N5 Vocabulary: School & work — 24 words with memory tricks

2026-07-31 · Memoro

School & work is loaded with transparent kanji compounds. This lesson gathers 24 words: people, places, study concepts, tools and language — each with a hook.

学生

がくせい

gakusei

student

💡 学 (study) + 生 (person) → student. gakusei.

私は学生です。I am a student.

先生

せんせい

sensei

teacher, professor; master; doctor

💡 先 (before) + 生 (born) → one born before you = teacher (also used for doctors). sensei.

先生、おはようございます。Teacher, good morning.

医者

いしゃ

isha

doctor; physician

💡 医 (medicine) + 者 (person) → doctor. isha.

将来は医者になりたいです。I want to be a doctor in the future.

会社

かいしゃ

kaisha

company, corporation

💡 会 (meet) + 社 (company) → company. kaisha.

会社へ行きます。I go to the office.

仕事

しごと

shigoto

work, job, occupation, employment

💡 shigoto = job / work.

父の仕事は医者です。My father's job is a doctor.

学校

がっこう

gakkou

a school

💡 学 (study) + 校 (school) → school. gakkō.

学校へ行きます。I go to school.

大学

だいがく

daigaku

college; university

💡 大 (big) + 学 (study) → university. daigaku.

兄は大学に通っています。My older brother goes to university.

教室

きょうしつ

kyoushitsu

classroom

💡 教 (teach) + 室 (room) → classroom. kyōshitsu.

教室に学生がいます。There are students in the classroom.

勉強

べんきょう

benkyou

study

💡 benkyō = studying. 勉 (exert) + 強 (strong) → to push yourself.

毎日日本語を勉強します。I study Japanese every day.

宿題

しゅくだい

shukudai

homework

💡 宿 (lodging/home) + 題 (topic) → homework. shukudai.

宿題をしましたか？Did you do your homework?

授業

じゅぎょう

jugyō

a class (of school)

💡 授 (grant/teach) + 業 (work) → a class / lesson. jugyō.

授業が始まりました。The class has started.

練習

れんしゅう

renshū

(to) practice

💡 練 (train) + 習 (learn) → practice. renshū.

ピアノを練習します。I practice the piano.

テスト

tesuto

test

💡 Katakana "test".

明日はテストがあります。There is a test tomorrow.

問題

もんだい

mondai

a problem

💡 問 (ask) + 題 (topic) → problem / question. mondai.

この問題は難しいです。This problem is difficult.

質問

しつもん

shitsumon

question, inquiry

💡 質 (quality) + 問 (ask) → a question. shitsumon.

質問があります。I have a question.

意味

いみ

imi

meaning, significance

💡 意 (meaning) + 味 (taste) → meaning. imi.

この言葉の意味を教えてください。Please tell me the meaning of this word.

本

ほん

hon

book

💡 hon = book (the kanji also means "origin").

本を読みましょう。Let's read a book.

辞書

じしょ

jisho

dictionary

💡 辞 (words) + 書 (book) → dictionary. jisho.

辞書で調べました。I looked it up in the dictionary.

ノート

のーと

nooto

notebook

💡 Katakana "note" → notebook.

ノートに書いてください。Please write it in your notebook.

鉛筆

えんぴつ

enpitsu

pencil

💡 鉛 (lead) + 筆 (brush/pen) → pencil. enpitsu.

鉛筆で名前を書いてください。Please write your name with a pencil.

漢字

かんじ

kanji

kanji; Chinese character

💡 漢 (Han/China) + 字 (character) → kanji.

漢字を書いてください。Please write kanji.

英語

えいご

eigo

English (language)

💡 英 (England) + 語 (language) → English. 〜語 = the language of…

英語を勉強しています。I am studying English.

言葉

ことば

kotoba

language; word(s); expression(s)

💡 言 (word) + 葉 (leaf) → words / language. kotoba.

新しい言葉を覚えます。I memorize new words.

名前

なまえ

namae

name

💡 名 (name) + 前 → name. namae.

お名前は何ですか？What is your name?

Memory tricks

Clear compounds: 学生 (study + person = student), 大学 (big + study = university), 練習 (train + learn = practice), 問題 (ask + topic = problem).
学〜 = study: 学生 (student), 学校 (school), 大学 (university). Learn 学 first.
先生 = "born before" = teacher (also used for doctors). Its opposite: 学生 (student).
Tools: 本 book, 辞書 dictionary, ノート notebook, 鉛筆 pencil, ペン pen.
Spaced repetition in Memoro.

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