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Japanese Versatility List

Word sets

The closed sets you learn whole: numbers and counters with their sound changes, days, dates, months, clock time, colours, family, body parts, positions and pronouns.

381 words in 88 chunks, ordered into four stages that run alongside the main list’s stages. Each chunk is a short page; use Next at the bottom of each page. Cuts lists the 7 candidates left out. The data is 24-list-sets.json.

Stages

Stage 1 · 67 words67 words in 15 chunks: numbers, counting people, clock time, years and age and 4 more.
Stage 2 · 92 words92 words in 21 chunks: numbers, counters, clock time, days of the week and 9 more.
Stage 3 · 81 words81 words in 19 chunks: clock time, years and age, days and years around now, parts of the day and 6 more.
Stage 4 · 141 words141 words in 33 chunks: numbers, counting things, counting people, counters and 9 more.

Topics

Numbers

  1. Zero to fiveStage 1zero zeroichi oneni twosan threeyon fourgo five
  2. Six to tenStage 1roku sixnana sevenhachi eightkyuu ninejuu ten
  3. Building bigger numbersStage 2juuichi eleven (and 11-19: ten plus the digit)nijuu twenty (and the tens: digit times ten)hyaku a hundredsen a thousand
  4. Changed hundreds and thousandsStage 4sanbyaku three hundredroppyaku six hundredhappyaku eight hundredsanzen three thousandhassen eight thousand
  5. Big numbers in manStage 4ichiman ten thousandjuuman a hundred thousandhyakuman a millionichioku a hundred million

Counting things

  1. Things one to fiveStage 4hitotsu one (thing); onefutatsu two (things)mittsu three (things)yottsu four (things)itsutsu five (things)
  2. Things six to tenStage 4muttsu six (things)nanatsu seven (things)yattsu eight (things)kokonotsu nine (things)
  3. Asking how manyStage 4ikutsu how many; how oldikutsuka several; a fewhitotsu hitotsu one by one; each one

Counting people

  1. Counting peopleStage 1hitori one person; alonefutari two people; the two of them; a couplesannin three people (and from three up: number + -nin)yonin four peoplenannin how many people
  2. Both, each, only oneStage 4futari tomo both (people); both of themhitori hitori each person; one by onetatta hitori just one person; all aloneninzuu number of people; headcount

Counters

  1. How many timesStage 2-kai times (how often)nankai how many times-do times (occurrences); degreesnando how many times; what temperature
  2. Set count expressionsStage 2bai double; times as muchnandoka a few times; several timesichido mo never once; (not) even oncehitoban one night; overnight
  3. Prices and shop countersStage 4-en yen-ko small things (counter); pieces-hon long thin things (counter): bottles, pens, umbrellas-mai flat things (counter): sheets, tickets, plates, shirts-hai cups, glasses, bowls (counter)
  4. Animals, machines, booksStage 4-hiki small animals (counter): dogs, cats, fish, insects-dai machines and vehicles (counter): cars, bikes, phones, computers-satsu books, notebooks, magazines (counter)
  5. Turns, floors and roomsStage 4ban number (in a sequence); turn-kai floor (of a building)-banme -th (position in order): first, second, third-goushitsu room number-choume block (in an address)
  6. Units of measureStage 4kiro kilo: kilogram; kilometremeetoru metresenchi centimetreguramu gramrittoru litre

Clock time

  1. Minutes and roughly whenStage 1-fun minute(s)-goro around, about (a point in time)-sugi past, after (a time)-mae before; ago; to (the hour)
  2. Telling the hourStage 2-ji o'clocknanji what timehan half past; and a halfgozen a.m.; morninggogo p.m.; afternoon
  3. How long it takesStage 3-jikan hours (length of time)-funkan minutes (as a length of time)-byou second(s)-shuukan weeks (length of time)

Days of the week

  1. Monday to ThursdayStage 2getsuyoubi Mondaykayoubi Tuesdaysuiyoubi Wednesdaymokuyoubi Thursday
  2. Friday to SundayStage 2kin'youbi Fridaydoyoubi Saturdaynichiyoubi Sundaynan'youbi what day of the week
  3. Weekdays and days offStage 2nichiyou Sunday (short form)heijitsu weekday; Monday to Fridaykyuujitsu day off; holiday

Dates

  1. Counting daysStage 2ichinichijuu all day long-nichikan for ... days (length of time)suujitsu a few days; several days
  2. The 1st to 5thStage 4tsuitachi the 1st (of the month)futsuka the 2nd; two daysmikka the 3rd; three daysyokka the 4th; four daysitsuka the 5th; five days
  3. The 6th to 10thStage 4muika the 6th; six daysnanoka the 7th; seven daysyouka the 8th; eight dayskokonoka the 9th; nine daystooka the 10th; ten days
  4. Other datesStage 4juugonichi the 15th; any regular date (number + nichi)juuyokka the 14th; fourteen dayshatsuka the 20th; twenty daysnijuuyokka the 24th; twenty-four daysnannichi what date; how many days

Months

  1. January to JuneStage 2ichigatsu Januarynigatsu Februarysangatsu Marchshigatsu Aprilgogatsu Mayrokugatsu June
  2. July to DecemberStage 2shichigatsu Julyhachigatsu Augustkugatsu Septemberjuugatsu Octoberjuuichigatsu Novemberjuunigatsu December
  3. Asking and counting monthsStage 2nangatsu what month-kagetsu months (counter for length of time)hantoshi half a year; six months

Years and age

  1. Saying your ageStage 1-sai years oldnansai how oldoikutsu how old (polite); how many (polite)hatachi twenty years old
  2. Counting yearsStage 1-nen year (in dates); years (how long)nannen what year; how many years-nenkan for ... years (length of time)-nensei year or grade (in school or university)
  3. Comparing agesStage 1nenrei ageonaidoshi the same agenijuudai in one's twenties; the 20s
  4. Years later and sinceStage 3-nenburi for the first time in ... years-nengo ... years later; in ... yearssuunen a few years; several years

Days and years around now

  1. Nearby days and nightsStage 2kon'ya tonightkono mae the other day; last timeyuube last nightototoi the day before yesterdayasatte the day after tomorrow
  2. Every morning, week, yearStage 3maiasa every morningmaiban every night; every eveningmaishuu every weekmaitsuki every monthmaitoshi every yearmaikai every time
  3. Further back and aheadStage 4sensenshuu the week before lastsaraishuu the week after nextototoshi the year before lastsarainen the year after nextzenjitsu the day before (an event)yokujitsu the next day; the following day

Parts of the day

  1. Three daily mealsStage 2asagohan breakfasthirugohan lunchbangohan dinnerohiru lunch; noon
  2. Night and late nightStage 3ban evening; nightyonaka the middle of the nightshin'ya late at night; after midnightyuugata early evening; late afternoonhiruma daytime; during the day
  3. Formal meal wordsStage 4yuuhan dinner; evening mealyuushoku dinner (formal)choushoku breakfast (formal)

Seasons and weather

  1. The four seasonsStage 2haru springnatsu summeraki autumn; fallfuyu winterkisetsu season; time of year
  2. Basic weather wordsStage 3ame raintenki weather; fine weatheryuki snowhare sunny weather; clear skieskumori cloudy weather; overcasttenki yohou weather forecast
  3. How the air feelsStage 3atatakai warmsuzushii cool (pleasantly)mushiatsui hot and humid; muggyshikke humidity; damp
  4. Wind and stormsStage 3kaze windtaifuu typhoonkaminari thunder; lightningtsuyu rainy season
  5. Rain starting and stoppingStage 4furu fall (rain, snow)yamu stop (rain, snow, wind)hareru clear up; be sunny

Colours

  1. Colour and four basicsStage 2iro colourakai redshiroi whitekuroi black; darkaoi blue; green (traffic lights, leaves)
  2. Basic colours as nounsStage 4aka red (the colour)shiro white (the colour)kuro black (the colour)ao blue; green (traffic light)
  3. Green, yellow, pink, brownStage 4midori green; greenerykiiro yellowpinku pinkchairo brown
  4. Purple, orange, greyStage 4murasaki purpleorenji orange (colour; fruit)haiiro grey

Family

  1. Mum and dadStage 1okaasan mother; Mumotousan father; Dadhaha my mother; motherchichi my father; father
  2. Family and parentsStage 1kazoku familyoya parent; parentsryoushin parents; my parentsgoryoushin (your) parents; someone's parents
  3. Older brother and sisterStage 1ani my older brotheroniisan older brother; young manane my older sisteroneesan older sister; young woman
  4. Siblings and younger onesStage 1kyoudai siblings; brothersimouto younger sister; my little sisterotouto younger brother; my little brotherimoutosan (your) younger sister
  5. Mum and dad at homeStage 3papa dad; daddymama mum; mummykaasan Mumtousan Dad
  6. Uncles, aunts and relativesStage 3ojisan uncle; middle-aged manobasan aunt; middle-aged womanobachan auntie; middle-aged ladyshinseki relatives; a relativeitoko cousin
  7. Married couple wordsStage 3danna husband; hubbyfuufu married couple; husband and wifeshujin my husbandyome wife; daughter-in-law
  8. Husband and wifeStage 4okusan (someone's) wifetsuma my wife; wifeotto my husband; husbandgoshujin (someone's) husband
  9. Sons and daughtersStage 4musume daughter; my daughtermusuko son; my sonmusumesan (your) daughter; young womanmusukosan (your) sonokosan (your) child; children
  10. GrandparentsStage 4ojiichan grandpa; old manobaachan grandma; old ladyojiisan grandfather; old manobaasan grandmother; old womanjiichan grandpabaachan grandma
  11. Calling siblings at homeStage 4oniichan big brotheroneechan big sisterniichan big bro; young guyneechan big sis; young womanniisan older brotherneesan older sister
  12. Family rolesStage 4chichioya fatherhahaoya motheroyako parent and childchounan eldest sonchoujo eldest daughter
  13. Grandparents and grandchildrenStage 4mago grandchildsofu my grandfathersobo my grandmother
  14. Rough home wordsStage 4oyaji my dad; old mankaachan mum; maofukuro my mum; mothertouchan dad; pajiisan old man; grandpa

Body

  1. Head and shouldersStage 1atama headkami hair (on the head)kubi neckkata shoulder; shoulders
  2. FaceStage 2me eye; eyeskao facekuchi mouthmimi ear; ears; hearinghana nose
  3. Belly, back and chestStage 2onaka stomach; bellysenaka backmune chest; breasts; hearthara belly; gut
  4. Hands and feetStage 3te hand; armashi leg; footyubi finger; toeude arm; skill
  5. Teeth, throat and lipsStage 3ha tooth; teethnodo throatkuchibiru lips; lipshita tongue
  6. Lower back and legsStage 4koshi lower back; hipshiza knee; laposhiri bottom; backside
  7. Hair, skin and nailsStage 4kami no ke hair; a hairhada skintsume nail; claw
  8. Left, right, bothStage 4migite right handhidarite left handryoute both handszenshin whole body; all over

Position and direction

  1. Next to and nearStage 3tonari next to; next doorsoba near; besideyoko side; beside; sidewaysaida between; while (a stretch of time)
  2. Around here and thereStage 3kono hen around here; this areasono hen around there; thereaboutsano hen over there; that areadono hen whereabouts; which partsokora around there; somewhere around
  3. Middle, sides, all overStage 3mawari around; surroundings; the people around you-gawa sidemannaka middle; centreachikochi here and there; all over
  4. Street directionsStage 4migi righthidari leftmassugu straight; straight aheadkado corner (of a street, table)
  5. Front and far sideStage 4mukou over there; the other sideme no mae right in front of youoku the back; deep insidetemae just before; this side (nearer)shoumen front; directly opposite
  6. Compass pointsStage 4kita northminami southhigashi eastnishi west

Pronouns

  1. He, she, that personStage 1ano hito that person; he; shekanojo she; her; girlfriendkare he; him; boyfriendkono hito this person; this guysono hito that person (just mentioned)ano ko that kid; that girl
  2. I and youStage 2ore I; me (men, casual)anata you; dearatashi I; me (women, casual)kimi you
  3. That guy, those guysStage 2yatsu guy; thing; oneaitsu that guy; him; herkoitsu this guy; this onesoitsu that guy (just mentioned)aitsura those guys; themyatsura those guys; them (rough)
  4. Saying weStage 3watashitachi we; usoretachi we; us (men, casual)bokutachi we; us (boys and men, gentle)
  5. Blunt youStage 3omae you (rough)anta you (blunt)omaera you lot; you guys
  6. We with -raStage 3-ra plural ending for people (casual)bokura we; us (boys and men)orera we; us (men, rough)uchira we; us (casual)
  7. Formal and self wordsStage 4ano kata that person (polite)wareware we (formal)jibun jishin oneself; myself; yourself

Countries and languages

  1. Japan, nationality, languageStage 1nihon Japannihonjin Japanese personeigo English (the language)-jin person from (a country)-go language (of a country)
  2. Common country namesStage 1amerika America; the USchuugoku Chinakankoku South Koreaigirisu Britain; the UKoosutoraria Australia
  3. Home and abroadStage 3kuni country; home countrykaigai overseas; abroadgaikoku foreign country; abroadgaikokujin foreignerkokunai domestic; within the country

Tastes and textures

  1. Five basic tastesStage 2amai sweet; soft on someonekarai spicy (hot)nigai bittersuppai sourshoppai salty
  2. Bad taste and textureStage 2mazui tastes bad; bad, awkward (situation)katai hard; tough; stiffyawarakai soft; tender

Reading an entry

  • Each chunk is part of one set, in its natural order.
  • For family words the headword is what you say about your own family; polite is what you say about someone else’s.
  • Rank is the word’s place among the most frequent words in 3,030 Japanese TV dramas; lower is more common. Words the drama list under-counts (home, food, school, the doctor’s) were chosen on judgement.