃใฎไบบ

Quick Practice

Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the lesson.

  1. ๅฝผๅฅณใฏๆ”ฟๆฒปใซ________ใ ใ€‚(She is indifferent to politics.)
    Answer: ็„ก้–ขๅฟƒ (mukanshin)

  2. ใ“ใฎๅ•้กŒใฏใใฎไบ‹ไปถใจ________ใ ใ€‚(This problem is unrelated to that incident.)
    Answer: ็„ก้–ขไฟ‚ (mukankei)

  3. ใƒ‘ใƒณใ‚’็„ผใใ™ใŽใฆ________ใ—ใพใฃใŸใ€‚(I burned the bread too much.)
    Answer: ็„ฆใ’ใฆ (kogete)

  4. ไผš่ญฐใฎ________ใ‚’ๅง‹ใ‚ใพใ—ใ‚‡ใ†ใ€‚(Let's start the inspection of the meeting room.)
    Answer: ็‚นๆคœ (tenken)

  5. ๅฝผใฏใ„ใคใ‚‚________ใงใ€ใ‚ใพใ‚Š่ฉฑใ•ใชใ„ใ€‚(He is always quiet and doesn't talk much.)
    Answer: ็„กๅฃ (mukuchi)

Summary and Next Step

You have learned:

  • The ็„ก (mu-) prefix meaning "without" or "un-", used with 11 common N2 words
  • Key verbs: ็„ฆใ’ใ‚‹ (to burn), ็„ฆใ‚‹ (to be impatient), ็†ฑใ™ใ‚‹ (to heat), ็‰‡ไป˜ใ (to be tidied)
  • Important nouns: ็„ฆ็‚น (focus), ็…งๆ˜Ž (lighting), ็ฝๅฎณ (disaster), ็‚นๆคœ (inspection)

Next step: Practice using these words in sentences about daily life. Try describing a situation where you were impatient (็„ฆใ‚‹), or a room that got tidied (็‰‡ไป˜ใ). Then move on to learning more N2 vocabulary with the ็„ก prefix, such as ็„ก็† (muri - impossible) and ็„กๆ–™ (muryou - free of charge).

Practice Drills

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Lesson Materials

Vocabulary (55)

็ฝๅฎณ ()calamity; disaster; misfortune
็‚นๆคœ ()inspection; examination; checking
็„กๅฃ ()taciturn; reticent; quiet; silent; untalkative
็„กๆ„่ญ˜ ()unconsciousness; unconscious; involuntary; automatic; mechanical; unintentional; spontaneous
็„กๆ•ฐ ()innumerable; countless; numberless
็„ก็ตฆ ()unpaid; nonsalaried
็„ก็ทš ()radio (communication); wireless; not using wires
็„ก็ธ ()unrelated; irrelevant; indifferent; without relations (esp. of a deceased person); having no surviving relativescho
็„ก้–ขๅฟƒ ()apathetic; indifferent
็„ก้™ ()infinity; infinitude; eternity; infinite; limitless
็„ฆใ’ใ‚‹ ()to burn; to scorch; to char; to singe
็„ฆใ‚‹ ()to be in a hurry; to be impatient; to be flustered; to lose oneโ€™s presence of mind; to be surprised
็„ฆ็‚น ()focus (e.g. photographic); focal point
็…งๆ˜Ž ()illumination; lighting
็†ฑใ™ใ‚‹ ()to heat up; to heat
็‰‡ไป˜ใ ()to be put in order; to be put to rights; to be disposed of; to be solved
็‰‡ไป˜ใ‘ ()tidying up; finishing
็‰งๅ ด ()farm (livestock); ranch (US); pasture land; meadow; grazing land
็‰ฉ็œŸไผผ ()mimicry; imitation (of someone, something)
็‰ฉ่ณ‡ ()goods; materials; commodities; resources; supplies
็‰ฉ่ถณใ‚Šใชใ„ ()unsatisfied; unsatisfactory; insufficient
็‰นๅŠน่–ฌ ()specific medicine; wonder drug; silver bullet
็‰นๅฎš ()specific; particular; designated; special; specifying; designating; identifying; pinpointing
็‰นๆฎŠ ()special; particular; peculiar; unique
็‰น่‰ฒ ()characteristic; feature; idiosyncrasy; personal color
็‰น้›† ()feature (e.g. newspaper); special edition; report
็‹™ใ† ()to aim at; to be after (something); to have an eye on
็‹ฌๅ  ()monopoly; monopolization; exclusivity; keeping to oneself
็‹ฌ่บซ่€… ()unmarried person; bachelor
็‹ญใ‚ใ‚‹ ()to narrow; to reduce; to contract
็Œ› ()(prefix): extreme; severe
็Œฟ็œŸไผผ ()indiscriminate imitation; monkey see, monkey do; blind follower
็ฒๅพ— ()acquisition; possession
็އ็›ด ()frank; candid; straightforward; openhearted; direct; outspoken
็พไปฃไบบ ()modern person; people of today
็พๅœจๅœฐ ()present location; current location; โ€œyou are hereโ€ (on map)
็พๆ™‚็‚น ()present point (i.e. in history); at the present time
็†่งฃๅŠ› ()(power of) understanding; comprehensive faculty
็”Ÿใ‹ใ™ ()to make (the best) use of; to put to good use; to leverage (skills, attributes, experience, etc.); to capitalise on (experience, etc.)
็”Ÿใ็”Ÿใ ()in a lively way; vividly; freshly; animatedly; actively; energetically
็”Ÿไธญ็ถ™ ()live broadcast (radio, TV); live coverage
็”Ÿๅ‘ฝๅŠ› ()vitality; (oneโ€™s) life force
็”Ÿๅพ—็š„ ()innate; inherent; natural; inborn
็”Ÿ็”ฃ่€… ()manufacturer; producer
็”Ÿ่จˆ ()livelihood; living

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