N4 Vocabulary: School & work — 24 words with memory tricks
The N4 school-and-work set is built from a few reusable kanji: 校 (school), 学 (study), 習 (learn), 長 (chief) and 輸 (transport). Learn those five and most of the 24 words below decode themselves — grouped by school, study routine, subjects and the workplace.
01
小学校
しょうがっこう
shōgakkō
elementary school
💡 小 (small) + 学校 (school) → elementary school. shōgakkō.
02
中学校
ちゅうがっこう
chūgakkō
junior high school pupil
💡 中 (middle) + 学校 (school) → junior high school. chūgakkō.
03
高校; 高等学校
こうこう; こうとうがっこう
kōkō; kōtō gakkō
high school; senior high school
💡 Short for 高等学校 = "high-grade school" → high school. kōkō.
04
入学
にゅうがく
nyūgaku
entry to school or university
💡 入 (enter) + 学 (school) → entering school, admission. nyūgaku. Opposite of 卒業.
05
卒業
そつぎょう
sotsugyō
graduation
💡 卒 (finish) + 業 (studies, work) → graduation. sotsugyō: 大学を卒業する = graduate from university.
06
出席
しゅっせき
shusseki
attendance
💡 出 (go out) + 席 (seat) → going out to take your seat = attendance. shusseki. Opposite: 欠席 (absence).
07
予習
よしゅう
yoshū
preparation of lessons (for class)
💡 予 (in advance) + 習 (learn) → preparing a lesson before class. yoshū.
08
復習
ふくしゅう
fukushū
review (of lessons), revision
💡 復 (again) + 習 (learn) → review, revision. fukushū. Pairs with 予習.
09
試験
しけん
shiken
an exam
💡 試 (try, test) + 験 (verify) → an exam. shiken. The 験 also appears in 経験 (experience).
10
講義
こうぎ
kōgi
a lecture
💡 講 (lecture) + 義 (meaning) → a university lecture. kōgi. Same 講 as 講堂 (auditorium).
11
専門
せんもん
senmon
major; speciality
💡 専 (exclusive) + 門 (gate) → the one gate you go through = your speciality, major. senmon.
12
数学
すうがく
sūgaku
mathematics
💡 数 (number) + 学 (study) → mathematics. sūgaku.
13
歴史
れきし
rekishi
history
💡 歴 (course of time) + 史 (chronicle) → history. rekishi.
14
経済
けいざい
keizai
economics, finance, economy
💡 経 (manage) + 済 (settle) → economics, the economy. keizai.
15
文法
ぶんぽう
bunpō
grammar
💡 文 (writing) + 法 (law) → the laws of writing = grammar. bunpō.
16
発音
はつおん
hatsuon
pronunciation
💡 発 (emit) + 音 (sound) → pronunciation. hatsuon.
17
会議
かいぎ
kaigi
business meeting; conference
💡 会 (meet) + 議 (discuss) → a meeting, conference. kaigi. Add 室 (room) → 会議室.
18
社長
しゃちょう
shachō
president of a company
💡 社 (company, from 会社) + 長 (chief) → company president. shachō.
19
部長
ぶちょう
buchō
department (division) manager
💡 部 (department) + 長 (chief) → department manager. buchō.
20
課長
かちょう
kachō
section manager
💡 課 (section) + 長 (chief) → section manager, one rung below 部長. kachō.
21
先輩
せんぱい
senpai
senior members of a group
💡 先 (earlier) + 輩 (fellow) → someone who joined before you: senior, mentor. senpai. Opposite: 後輩 (kōhai).
22
アルバイト
アルバイト
arubaito
part-time job
💡 From German Arbeit (work) → a part-time job. arubaito, often shortened to バイト.
23
輸入
ゆにゅう
yunyū
import
💡 輸 (transport) + 入 (in) → import. yunyū.
24
輸出
ゆしゅつ
yushutsu
export
💡 輸 (transport) + 出 (out) → export. yushutsu. Pairs with 輸入.
Memory tricks
- School levels all end in 校 (school): 小学校 (small → elementary) → 中学校 (middle → junior high) → 高校 (short for 高等学校, "high-grade school" → high school).
- Three opposite pairs: 予習 (study before class) ↔ 復習 (review after); 入学 (entering school) ↔ 卒業 (graduating); 出席 (attendance) ↔ 欠席 (absence).
- The 長 (chief) ladder: 社長 (company president) > 部長 (department manager) > 課長 (section manager). Add 校長 (school principal) to complete the set.
- The 学 (study) family: 数学 (numbers → maths), 科学 (science), 医学 (medicine), 文学 (literature), 経済 is the odd one out (economics, no 学).
- Import vs export: 輸 (transport) + 入 (in) = 輸入 import; 輸 + 出 (out) = 輸出 export. Both start with yu-: yunyū / yushutsu. Drill them with spaced repetition in Memoro.
→ See all N4 School & work vocabulary
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