Advanced Concepts

「自由じゆう」という概念がいねんは文化ぶんかによって異なることなる。

The concept of 'freedom' differs from culture to culture.

Usage という marks a name or quotation: 「自由」という概念 = the concept called freedom. によって = depending on, 異なる (ことなる) = to differ, formal.

Remember it 概 (general, outline) + 念 (thought). The general shape of a thought.

理論りろんと実践じっせんを組み合わせるくみあわせることが重要じゅうようだ。

Combining theory and practice is important.

Usage 理論 pairs with 実践 as theory and practice. 理論的 (りろんてき) = theoretical. 組み合わせる = to combine two things.

Remember it 理 (logic, reason) + 論 (argument). The same 論 as 議論 and 討論.

知識ちしきを実践じっせんに活かすいかすことで初めてはじめて成果せいかが出るでる。

Only by putting knowledge into practice do results appear.

Usage 活かす (いかす) = to put to good use, make the most of. ことで初めて = only by doing X. 成果 (せいか) = results or outcomes.

Remember it 実 (actual) + 践 (to tread, to step). Actually walking it, not just describing it.

データでーたを分析ぶんせきして問題もんだいの原因げんいんを突き止めたつきとめた。

We analysed the data and pinpointed the cause of the problem.

Usage 分析する = to analyse. 原因 (げんいん) = cause, 結果 (けっか) = result — a pair worth learning together. 突き止める = to pin down.

Remember it 分 (to divide) + 析 (to split apart). Taking something apart to see how it works.

上司じょうしから高いたかい評価ひょうかをもらってもらって、自信じしんがついたついた。

I received a high evaluation from my boss, which gave me confidence.

Usage 評価が高い = to be highly regarded. 自信がつく = to gain confidence, where 自信 is self-confidence — not to be confused with 地震 (earthquake), also じしん.

Remember it 評 (to criticise, to appraise) + 価 (value). Appraising the value of something.

採用さいよう基準きじゅんを明確めいかくにしてから面接めんせつを行ったおこなった。

We clarified the hiring criteria before conducting interviews.

Usage 基準 = a standard or criterion to judge against; 標準 (ひょうじゅん) = the standard or norm. 明確にする = to make clear, 行う (おこなう) = to carry out, formal.

Remember it 基 (a foundation) + 準 (a level, a standard). The baseline you measure from.

今年ことしの目標もくひょうはJLPTじぇいえるぴーてぃーN2に合格ごうかくすることです。

My goal this year is to pass JLPT N2.

Usage 目標 is a concrete target you aim at; 目的 (もくてき) is the underlying purpose. Sentence + ことです turns a verb into a noun phrase.

Remember it 目 (eye) + 標 (a marker). The marker your eye is fixed on.

長年ながねんの努力どりょくの末すえに、目標もくひょうを達成たっせいした。

After years of effort, I achieved my goal.

Usage 目標を達成する is the standard collocation. の末に = after a long process of. Note the small tsu: たっせい. 達成感 = a sense of achievement.

Remember it 達 (to reach) + 成 (to accomplish). Reaching and accomplishing.

失敗しっぱいを恐れおそれずに新しいあたらしいことに挑戦ちょうせんする勇気ゆうきが大切たいせつだ。

The courage to take on new things without fearing failure is important.

Usage 挑戦する takes に for what you take on: 新しいことに挑戦する. ずに = without doing. 勇気 (ゆうき) = courage, from the 勇 of 勇敢.

Remember it 挑 (to challenge, to provoke) + 戦 (to fight). Picking a fight with something difficult.

苦手にがてな数学すうがくを克服こくふくするために、毎日まいにち練習れんしゅうした。

To overcome my weakness in maths, I practised every day.

Usage 苦手 (にがて) = something you are bad at or dislike — its opposite is 得意 (とくい). 克服する takes を: 弱点を克服する.

Remember it 克 (to conquer) + 服 (to submit). Making the difficulty submit to you.

具体的ぐたいてきな例れいを挙あげて説明せつめいしていただけますか。

Could you explain by giving a concrete example?

Usage 具体的 is the opposite of 抽象的 (ちゅうしょうてき, abstract). 具体的に言うと = to put it concretely. The 的 suffix again turns a noun into an adjective.

Remember it 具 (tool, concrete thing) + 体 (body) + 的. Having a body you can point at.

スマートフォンの技術ぎじゅつは急速きゅうそくに進化しんかしている。

Smartphone technology is evolving rapidly.

Usage 進化 is evolution, biological or technological. The 化 suffix again, turning a noun into a process — as in 温暖化 and 高齢化. 急速に = rapidly.

Remember it 進 (to advance) + 化 (change). Changing forward.

彼かれの主張しゅちょうには論理ろんりの飛躍ひやくがあります。

There's a leap in the logic of his argument.

Usage 論理 is the logic of an argument; reverse the kanji and 理論 (りろん) means a theory. N3 is fond of testing this reversed pair.

Remember it 論 (argument) + 理 (reason). The reasoning that holds an argument together.

成功せいこうには運うんも大おおきな要素ようそだと思おもいます。

I think luck is a large factor in success too.

Usage 要素 is a component part; 要因 (よういん) is a contributing cause of an outcome. Close in meaning, different in emphasis.

Remember it 要 (essential) + 素 (element). An essential element of the whole.

現代げんだいの若者わかものはスマートフォンなしに生活せいかつできない。

Young people today can't live without smartphones.

Usage 現代 = the present age; 近代 (きんだい) = the modern era in history; 時代 (じだい) = a period. なしに = without, formal.

Remember it 現 (present) + 代 (an age, a generation). The present age.

未来みらいのことを考えてかんがえて今いまから準備じゅんびしておくことが大切たいせつだ。

It's important to think about the future and prepare from now.

Usage 未来 is the distant, abstract future; 将来 (しょうらい) is your own foreseeable future — use 将来の夢 for career hopes, not 未来の夢.

Remember it 未 (not yet) + 来 (to come). What has not yet come — the same 未 as 未使用.

過去かこの失敗しっぱいから学びまなび、前まえに進むすすむことが大切たいせつだ。

It's important to learn from past failures and move forward.

Usage 過去 = the past as a period; 昔 (むかし) is 'long ago' in storytelling. から学ぶ = to learn from, as in 失敗から学ぶ.

Remember it 過 (to pass by) + 去 (to leave). What has passed and gone.

現在げんざいの状況じょうきょうを正確せいかくに把握はあくすることがまずまず必要ひつようだ。

First, we need to grasp the current situation accurately.

Usage 現在 is the present moment, more formal than 今 (いま). 把握する (はあく) = to grasp or get a firm hold on a situation, common in business Japanese.

Remember it 現 (present, to appear) + 在 (to exist). What exists right now.

彼女かのじょには医者いしゃになる可能性かのうせいが十分じゅうぶんあると思うおもう。

I think she has every chance of becoming a doctor.

Usage 可能性がある = there is a possibility. Here 十分 reads じゅうぶん (ample), not じゅっぷん. The 性 suffix again, as in 協調性 and 生産性.

Remember it 可能 (possible) + 性 (nature). The quality of being possible.

雨あめが降るふる確率かくりつは60%だと天気予報てんきよほうが言っていたいっていた。

The forecast said the chance of rain is sixty percent.

Usage 確率 is mathematical probability; 可能性 is the looser sense of 'possibility'. 降水確率 (こうすいかくりつ) is the exact phrase used in Japanese forecasts.

Remember it 確 (certain) + 率 (a rate). The rate of certainty.

最近さいきん、若者わかものが結婚けっこんを遅らせるおくらせる傾向けいこうがある。

Recently there's been a tendency for young people to delay marriage.

Usage 傾向がある = there is a tendency, a standard phrase in reports and reading passages. 遅らせる is the causative of 遅れる — to make something late.

Remember it 傾 (to lean) + 向 (direction). Which way things are leaning.

親おやの影響えいきょうを受けてうけて、音楽家おんがくかを目指すめざすようになった。

Influenced by my parents, I came to aim at being a musician.

Usage Two key collocations: 影響を受ける = to be influenced, 影響を与える = to have an influence on. Both appear constantly at N3.

Remember it 影 (a shadow) + 響 (an echo). Shadows and echoes — what something leaves behind.

仕事しごととプライベートぷらいべーとの関係かんけいをうまくバランスばらんすさせることが大切たいせつだ。

It's important to balance the relationship between work and private life.

Usage 関係 covers relationships between people, things and ideas alike. 関係ない = irrelevant, に関係なく = regardless of. プライベート here means private life.

Remember it 関 (a barrier, a connection) + 係 (to link). What links two things.

建物たてものの構造こうぞうを調べてしらべてから改修かいしゅう工事こうじを始めたはじめた。

We examined the building's structure before starting renovation work.

Usage 構造 works for buildings, organisations and sentences alike: 文の構造 = sentence structure. 調べる = to investigate, 改修 = renovation.

Remember it 構 (to construct) + 造 (to build). How something is put together.

このアプリあぷりには便利べんりな機能きのうがたくさんたくさん搭載とうさいされている。

This app comes packed with useful features.

Usage 機能 = a function or feature, and 機能する = to work properly. 搭載する (とうさい) = to be equipped with, standard in product descriptions.

Remember it 機 (a machine, a mechanism) + 能 (ability). What the mechanism can do.

作業さぎょうの効率こうりつを上げるあげるためにツールつーるを導入どうにゅうした。

We introduced tools to raise the efficiency of the work.

Usage 効率がいい = efficient, 効率化 = streamlining. 作業 (さぎょう) = work or operations in a practical sense, 導入する = to introduce a system.

Remember it 効 (effect) + 率 (a rate). The rate at which effort produces effect.

テレワークてれわーくで生産性せいさんせいが上がったあがったという報告ほうこくが増えてふえている。

Reports that productivity rose with remote working are increasing.

Usage テレワーク is the usual Japanese word for remote work, rather than リモートワーク. という marks the content of a report. The 性 suffix once more.

Remember it 生産 (production) + 性 (nature). How productive something is.

この言葉ことばの定義ていぎは辞書じしょによって少すこし違ちがいます。

This word's definition differs slightly from dictionary to dictionary.

Usage 定義する = to define. Academic reading at N3 often uses the pattern 「〜とは…と定義される」, 'X is defined as…'.

Remember it 定 (to fix) + 義 (meaning). Fixing what something means.

長年ながねんの付き合いつきあいで深いふかい信頼しんらい関係かんけいが築かれたきずかれた。

Years of association built a deep relationship of trust.

Usage 信頼する takes を for the person trusted. 信頼関係を築く (きずく) = to build a relationship of trust, a set phrase in business and personal contexts alike.

Remember it 信 (to believe) + 頼 (to rely on). Believing in someone and leaning on them.

この品種ひんしゅの特徴とくちょうは甘あまみが強つよいことです。

What sets this variety apart is its strong sweetness.

Usage 特徴 is a neutral distinguishing feature; 特長 (とくちょう) sounds identical but means a strong point specifically. Only the kanji tells them apart.

Remember it 特 (special) + 徴 (a sign). The sign that marks something out.

AIえーあいの発展はってんに伴いともない、倫理りんり的な問題もんだいが注目ちゅうもくされている。

With the development of AI, ethical issues are drawing attention.

Usage 倫理 is ethics as a field; 道徳 (どうとく) is morality, and the name of the school subject. 倫理的な = ethical, using 的 again. に伴い = along with.

Remember it 倫 (moral order, human relations) + 理 (principle). The principles governing how people treat each other.

正義せいぎのために戦うたたかうことは時にときに孤独こどくな道みちだ。

Fighting for justice is sometimes a lonely road.

Usage 正義 is justice as a moral ideal; 司法 (しほう) is the justice system. 時に = sometimes, in written style. 孤独 (こどく) = solitude, loneliness.

Remember it 正 (correct) + 義 (righteousness). The same 義 as in 義務 and 主義.

全員ぜんいんが参加さんかすることを前提ぜんていに計画けいかくを立たてました。

We drew up the plan on the premise that everyone would take part.

Usage を前提に = on the premise that, a common written pattern. 前提条件 = a precondition.

Remember it 前 (before) + 提 (to put forward). What is put forward before the argument begins.

環境かんきょうの観点かんてんから、この案あんには反対はんたいです。

From an environmental point of view, I'm against this proposal.

Usage の観点から = from the standpoint of, extremely useful for framing an argument. 視点 (してん) is close, meaning point of view.

Remember it 観 (to view) + 点 (point). The point you are viewing from.

多様性たようせいを尊重そんちょうする職場しょくばは創造力そうぞうりょくが高いたかいと言われるいわれる。

Workplaces that respect diversity are said to be more creative.

Usage 多様性 = diversity, increasingly common in Japanese corporate language. 尊重する (そんちょう) = to respect a principle, 職場 (しょくば) = the workplace.

Remember it 多様 (varied, diverse) + 性 (nature). The quality of being varied.

自然しぜんと人間にんげんが調和ちょうわして共存きょうそんできる社会しゃかいを目指すめざす。

We aim for a society where nature and humanity can coexist in harmony.

Usage 調和する takes と for what harmonises with what. 共存 (きょうそん) = coexistence, 目指す (めざす) = to aim for. 和 also stands for Japan itself.

Remember it 調 (to tune, to adjust) + 和 (harmony). Tuned into harmony.

みんなみんなが協力きょうりょくすれば、困難こんなんな問題もんだいも解決かいけつできる。

If everyone cooperates, even difficult problems can be solved.

Usage 協力する takes と for the partner: 会社と協力する. ご協力ありがとうございます = thank you for your cooperation, heard everywhere in Japan.

Remember it 協 (to cooperate) + 力 (strength). Note 協 contains three 力 — many hands together.

問題もんだいの本質ほんしつを見みないまま議論ぎろんしても意味いみがありません。

Debating without seeing the essence of the problem is pointless.

Usage 本質的 (ほんしつてき) = essential, fundamental. 本質を見抜く = to see through to the essence, a phrase worth recognising in reading passages.

Remember it 本 (origin, root) + 質 (substance). The root substance of a thing.

持続じぞく可能かのうな開発かいはつが世界的せかいてきな課題かだいとなっている。

Sustainable development has become a global challenge.

Usage 持続可能 = sustainable, the standard rendering of the term in SDGs (持続可能な開発目標). 開発 (かいはつ) = development of land or products.

Remember it 持 (to hold) + 続 (to continue). Holding on and keeping going.

環境かんきょうを保存ほぞんするために、再生可能さいせいかのうエネルギーえねるぎーの普及ふきゅうが重要じゅうようだ。

To preserve the environment, spreading renewable energy is important.

Usage 保存 also means saving a computer file and storing food: 冷蔵保存 = keep refrigerated. 普及 (ふきゅう) = widespread adoption. The same 保 as 保護 and 保険.

Remember it 保 (to keep) + 存 (to exist). Keeping something in existence.

芸術げいじゅつは人間にんげんの創造そうぞう力りょくの表れあらわれだ。

Art is an expression of human creative power.

Usage Careful with the homophone 想像 (そうぞう) = imagination — same reading, different first kanji. 創造力 = creative power, 想像力 = imaginative power. Both are common.

Remember it 創 (to originate) + 造 (to make). Making something that did not exist.