KotoBloom JLPT N5 & N4 Japanese vocabulary, by Examzio
Japanese words that stay with you.
KotoBloom is a Japanese vocabulary app by Examzio for JLPT N5 and N4 learners. It teaches 1,564 words in short daily sessions and brings each one back right before you’d forget it.
Tap the card to reveal
Live demo: tap the card, then swipe or tap to grade.
Some of the words you’ll learn
- 元気healthy
- 約束promise
- 桜cherry blossom
- 旅行travel
- 友達friend
- 季節season
- 映画movie
- 散歩stroll
- 料理cooking
- 誕生日birthday
- 祭りfestival
- 景色scenery
- 思い出memory
- 夢dream
- 未来the future
- 美しいbeautiful
1,564
words for JLPT N5 and N4
3,128
example sentences with furigana
30
short themed units
0
ads, accounts or subscriptions
01Spaced repetition
Reviews at the exact right moment.
KotoBloom schedules every word with FSRS, the modern memory algorithm. A word you know well waits weeks; a word you just missed comes back in minutes. You spend your time on what you’re about to forget.
- Grade with a tap, or swipe left and right
- Missed words return in the same session
- Two buttons by default, four if you want more control
02Context
Every word lives in a sentence.
Each of the 1,564 words comes with its reading, a clear meaning, a short note on how it’s really used, and two natural example sentences. Written by our team for learners, not pulled from a dictionary.
- Furigana always, after you answer, or never
- Optional romaji while you learn kana
- Bookmark the words you want to drill
03Habit
Ten calm minutes a day.
Open the app and your session is ready: the reviews that are due plus a few new words. A daily goal, a streak and a gentle reminder at the time you choose keep the habit going.
- 8 new words a day by default, 5 to 20 if you like
- Quick quizzes on meanings and typed readings
- Works fully offline, on the train or on a plane
04Progress
Watch your Japanese grow.
See how many words you’ve learned and mastered, your streak, your accuracy and a calendar of every day you studied. Difficult words are collected for you, so nothing slips through.
- Words learned and mastered
- Study calendar and review forecast
- A list of your most difficult words
Made for your path
Start exactly where you are.
Taking a Japanese class
Start at the unit your class is on. Earlier units wait until you want them.
Preparing for JLPT N5
Choose the N5 goal and KotoBloom teaches the N5 words first, from every unit.
Starting from zero
Begin with greetings in Unit 1 and build up, one short themed unit at a time.
What’s inside
Thirty themed units in three books.
Three beginner books, each unit a theme you’ll actually talk about, from your first greeting to everyday conversation.
Mostly N5
Beginner 1
- Unit 1Greetings and introductions
- Unit 2Numbers and time
- Unit 3Making plans
- Unit 4Places and things
- Unit 5Describing things
- Unit 6Daily routines
- Unit 7Family and people
- Unit 8Food and eating out
- Unit 9Shopping and money
- Unit 10Weather and seasons
- Unit 11Hobbies and free time
- Unit 12Travel and transport
Mostly N4
Beginner 2
- Unit 13Health and the body
- Unit 14Feelings and wishes
- Unit 15School and work life
- Unit 16Home and housing
- Unit 17Clothes and appearance
- Unit 18Giving and receiving
- Unit 19Polite requests
- Unit 20Around town
- Unit 21Events and celebrations
- Unit 22Nature and the environment
- Unit 23Culture and the future
The rest of N4
Beginner 3
- Unit 24People and relationships
- Unit 25Study and thinking
- Unit 26Society and the news
- Unit 27Getting around
- Unit 28Home and everyday things
- Unit 29Body and actions
- Unit 30Time and conversation
Roadmap
From your first word to N1.
KotoBloom launches with JLPT N5 and N4. N3 comes next, then N2 and N1, built with the same care, one level at a time.
- N5At launchBeginner 1
- N4At launchBeginner 2 and 3
- N3NextIntermediate
- N2PlannedUpper intermediate
- N1PlannedAdvanced
Pricing
Pay once. Keep it forever.
Free
$0
Everything you need to begin.
- Units 1–3, 202 words
- Every study feature
- No time limit, no ads
KotoBloom Full
$6.99one time
Goes up to $19.99 as N3, N2 and N1 arrive.
- All 30 units, 1,564 words
- N3, N2 and N1 included when they arrive
- No subscription, ever
- Restore on any phone with your store account
Launch price for early learners. When new JLPT levels are added the price goes up, and everyone who bought earlier gets those levels at no extra cost. Planned US prices; your local price is shown in the App Store or Google Play before you buy.
Privacy
Your study stays yours.
No account
Open the app and start. Nothing to sign up for.
No tracking
No ads, analytics or tracking tools in the app.
Fully offline
Everything lives on your phone, with backups when you want them.
Questions
Good to know.
I’m a complete beginner. Is KotoBloom for me?
Yes. Unit 1 starts with greetings and introductions. Every word shows its reading in furigana, and you can turn on romaji while you’re still learning kana.
Is this the official JLPT word list?
No. The JLPT has not published official vocabulary lists since the test was revised in 2010, so no app can offer one. KotoBloom is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Japan Foundation or Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES), which run the JLPT. KotoBloom’s word list is handpicked by our team, and its N5 and N4 labels are our own study guidance, matched to the everyday vocabulary that first- and second-year courses teach.
Does KotoBloom cover the whole JLPT?
No, it covers vocabulary. The N5 and N4 tests have three sections: vocabulary, grammar and reading, and listening. KotoBloom teaches the words, with readings, meanings, usage notes and example sentences, so pair it with grammar, reading and listening practice. No app can guarantee an exam result.
What are JLPT N5 and N4?
The first two of the JLPT’s five levels, which run from N5, the easiest, to N1, the most difficult. At N5 you read typical expressions written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji; at N4, passages on familiar daily topics written in basic vocabulary and kanji. KotoBloom launches with N5 and N4.
Does it follow my class textbook?
Not a specific textbook. KotoBloom has its own beginner syllabus with the everyday vocabulary that first- and second-year courses teach. If your class is further along, start at the unit you’re on; earlier units wait until you want them.
Do I have to read kanji?
No. Words are written with kanji the way Japanese people write them, with furigana above. You choose how much help you get: furigana always, only after you reveal the answer, or kanji only.
Is there audio?
Yes. Natural audio for every word and every example sentence is being produced now and will be in the app at launch, with a slow-playback button.
How long does it take to get through all 1,564 words?
About 196 days at the default pace of 8 new words a day. The 202 free words take about 26 days. At 20 new words a day, the full course takes about 79 days. Reviews of words you’ve already started come on top of the new words.
Do I need an account or internet?
No. KotoBloom works fully offline and has no account. Your progress stays on your phone, and you can export a backup to move it to a new one.
What do I get if I pay?
One purchase unlocks all 30 units, on every phone signed in to the same Apple or Google account. No subscription, no ads, and reviews of words you’ve learned are always free.
Will there be N3, N2 and N1?
Yes, they are on our roadmap: N3 first, then N2 and N1. If you buy KotoBloom Full at the launch price, every new level we add is included at no extra cost.
Let your Japanese bloom.
KotoBloom is coming soon to iPhone and Android. Start with three free units, unlock the rest once.
- Coming soon on the App Store
- Coming soon on Google Play
KotoBloom is an independent study app by Examzio. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Japan Foundation or Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES), which run the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), and it does not guarantee an exam result.