Japanese Words to Know for C2 Level

Nouns form the backbone of any language, and Japanese is no exception. Here are some advanced nouns that you should familiarize yourself with:

1. **概念 (がいねん, gainen)** – Concept
– Example Sentence: 彼はその新しい概念を説明するのが得意です。
– Translation: He is good at explaining that new concept.

2. **視点 (してん, shiten)** – Perspective
– Example Sentence: その問題を別の視点から考えてみましょう。
– Translation: Let’s consider that problem from a different perspective.

3. **状況 (じょうきょう, joukyou)** – Situation
– Example Sentence: 現在の経済状況は非常に不安定です。
– Translation: The current economic situation is very unstable.

4. **影響 (えいきょう, eikyou)** – Influence
– Example Sentence: その事件は社会に大きな影響を与えました。
– Translation: That incident had a significant influence on society.

5. **統計 (とうけい, toukei)** – Statistics
– Example Sentence: 最新の統計によると、失業率は減少しています。
– Translation: According to the latest statistics, the unemployment rate is decreasing.

Advanced Verbs

Advanced verbs allow you to convey actions with precision and sophistication. Here are some verbs to master:

1. **強調する (きょうちょうする, kyouchou suru)** – To emphasize
– Example Sentence: 彼は健康の重要性を強調しました。
– Translation: He emphasized the importance of health.

2. **言及する (げんきゅうする, genkyuu suru)** – To mention
– Example Sentence: 彼女はその問題について言及しなかった。
– Translation: She did not mention that issue.

3. **指摘する (してきする, shiteki suru)** – To point out
– Example Sentence: 彼は私のミスを指摘しました。
– Translation: He pointed out my mistake.

4. **推測する (すいそくする, suisoku suru)** – To speculate
– Example Sentence: 私たちは彼の意図を推測するしかありません。
– Translation: We can only speculate about his intentions.

5. **強化する (きょうかする, kyouka suru)** – To strengthen
– Example Sentence: 会社はセキュリティを強化するための措置を講じました。
– Translation: The company took measures to strengthen security.

Advanced Adjectives

Adjectives add color and detail to your descriptions. Here are some advanced adjectives to enhance your vocabulary:

1. **複雑な (ふくざつな, fukuzatsu na)** – Complex
– Example Sentence: その問題は非常に複雑です。
– Translation: That problem is very complex.

2. **革新的な (かくしんてきな, kakushinteki na)** – Innovative
– Example Sentence: 彼のアイデアは非常に革新的です。
– Translation: His ideas are very innovative.

3. **具体的な (ぐたいてきな, gutaiteki na)** – Concrete
– Example Sentence: 私たちは具体的な計画を立てる必要があります。
– Translation: We need to make concrete plans.

4. **多様な (たような, tayou na)** – Diverse
– Example Sentence: その都市は多様な文化を持っています。
– Translation: That city has a diverse culture.

5. **徹底的な (てっていてきな, tetteiteki na)** – Thorough
– Example Sentence: 彼は徹底的な調査を行いました。
– Translation: He conducted a thorough investigation.

Advanced Adverbs

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, giving your sentences more depth. Here are some advanced adverbs:

1. **確実に (かくじつに, kakujitsu ni)** – Certainly
– Example Sentence: 彼は確実に成功するでしょう。
– Translation: He will certainly succeed.

2. **効果的に (こうかてきに, koukateki ni)** – Effectively
– Example Sentence: この方法は問題を効果的に解決します。
– Translation: This method solves the problem effectively.

3. **徐々に (じょじょに, jojo ni)** – Gradually
– Example Sentence: 彼の健康は徐々に回復しています。
– Translation: His health is gradually improving.

4. **詳細に (しょうさいに, shousai ni)** – In detail
– Example Sentence: 彼はその計画を詳細に説明しました。
– Translation: He explained the plan in detail.

5. **頻繁に (ひんぱんに, hinpan ni)** – Frequently
– Example Sentence: 彼は頻繁に海外出張に行きます。
– Translation: He frequently goes on business trips abroad.

Advanced Expressions

Mastering advanced expressions is crucial for sounding natural and fluent. Here are some expressions that can help you at the C2 level:

1. **一石二鳥 (いっせきにちょう, isseki nichou)** – Killing two birds with one stone
– Example Sentence: 自転車で通勤すれば、運動もできて一石二鳥です。
– Translation: If you commute by bicycle, you can get exercise too, killing two birds with one stone.

2. **画期的 (かっきてき, kakkiteki)** – Groundbreaking
– Example Sentence: その発見は科学の世界で画期的なものでした。
– Translation: That discovery was groundbreaking in the world of science.

3. **意識改革 (いしきかいかく, ishiki kaikaku)** – Change in mindset
– Example Sentence: 環境問題に対する意識改革が必要です。
– Translation: A change in mindset towards environmental issues is necessary.

4. **試行錯誤 (しこうさくご, shikou sakugo)** – Trial and error
– Example Sentence: 新しいプロジェクトは試行錯誤の連続です。
– Translation: The new project is a series of trial and error.

5. **一長一短 (いっちょういったん, icchou ittan)** – Pros and cons
– Example Sentence: どんな方法にも一長一短があります。
– Translation: Any method has its pros and cons.

Idiomatic Expressions

Idiomatic expressions can significantly enhance your conversational skills. Here are some useful idiomatic expressions:

1. **猫の手も借りたい (ねこのてもかりたい, neko no te mo karitai)** – Extremely busy (literally: Even want to borrow a cat’s paw)
– Example Sentence: 年末は猫の手も借りたいほど忙しいです。
– Translation: The end of the year is so busy that we even want to borrow a cat’s paw.

2. **猿も木から落ちる (さるもきからおちる, saru mo ki kara ochiru)** – Even experts make mistakes (literally: Even monkeys fall from trees)
– Example Sentence: 彼はプロですが、猿も木から落ちることがあります。
– Translation: He is a professional, but even monkeys fall from trees.

3. **水に流す (みずにながす, mizu ni nagasu)** – To let bygones be bygones (literally: To let something flow away in water)
– Example Sentence: 過去のことは水に流しましょう。
– Translation: Let’s let bygones be bygones.

Specialized Vocabulary

Depending on your interests and career, you might need specialized vocabulary. Here are some examples:

Business

1. **業績 (ぎょうせき, gyouseki)** – Performance
– Example Sentence: 会社の業績は昨年よりも改善しました。
– Translation: The company’s performance improved compared to last year.

2. **取引 (とりひき, torihiki)** – Transaction
– Example Sentence: 彼は多くの国際取引を行っています。
– Translation: He conducts many international transactions.

3. **利益 (りえき, rieki)** – Profit
– Example Sentence: 今年の利益は予想以上です。
– Translation: This year’s profit is beyond expectations.

Science

1. **遺伝子 (いでんし, idenshi)** – Gene
– Example Sentence: 研究者たちは新しい遺伝子を発見しました。
– Translation: Researchers discovered a new gene.

2. **細胞 (さいぼう, saibou)** – Cell
– Example Sentence: 彼は細胞の研究をしています。
– Translation: He is researching cells.

3. **放射線 (ほうしゃせん, houshasen)** – Radiation
– Example Sentence: 放射線の影響について研究が進んでいます。
– Translation: Research on the effects of radiation is progressing.

Technology

1. **人工知能 (じんこうちのう, jinkou chinou)** – Artificial Intelligence (AI)
– Example Sentence: 人工知能は急速に進化しています。
– Translation: Artificial Intelligence is rapidly evolving.

2. **プログラミング (programming)** – Programming
– Example Sentence: 彼はプログラミングの専門家です。
– Translation: He is an expert in programming.

3. **データベース (database)** – Database
– Example Sentence: そのシステムは大規模なデータベースを使用しています。
– Translation: That system uses a large-scale database.

Common Collocations

Collocations are word combinations that frequently occur together. Mastering them can make your Japanese sound more natural. Here are some advanced collocations:

1. **責任を負う (せきにんをおう, sekinin wo ou)** – To take responsibility
– Example Sentence: 彼はその失敗の責任を負いました。
– Translation: He took responsibility for that failure.

2. **期待に応える (きたいにこたえる, kitai ni kotaeru)** – To meet expectations
– Example Sentence: 彼は上司の期待に応えました。
– Translation: He met his boss’s expectations.

3. **影響を与える (えいきょうをあたえる, eikyou wo ataeru)** – To have an impact
– Example Sentence: その事件は社会に大きな影響を与えました。
– Translation: That incident had a significant impact on society.

4. **責任を果たす (せきにんをはたす, sekinin wo hatasu)** – To fulfill one’s responsibility
– Example Sentence: 彼はそのプロジェクトで自分の責任を果たしました。
– Translation: He fulfilled his responsibility in that project.

5. **結論に至る (けつろんにいたる, ketsuron ni itaru)** – To reach a conclusion
– Example Sentence: 私たちはその問題について結論に至りました。
– Translation: We reached a conclusion on that issue.

Advanced Grammar Points

At the C2 level, your grammar should be nearly flawless. Here are some advanced grammar points to focus on:

1. **使役受身 (しえきうけみ, shieki ukemi)** – Causative-passive form
– Example Sentence: 彼は先生に勉強させられた。
– Translation: He was made to study by the teacher.

2. **～ざるを得ない (～ざるをえない, ~zaru wo enai)** – Cannot help but
– Example Sentence: 彼の意見に同意せざるを得ない。
– Translation: I cannot help but agree with his opinion.

3. **～にかかわらず (～にかかわらず, ~ni kakawarazu)** – Regardless of
– Example Sentence: 天気にかかわらず、イベントは開催されます。
– Translation: The event will be held regardless of the weather.

4. **～とは限らない (～とはかぎらない, ~to wa kagiranai)** – Not necessarily
– Example Sentence: 高いものが必ずしも良いとは限らない。
– Translation: Expensive things are not necessarily good.

5. **～にすぎない (～にすぎない, ~ni suginai)** – Merely
– Example Sentence: それはただの噂にすぎない。
– Translation: That is merely a rumor.

Conclusion

Reaching a C2 level in Japanese requires dedication, practice, and a deep understanding of the language’s nuances. By mastering these advanced words, phrases, and grammar points, you will be well on your way to achieving near-native proficiency. Remember, language learning is a continuous journey, and there’s always room for improvement. Keep practicing, stay curious, and immerse yourself in the language as much as possible. Good luck!