Fukui Entrance Japanese key terms

A particle written は but pronounced “wa”. It marks the topic of a sentence, telling the listener what the rest of the sentence is about. It can replace が or を to highlight contrast or shared knowledge.

A particle that marks the grammatical subject, especially for new information, existence, ability, and likes or dislikes. It often answers 'who?' or 'what?' and can contrast with は.

A particle that marks the direct object of a transitive verb. It shows what receives the action, as in 本を読む ('read a book'). It is pronounced 'o'.

A particle marking a point in time, a destination, or a recipient. It answers 'when?', 'where to?', or 'to whom?' and often appears with verbs of movement, giving, or existence.

A particle marking where an action happens or the means or tool used to do it. It contrasts with に, which marks existence or destination. Example: 図書館で勉強する ('study at the library').

A verb form ending in て or で. It connects clauses, makes requests with 〜てください, describes ongoing states with 〜ている, and forms many patterns. Learners must master its conjugation rules.

The plain negative form of a verb, ending in ない. It is used for informal negatives and as the base for patterns like 〜ないで ('without doing') and 〜なければならない ('must do').

The polite present or future verb form ending in ます. It is standard in formal speech and writing, and its stem builds forms like 〜たい ('want to') and 〜ながら ('while').

The plain, non-polite verb form listed in dictionaries, ending in an u-sound such as う, く, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む, or る. It is used in casual speech and as the base for many patterns.

Verb or adjective forms expressing 'if' or 'when', such as 〜たら, 〜ば, 〜なら, and 〜と. Each has a different nuance: と is natural consequence, ば is general condition, たら is sequence or condition.

A verb form showing that the subject receives an action rather than performs it. In Japanese it uses れる or られる and often implies inconvenience or indirect effect. Example: 先生にほめられた ('was praised by the teacher').

A verb form meaning 'make' or 'let' someone do something, using せる or させる. It distinguishes forced action from permission. Example: 子供を買い物に行かせた ('made the child go shopping').

Polite language with three main types: sonkeigo (respectful), kenjōgo (humble), and teineigo (polite). Entrance exams test correct verb pairs such as いらっしゃる and 伺う. Mastery is essential for reading and writing tasks.

Verb pairs where one acts alone (自動詞, e.g., ドアが開く 'the door opens') and one acts on an object (他動詞, e.g., ドアを開ける 'open the door'). Exams test correct particle and verb pairing.

A pattern made from the te-form plus いる. It describes an ongoing action ('is reading') or a state resulting from a past action ('is married'). Context decides which meaning is intended.

Words that connect sentences or clauses and signal logical relationships: addition (そして), contrast (しかし), cause (だから), and example (たとえば). Recognizing them helps readers follow the direction of an argument.

Words like これ, それ, あれ, この, and その that point to something mentioned earlier or nearby. In reading, identifying what a 指示語 refers to is a common comprehension question.

The central topic or idea that a passage is about. It is broader than a summary; questions may ask 'What is the main theme?' Distinguish it from supporting details and from the author's individual examples.

The essential point or overall message of a passage, condensed into a few sentences. A good summary of the 要旨 leaves out examples and repetition while preserving the author's main claim.

A group of sentences developing one idea, often marked by indentation. In Japanese passages, each paragraph usually has a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding or transitional sentence.

Reading between the lines to understand information not stated directly. Exams ask what can be inferred from a character's behavior, tone, or word choice. Answers must be supported by textual clues, not personal opinion.

The writer's own view, judgment, or claim, as opposed to factual reporting. Look for evaluative language and sentence-ending expressions like 〜べきだ ('should') or 〜と思う ('I think') to locate it.

The logical order and development of a conversation: greeting, topic introduction, request, response, and closing. In listening tasks, following this flow helps predict what comes next and choose the correct response.

The skill of understanding spoken Japanese in real time. Entrance exams test it with dialogues, announcements, and short lectures. Candidates must catch key information, speaker intent, and details without replaying the audio.

Writing down key words, numbers, names, and times while listening. Good notes use abbreviations and symbols. In exams, notes help answer detail questions but should not distract from understanding the whole message.

Important words in a listening passage that carry the main information, such as names, places, times, and verbs of request. Recognizing them quickly helps candidates filter less important content and answer questions accurately.

The surrounding words and situation that determine a word's meaning. Entrance exams often ask candidates to choose the best meaning of a word based on how it is used in the passage, not its dictionary definition alone.

Components that give clues to a kanji's meaning or reading, such as 氵 (water) in 海 or 言 (speech) in 話. Recognizing radicals helps infer the meaning of unfamiliar kanji in reading passages.

The two main readings of kanji: 音読み derives from Chinese pronunciation and often appears in compounds; 訓読み is the native Japanese reading used when the kanji stands alone or with kana. Exams test both.

Words made of two or more kanji, such as 学校 or 電車. Their meaning often combines the meanings of the characters, and the reading usually uses 音読み. Learning common compounds builds reading and vocabulary quickly.

Different words that sound the same but have different kanji and meanings, like 橋 (bridge), 箸 (chopsticks), and 端 (edge). Context and kanji knowledge are needed to choose the correct word in listening and reading.

Words with opposite meanings, such as 大きい and 小さい, or 始める and 終わる. Exams may ask candidates to identify the opposite of a given word, so learning common antonym pairs expands vocabulary efficiently.

Words with similar meanings, such as 静か and 穏やか. Entrance exams test the ability to choose the most natural synonym in context. Subtle differences in formality and nuance matter.

A writing task where candidates express an opinion or describe an experience in organized Japanese. Exams assess content, structure, grammar, and appropriate style. A clear introduction, body, and conclusion are expected.

Grid paper used for Japanese writing, with one character per box. Exam essays may require correct formatting: indenting the first line, starting new paragraphs at the top of a column, and writing small つ or ゃ in their own box.

Two registers in Japanese writing: 敬体 (です・ます) is polite and used in formal essays or letters; 常体 (だ・である) is direct and used in reports or diaries. Mixing them inconsistently is an error.

The way ideas are organized into paragraphs in writing. A strong essay uses one main idea per paragraph, clear topic sentences, and logical connectors. Exams reward coherent structure as much as correct grammar.

Words and phrases that link sentences and paragraphs logically, such as まず ('first'), また ('also'), and したがって ('therefore'). Using them appropriately improves clarity and shows the relationship between ideas in an essay.

Mistakes in writing where a character is written incorrectly (誤字) or accidentally left out (脱字). Exams deduct points for these, so candidates should check essays for missing small kana, wrong strokes, and omitted particles.