100+ Basic Japanese Words with Meaning and Pronunciation

Japanese Word (Romaji)

Japanese (Hiragana/Katakana/Kanji)

English Meaning

Pronunciation Guide (Simplified)

1. Konnichiwa

こんにちは

Hello / Good day

kohn-nee-chee-wah

2. Arigatou

ありがとう

Thank you

ah-ree-gah-toh

3. Sumimasen

すみません

Excuse me / Sorry

soo-mee-mah-sen

4. Hai

はい

Yes

hah-ee

5. Iie

いいえ

No

ee-eh

6. Onegaishimasu

お願いします

Please

oh-neh-gah-ee-shee-mah-soo

7. Doumo

どうも

Thanks (casual) / Very

doh-moh

8. Gomen nasai

ごめんなさい

I'm sorry

goh-men nah-sah-ee

9. Sayounara

さようなら

Goodbye

sah-yoh-nah-rah

10. Ohayou gozaimasu

おはようございます

Good morning

oh-hah-yoh goh-zah-ee-mah-soo

11. Konbanwa

こんばんは

Good evening

kohn-bahn-wah

12. Oyasumi nasai

おやすみなさい

Good night

oh-yah-soo-mee nah-sah-ee

13. Itadakimasu

いただきます

Let's eat / Thanks for the meal (before eating)

ee-tah-dah-kee-mah-soo

14. Gochisousama deshita

ごちそうさまでした

Thanks for the meal (after eating)

goh-chee-soh-sah-mah deh-shee-tah

15. Irasshaimase

いらっしゃいませ

Welcome (to a shop/restaurant)

ee-rah-shyah-ee-mah-seh

16. Kore

これ

This (near speaker)

koh-reh

17. Sore

それ

That (near listener)

soh-reh

18. Are

あれ

That (far from both)

ah-reh

19. Doko

どこ

Where

doh-koh

20. Itsu

いつ

When

ee-tsoo

21. Dare

誰

Who

dah-reh

22. Nani / Nan

何

What

nah-nee / nahn

23. Ikura

いくら

How much

ee-koo-rah

24. Watashi

私

I / Me

wah-tah-shee

25. Anata

あなた

You

ah-nah-tah

26. Taberu

食べる

To eat

tah-beh-roo

27. Nomu

飲む

To drink

noh-moo

28. Miru

見る

To see / To watch

mee-roo

29. Kiku

聞く

To listen / To ask

kee-koo

30. Hanasu

話す

To speak

hah-nah-soo

31. Wakaru

分かる

To understand

wah-kah-roo

32. Wakaranai

分からない

I don't understand

wah-kah-rah-nah-ee

33. Daisuki

大好き

I love (something/someone)

dah-ee-soo-kee

34. Suki

好き

To like

soo-kee

35. Kirai

嫌い

To dislike / To hate

kee-rah-ee

36. Oishii

おいしい

Delicious

oh-ee-shee-ee

37. Mazui

まずい

Bad tasting / Gross

mah-zoo-ee

38. Mizu

水

Water

mee-zoo

39. Gohan

ご飯

Rice / Meal

goh-hahn

40. Pan

パン

Bread

pahn

41. Kudamono

果物

Fruit

koo-dah-moh-noh

42. Yasai

野菜

Vegetable

yah-sah-ee

43. Niku

肉

Meat

nee-koo

44. Sakana

魚

Fish

sah-kah-nah

45. Toukyou

東京

Tokyo

toh-kyoh

46. Nihon / Nippon

日本

Japan

nee-hohn / nip-pohn

47. Eigo

英語

English language

ey-goh

48. Nihongo

日本語

Japanese language

nee-hohn-goh

49. Sensei

先生

Teacher

sen-sey

50. Gakusei

学生

Student

gahk-seh-ee

51. Tomodachi

友達

Friend

toh-moh-dah-chee

52. Kazoku

家族

Family

kah-zoh-koo

53. Chiisai

小さい

Small

chee-sah-ee

54. Ookii

大きい

Big / Large

oh-kee-ee

55. Atarashii

新しい

New

ah-tah-rah-shee-ee

56. Furui

古い

Old

foo-roo-ee

57. Takai

高い

Expensive / Tall

tah-kah-ee

58. Yasui

安い

Cheap

yah-soo-ee

59. Samui

寒い

Cold (weather)

sah-moo-ee

60. Atsui

暑い / 熱い

Hot (weather/thing)

ah-tsoo-ee

61. Muzukashii

難しい

Difficult

moo-zoo-kah-shee-ee

62. Yasashii

易しい / 優しい

Easy / Kind

yah-sah-shee-ee

63. Genki

元気

Healthy / Energetic

gen-kee

64. Byouki

病気

Sick / Illness

byoh-kee

65. Jikan

時間

Time

jee-kahn

66. Kyou

今日

Today

kyoh

67. Ashita

明日

Tomorrow

ah-shee-tah

68. Kinou

昨日

Yesterday

kee-noh

69. Ima

今

Now

ee-mah

70. Ato de

後で

Later

ah-toh deh

71. Mae

前

Before / Front

mah-eh

72. Hashiru

走る

To run

hah-shee-roo

73. Aruku

歩く

To walk

ah-roo-koo

74. Neru

寝る

To sleep

neh-roo

75. Okiru

起きる

To wake up

oh-kee-roo

76. Suwaru

座る

To sit

soo-wah-roo

77. Tatsu

立つ

To stand

tah-tsoo

78. Kaku

書く

To write

kah-koo

79. Yomu

読む

To read

yoh-moo

80. Kau

買う

To buy

kah-oo

81. Uru

売る

To sell

oo-roo

82. Machi

町

Town / City

mah-chee

83. Michi

道

Road / Street

mee-chee

84. Eki

駅

Train station

eh-kee

85. Kuukou

空港

Airport

koo-koh

86. Byouin

病院

Hospital

byoh-een

87. Gakkou

学校

School

gahk-koh

88. Mise

店

Shop / Store

mee-seh

89. Depaato

デパート

Department store

deh-pah-toh

90. Konbini

コンビニ

Convenience store

kohn-bee-nee

91. Ryokou

旅行

Travel

ryo-koh

92. Shigoto

仕事

Work

shee-goh-toh

93. Kaimono

買い物

Shopping

kah-ee-moh-noh

94. Denwa

電話

Telephone

den-wah

95. Pasokon

パソコン

Personal computer

pah-soh-kohn

96. Hon

本

Book

hohn

97. Zasshi

雑誌

Magazine

zahsh-shee

98. Shimbun

新聞

Newspaper

sheem-boon

99. Jisho

辞書

Dictionary

jee-shoh

100. Enpitsu

鉛筆

Pencil

en-pee-tsoo