School and Study Vocabulary

Vocabulary for study and tests

Vocabulary for study and tests covers words used in the classroom, when studying at home, and when facing exams. For JLPT N4, these words are usually tested in three forms: writing of kanji, reading of kanji, and choosing the word that fits the sentence context. Below are the key words and their differences.

Vocabulary about exams and assignments:

• 試験(しけん, exam) — noun for an exam, written with 試 and 験. 試 is read し without dakuon (not じ), and 験 is read けん. 例) 来週、日本語の試験があります。
• 問題(もんだい, question) — question in an exam or practice book, written with 問 (もん, question) and 題 (だい, topic). Do not confuse it with 門(もん, gate), which sounds the same. 例) この問題は思ったより難しかったです。
• 宿題(しゅくだい, homework) — assignment given by a teacher to be done outside class hours. 題 is read だい with a voiced sound, so the reading is しゅくだい. Common patterns are 宿題を出す (to hand in homework) and 宿題をする (to do homework). 例) 宿題は明日までに出さなければなりません。
• 教室(きょうしつ, classroom) — 教 is read きょう, and 室 is read しつ. This word indicates a place for learning at school. 例) 教室には、まだ誰もいません。
• 勉強(べんきょう, study) — study activity in general. 勉 is read べん (voiced), and 強 is read きょう, with う as the long vowel mark. 例) 毎晩、一時間ずつ日本語を勉強します。
• 文法(ぶんぽう, grammar) — rules for arranging words and sentences. 法 changes to ぽう due to rendaku (連濁) when combined with 文. 例) 文法の説明を読んでから、例文を作ります。
• 紙(かみ, paper) — word read かみ that has many homophones, namely 神 (god), 髪 (hair), and 上 (above). Choose the kanji according to the meaning of the sentence. 例) ノートを書くために、白い紙を買いました。

Verbs for learning and teaching:

• 習う(ならう, to learn from someone) — the subject is the person learning, and the object is a subject or skill, such as 日本語・英語・料理. Common patterns are 〜を習う and 〜から習う. This word is not used for ordinary objects or for other activities that are not learning. 例) 去年から、ピアノを習っています。
• 教える(おしえる, to teach/to tell) — the opposite of 習う. The subject is a teacher or a person who gives an explanation. 例) 先生は、発音の練習の仕方を教えてくれました。
• 見直す(みなおす, to review/check again) — to look over something again to confirm that its contents are correct or complete. 例) レポートを提出する前に、もう一度見直します。
• 復習(ふくしゅう, review) — reviewing material that has already been studied. It has the same meaning as 〜をもう一度勉強する (to study once more). It is not used for new material; for new material, 習う is used. 例) 授業のあとで、その日に習った内容を復習します。

Verbs for remembering and finding information: