Health and Medicine Vocabulary
This lesson introduces key terms and phrases related to health and medicine, covering common symptoms, medical treatments, hospital settings, and daily health expressions. Practice using these words in context to improve your ability to discuss medical topics at the JLPT N3 level.
🎯 Goal: Learn N3 vocabulary related to health and medicine.
Lesson Content
Learning Goal
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and use 20 N3-level vocabulary words related to health, medicine, and everyday situations. You'll understand their meanings, readings, and how to use them in sentences.
Concept
Health and medicine vocabulary in Japanese often overlaps with words about the body, feelings, relationships, and daily life. Many of these words have multiple meanings or are used in specific contexts. We'll group them by theme to make them easier to remember.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
1. People and Relationships (家族・人間関係)
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 女王 | じょおう (joō) | queen | 女 (woman) + 王 (king) |
| 姉妹 | しまい (shimai) | sisters | 姉 (older sister) + 妹 (younger sister) |
| 委員 | いいん (iin) | committee member | Used in organizations |
| 婦人 | ふじん (fujin) | woman, lady | Formal, often for adult women |
| 嫁 | よめ (yome) | wife, bride | Refers to someone's wife or a new bride |
Example sentences:
- 女王はとても優しいです。 (Joō wa totemo yasashii desu.) — The queen is very kind.
- 彼女は姉妹が三人います。 (Kanojo wa shimai ga sannin imasu.) — She has three sisters.
- 委員に選ばれました。 (Iin ni erabaremashita.) — I was chosen as a committee member.
2. Likes and Dislikes (好き・嫌い)
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 好み | このみ (konomi) | liking, taste | Noun form of 好む |
| 好む | このむ (konomu) | to like, to prefer | Verb |
| 好物 | こうぶつ (kōbutsu) | favourite food | 好 (like) + 物 (thing) |
| 嫌う | きらう (kirau) | to hate, to dislike | Verb |
| 嫌がる | いやがる (iyagaru) | to hate, to dislike | Shows someone else's dislike |
| 嫌でも | いやでも (iya demo) | Even if I dislike it | Fixed phrase |
Example sentences:
- これは私の好みの味です。 (Kore wa watashi no konomi no aji desu.) — This is my preferred taste.
- 彼は野菜を嫌う。 (Kare wa yasai o kirau.) — He hates vegetables.
- 子供は病院を嫌がる。 (Kodomo wa byōin o iyagaru.) — Children dislike hospitals.
3. Strange and Unusual (奇妙・異常)
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 妙 | みょう (myō) | strange, unusual | Often used for odd feelings or situations |
| 姿 | すがた (sugata) | figure, form, shape | Can mean appearance or silhouette |
| 姿勢 | しせい (shisei) | posture, attitude | Physical or mental posture |
| 存在 | そんざい (sonzai) | existence, being | Noun |
Example sentences:
- 妙な音が聞こえた。 (Myō na oto ga kikoeta.) — I heard a strange sound.
- 彼の姿勢は悪い。 (Kare no shisei wa warui.) — His posture is bad.
- その存在に気づいた。 (Sono sonzai ni kizuita.) — I noticed its existence.
4. Beginnings and Learning (始まり・学び)
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 始まったばかり | はじまったばかり (hajimatta bakari) | just started | 始まる (to start) + ばかり (just) |
| 始まり | はじまり (hajimari) | origin, beginning | Noun form |
| 始発 | しはつ (shihatsu) | first train, first bus | 始 (start) + 発 (departure) |
| 学 | がく (gaku) | learning, scholarship | Used in compounds like 医学 (medicine) |
Example sentences:
- 授業は始まったばかりです。 (Jugyō wa hajimatta bakari desu.) — The class just started.
- 始発に乗りたい。 (Shihatsu ni noritai.) — I want to catch the first train.
- 彼は医学を学んでいる。 (Kare wa igaku o manande iru.) — He is studying medicine.
5. Engagement and Marriage (婚約・結婚)
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 婚約 | こんやく (konyaku) | engagement, betrothal | 婚 (marriage) + 約 (promise) |
Example sentence:
- 彼女は婚約した。 (Kanojo wa konyaku shita.) — She got engaged.
Mini Examples
- 女王の姿 (joō no sugata) — the queen's figure/appearance
- 好みの姿勢 (konomi no shisei) — preferred posture
- 嫌でも勉強する (iya demo benkyō suru) — study even if you dislike it
- 始まりの存在 (hajimari no sonzai) — the existence of the beginning
- 妙な好物 (myō na kōbutsu) — strange favorite food
Common Mistake
❌ Mistake: Using 嫌う (kirau) for your own dislike when talking about others.
- Correct: 彼は肉を嫌う (Kare wa niku o kirau) — He hates meat.
- Wrong: 私は肉を嫌う (Watashi wa niku o kirau) — sounds too strong; use 嫌い (kirai) instead.
❌ Mistake: Confusing 始まり (hajimari, beginning) with 始発 (shihatsu, first train).
- 始まり is for events/things.
- 始発 is only for transportation.
Quick Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the lesson:
- 彼女は___に選ばれた。 (She was chosen as a committee member.) → ___
- これは私の___の料理です。 (This is my favorite food dish.) → ___
- ___なことが起こった。 (Something strange happened.) → ___
- 電車の___は6時です。 (The first train is at 6 o'clock.) → ___
- 彼らは___を発表した。 (They announced their engagement.) → ___
Answers: 1. 委員 (iin) 2. 好物 (kōbutsu) 3. 妙 (myō) 4. 始発 (shihatsu) 5. 婚約 (konyaku)
Summary and Next Step
You've learned 20 N3 vocabulary words covering:
- People and relationships (女王, 姉妹, 委員, 婦人, 嫁)
- Likes and dislikes (好み, 好む, 好物, 嫌う, 嫌がる, 嫌でも)
- Strange and unusual (妙, 姿, 姿勢, 存在)
- Beginnings and learning (始まったばかり, 始まり, 始発, 学)
- Engagement (婚約)
Next step: Practice using these words in sentences about your daily life. Try describing your favorite foods (好物), your posture (姿勢), or what time the first train (始発) leaves. In the next lesson, we'll learn more medical vocabulary like symptoms and treatments.
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