How would you describe your city? Lesson 8 introduces adjectives — both い-adjectives and な-adjectives — with words for beautiful, quiet, famous, lively, and more. You'll be able to say what places and people are like.

Up to now you've been learning mostly verbs and nouns. This lesson adds the descriptive words that let you say how things feel, look, and sound.

These words come from Minna no Nihongo, one of the most widely used Japanese textbooks for beginners. Each word here includes furigana readings, English meanings, example sentences, and native audio to help you review and practice alongside the textbook.

How to use this page

Every kanji in the word column is tappable — it opens a page showing every word that shares that character, so you can start noticing patterns across lessons. Tap a word's romaji or meaning to see example sentences where related vocabulary is linked for easy cross-reference.

You can switch between four Japanese voices (two male, two female) using the speaker button at the bottom of the screen, and change the Japanese font from the navigation bar to get comfortable reading different typefaces.

WordRomajiMeaningAudio
ハンサム[な]hansamu [na]handsome
きれい[な]kirei [na]beautiful, clean
(しず)か[な]shizuka [na]quiet
にぎやか[な]nigiyaka [na]lively
(ゆう)(めい)[な]yūmei [na]famous
(しん)(せつ)[な]shinsetsu [na]helpful, kind, considerate (not used about one's own family members)
(げん)()[な]genki [na]healthy, energetic, cheerful
(ひま)[な]hima [na]free (time)
便(べん)()[な]benri [na]convenient
すてき[な]suteki [na]fine, nice, wonderful
(おお)きいōkiibig, large
(ちい)さいchiisaismall, little
(あたら)しいatarashiinew, fresh
(ふる)furuiold (not used to describe a person's age)
いい(よい)ii (yoi)good
(わる)waruibad
(あつ)い、熱いatsuihot
(さむ)samuicold (referring to temperature)
(つめ)たいtsumetaicold (referring to touch)
(むずか)しいmuzukashiidifficult
(やさ)しいyasashiieasy
(たか)takaiexpensive, tall, high
(やす)yasuiinexpensive
(ひく)hikuilow
おもしろいomoshiroiinteresting
おいしいoishiidelicious, tasty
(いそが)しいisogashiibusy
(たの)しいtanoshiienjoyable
(しろ)shiroiwhite
(くろ)kuroiblack
(あか)akaired
(あお)aoiblue
(さくら)sakuracherry (blossom)
(やま)yamamountain
(まち)machitown, city
()(もの)tabemonofood
(ところ)tokoroplace
(りょう)ryōdormitory
レストランresutoranrestaurant
(せい)(かつ)seikatsulife
[お](しご)()[o] shigotowork, business (~を します : do one's job, work)
どうhow
どんな ~donna ~what kind of ~
とてもtotemovery
あまりamarinot so (used with negatives)
そしてsoshiteand (used to connect sentences)
~が、~~ga, ~~, but ~
(げん)()ですか。ogenkidesuka.How are you?
そうですね。sōdesune.Well let me see. (pausing)
[~、]もう (いっ)(ぱい) いかがですか。[~,] mō ippai ikagadesuka.Won't you have another cup of [~]?
[いいえ、]けっこうです。[iie,] kekkōdesu.No, thank you
もう ~です[ね]。mō ~desu [ne].It's already ~[, isn't it?]
そろそろ (しつ)(れい)します。sorosoro shitsureishimasu.It's time I was going.
いいえ。iie.Not at all.
また いらっしゃって ください。mata irasshatte kudasai.Please come again
シャンハイshanhaiShanghai (上海)
(きん)(かく)()kinkakujiKinkakuji Temple (the Golden Pavilion)
(なら)()(うえ)()narakōenNara Park
(ふじ)()()fujisanMt. Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan
(しち)(にん)(さむらい)(shichininno samurai)'The Seven Samurai', a classic movie by Akira Kurosawa