N5 Vocabulary and Kanji Review

By the end of this lesson, you will confidently recognize and use 20 essential N5 vocabulary words and their kanji, mixing readings, meanings, and simple sentence patterns. You’ll strengthen your recall through varied practice.

N5 vocabulary and kanji are the building blocks of basic Japanese. Reviewing them together—not in isolation—helps you connect words, readings, and kanji shapes naturally. This mixed review uses repetition, context, and active recall to solidify your foundation.

Step 1: Core N5 Kanji & Vocabulary (10 words)

Here are 10 high-frequency N5 words with kanji. Study each pair: kanji, hiragana, romaji, English.

Step 2: Mixed Practice – Readings & Meanings

• Read each kanji aloud with its hiragana and English.
• Cover the hiragana column and try to recall the reading from the kanji alone.
• Cover the English column and try to recall the meaning from the kanji.

Step 3: Simple Sentences with Vocabulary

Use the words in short, natural sentences.

• 私は水を飲む。 (Watashi wa mizu o nomu.) – I drink water.私水飲
• 先生は学校に行く。 (Sensei wa gakkou ni iku.) – The teacher goes to school.先生学校行
• 大きい人が来る。 (Ookii hito ga kuru.) – A big person comes.大人来
• 小さい子どもが食べる。 (Chiisai kodomo ga taberu.) – A small child eats.小子食

Step 4: Kanji with Multiple Readings (common N5)

Some kanji have more than one reading. Here are two important ones:

• 人 (hito / jin / nin)
  • 日本人 (nihonjin) – Japanese person日本人
  • 一人 (hitori) – one person一人
  人日本一
• 大 (ookii / dai / tai)
  • 大きい (ookii) – big大
  • 大学 (daigaku) – university大学
  大学

1. 水をください。 (Mizu o kudasai.) – Please give me water.水
2. 学校で食べる。 (Gakkou de taberu.) – Eat at school.学校食
3. 先生は小さい。 (Sensei wa chiisai.) – The teacher is small.先生小
4. 友達と行く。 (Tomodachi to iku.) – Go with a friend.友達行

Mixing up 行く (iku) and 来る (kuru)行来

• 行く means "to go" (away from speaker).行
• 来る means "to come" (toward speaker).来
• Wrong: 私は学校に来る。 (Watashi wa gakkou ni kuru.) – This sounds like "I come to school" when you mean "I go to school."私学校来
• Correct: 私は学校に行く。 (Watashi wa gakkou ni iku.) – I go to school.私学校行

Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the list: (hito, mizu, ookii, chiisai, taberu, nomu, iku, kuru, gakkou, sensei)

1. 私は毎朝パンを____。 (Watashi wa maiasa pan o ____.) – I eat bread every morning.
   Answer: 食べる (taberu)私毎朝食

   私毎朝食

2. あの____はとても親切だ。 (Ano ____ wa totemo shinsetsu da.) – That teacher is very kind.
   Answer: 先生 (sensei)親切先生

   親切先生

3. 猫が____。 (Neko ga ____.) – A cat comes.
   Answer: 来る (kuru)猫来

   猫来

4. この____は冷たい。 (Kono ____ wa tsumetai.) – This water is cold.
   Answer: 水 (mizu)冷水

   冷水

5. 明日、友達と映画館に____。 (Ashita, tomodachi to eigakan ni ____.) – Tomorrow, I go to the movie theater with a friend.
   Answer: 行く (iku)明日友達映画

   明日友達映画

You’ve reviewed 10 core N5 vocabulary words and kanji, practiced them in sentences, and avoided a common mix-up. Keep reviewing these daily until you can read each kanji and recall its meaning instantly.

Next Step: Move on to the next set of N5 words (e.g., numbers, colors, or verbs like 見る miru, 聞く kiku) and repeat this mixed review process. Then try building your own simple sentences with them.見聞