N3 · 40 words

The news

Forty words for following an ordinary news bulletin: who governs, who was elected, what happened and where.

News Japanese is built almost entirely from two-kanji compounds read the Chinese way, and many of them have an everyday twin that is rarely heard on air: a newsreader says 事故(じこ)が発生(はっせい)しました where a friend would say 事故(じこ)が起(お)きた. Learning the compound is therefore not optional, but it also pays twice — once a kanji is known, it turns up in a dozen headlines, so 選挙(せんきょ), 投票(とうひょう) and 当選(とうせん) are quicker to learn as a family than one at a time.

The words

Verb (2)

盗(ぬす)むto stealVerbN3

駅(えき)に止(と)めておいた自転車(じてんしゃ)を盗(ぬす)まれた。My bicycle, which I had left at the station, was stolen.

Often heard in the passive: the victim says what was stolen from them.

捕(つか)まるto be caught; to be arrestedVerbN3

店(みせ)のお金(かね)を盗(ぬす)んだ男(おとこ)が昨日(きのう)捕(つか)まった。The man who stole the shop's money was caught yesterday.

Noun (37)

ニュースnewsNounN4

毎朝(まいあさ)、家(いえ)を出(で)る前(まえ)にニュースを見(み)ます。I watch the news every morning before I leave the house.

事故(じこ)accidentNounN4

駅(えき)の近(ちか)くで事故(じこ)があったそうです。Apparently there was an accident near the station.

事件(じけん)incident; (criminal) caseNounN3

その事件(じけん)はまだ解決(かいけつ)していません。That case has not been solved yet.

An accident is 事故(じこ); something somebody did on purpose is 事件(じけん).

政府(せいふ)governmentNounN3

政府(せいふ)は新(あたら)しい計画(けいかく)を発表(はっぴょう)した。The government announced a new plan.

首相(しゅしょう)prime ministerNounN3

首相(しゅしょう)が記者(きしゃ)の質問(しつもん)に答(こた)えた。The prime minister answered the reporters' questions.

選挙(せんきょ)electionNounN3

来月(らいげつ)、市長(しちょう)を選(えら)ぶ選挙(せんきょ)がある。Next month there is an election to choose the mayor.

投票(とうひょう)vote; votingNounN3

日曜日(にちようび)に近(ちか)くの小学校(しょうがっこう)へ投票(とうひょう)に行(い)きました。On Sunday I went to vote at the primary school nearby.

Also a verb: 投票(とうひょう)する.

候補者(こうほしゃ)candidateNounN3

三人(さんにん)の候補者(こうほしゃ)が駅前(えきまえ)で演説(えんぜつ)をしていた。Three candidates were giving speeches in front of the station.

政治家(せいじか)politicianNounN3

政治家(せいじか)はもっと若者(わかもの)の声(こえ)を聞(き)くべきだ。Politicians ought to listen more to young people.

大臣(だいじん)minister (in government)NounN3

大臣(だいじん)は空港(くうこう)で記者(きしゃ)に囲(かこ)まれた。The minister was surrounded by reporters at the airport.

大統領(だいとうりょう)president (of a country)NounN3

大統領(だいとうりょう)は来週(らいしゅう)日本(にほん)を訪問(ほうもん)する予定(よてい)だ。The president is due to visit Japan next week.

Only a head of state; the president of a company is 社長(しゃちょう).

国民(こくみん)the people (of a country); citizensNounN3

国民(こくみん)の多(おお)くがこの問題(もんだい)に関心(かんしん)を持(も)っている。Many of the country's people are interested in this issue.

政策(せいさく)policyNounN3

新(あたら)しい政策(せいさく)について、意見(いけん)が分(わ)かれている。Opinions are divided on the new policy.

市長(しちょう)mayorNounN3

新(あたら)しい市長(しちょう)は四十代(よんじゅうだい)の女性(じょせい)です。The new mayor is a woman in her forties.

知事(ちじ)governor (of a prefecture)NounN3

県(けん)の知事(ちじ)が大雨(おおあめ)の被害(ひがい)について話(はな)した。The prefectural governor spoke about the damage from the heavy rain.

首都(しゅと)capital cityNounN3

その国(くに)の首都(しゅと)で大(おお)きなデモがあった。There was a large demonstration in that country's capital.

報道(ほうどう)news coverage; reportingNounN3

その事故(じこ)は海外(かいがい)でも大(おお)きく報道(ほうどう)された。The accident was widely reported abroad too.

Also a verb: 報道(ほうどう)する.

速報(そくほう)news flash; breaking newsNounN2

番組(ばんぐみ)の途中(とちゅう)で地震(じしん)の速報(そくほう)が流(なが)れた。A news flash about an earthquake came on in the middle of the programme.

記者会見(きしゃかいけん)press conferenceNounN2

記者会見(きしゃかいけん)は午後(ごご)三時(さんじ)から始(はじ)まる予定(よてい)だ。The press conference is due to start at three in the afternoon.

発言(はつげん)remark; statementNounN3

大臣(だいじん)の発言(はつげん)が問題(もんだい)になっている。The minister's remark has caused a stir.

Also a verb: 発言(はつげん)する, to speak up, to say something in public or in a meeting.

抗議(こうぎ)protest; objectionNounN2

工場(こうじょう)の建設(けんせつ)に住民(じゅうみん)が抗議(こうぎ)している。Residents are protesting against the building of the factory.

Also a verb: 抗議(こうぎ)する, with に for what is protested against.

現場(げんば)the scene (of an incident); siteNounN3

事故(じこ)の現場(げんば)には警察(けいさつ)の車(くるま)が何台(なんだい)も止(と)まっていた。Several police cars were parked at the scene of the accident.

謝罪(しゃざい)apology (formal)NounN2

会社(かいしゃ)は事故(じこ)について正式(せいしき)に謝罪(しゃざい)した。The company formally apologised for the accident.

Also a verb: 謝罪(しゃざい)する, the public, official form of 謝(あやま)る.

警察(けいさつ)the policeNounN4

財布(さいふ)をなくしたので、警察(けいさつ)に行(い)きました。I lost my wallet, so I went to the police.

犯人(はんにん)culprit; perpetratorNounN3

犯人(はんにん)はまだ見(み)つかっていない。The culprit has not been found yet.

爆発(ばくはつ)explosionNounN3

工場(こうじょう)で爆発(ばくはつ)があり、窓(まど)ガラスが割(わ)れた。There was an explosion at the factory, and windows were shattered.

Also a verb: 爆発(ばくはつ)する; also used of anger that finally bursts out.

発生(はっせい)occurrence; outbreakNounN3

今朝(けさ)、高速道路(こうそくどうろ)で事故(じこ)が発生(はっせい)しました。An accident occurred on the motorway this morning.

Also a verb: 発生(はっせい)する. A news word; in conversation 起(お)きる.

死亡(しぼう)deathNounN3

その事故(じこ)で死亡(しぼう)した人(ひと)はいなかった。Nobody died in the accident.

Reports and forms say 死亡(しぼう)する; about a person you knew, 亡(な)くなる is kinder.

行方不明(ゆくえふめい)missing (person)NounN3

山(やま)に登(のぼ)った男性(だんせい)が行方不明(ゆくえふめい)になっている。A man who went climbing in the mountains is missing.

事実(じじつ)fact; the truthNounN3

その話(はなし)が事実(じじつ)かどうか、まだ分(わ)からない。It is not yet clear whether that story is true.

決定(けってい)decisionNounN3

大会(たいかい)の中止(ちゅうし)が正式(せいしき)に決定(けってい)した。The cancellation of the tournament has been officially decided.

Also a verb: 決定(けってい)する, the formal version of 決(き)める.

当選(とうせん)being elected; winning (a prize draw)NounN2

彼女(かのじょ)は初(はじ)めての選挙(せんきょ)で当選(とうせん)した。She won the first election she stood in.

支持(しじ)support (for a party or idea)NounN3

その政党(せいとう)を支持(しじ)する人(ひと)が減(へ)っている。Fewer and fewer people support that party.

Political or public backing; helping somebody physically or at home is 支(ささ)える.

首脳(しゅのう)leaders (of states)NounN2

両国(りょうこく)の首脳(しゅのう)が東京(とうきょう)で会(あ)った。The leaders of the two countries met in Tokyo.

会談(かいだん)talks; official meetingNounN2

会談(かいだん)は予定(よてい)より一時間(いちじかん)長(なが)く続(つづ)いた。The talks went on an hour longer than planned.

交渉(こうしょう)negotiationNounN2

給料(きゅうりょう)をめぐる交渉(こうしょう)はまだ続(つづ)いている。The negotiations over pay are still going on.

合意(ごうい)agreement (reached)NounN2

長(なが)い話(はな)し合(あ)いの末(すえ)、両国(りょうこく)は合意(ごうい)した。After long discussions, the two countries reached an agreement.

na-adjective (1)

平和(へいわ)peace; peacefulna-adjectiveN3

世界(せかい)の平和(へいわ)を願(ねが)う人(ひと)たちが集(あつ)まった。People hoping for world peace gathered.

This list belongs to Society, news and history — six lists and 241 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.