Kyoto Entrance Japanese key terms

Short, uninflected words such as は, が, を, に, and で that attach to nouns and phrases and mark their grammatical role, topic, or direction. Exams test choosing the right particle and spotting the wrong one.

The way verbs and adjectives change form: 書く → 書きます → 書けば → 書かせる. You must recognise each stem and choose the form that matches the sentence's tense, polarity, and politeness level.

Intransitive verbs describe a change with no actor (ドアが開く); transitive verbs describe someone acting on something (ドアを開ける). Pairs such as 開く/開ける and 始まる/始める are frequent traps in particle and voice questions.

The passive form: godan verbs take 〜あれる (書かれる) and ichidan verbs take 〜られる (食べられる). It marks neutral description, adversity (迷惑の受身), or respect. Questions test conjugation and whether passive or active fits.

The causative form meaning 'make' or 'let' someone do: 書かせる, 食べさせる, and the causative-passive 書かされる. Distinguish it from 〜てもらう and 〜てあげる when a question asks who performed the action.

Four ways to say 'if': と for natural consequence, ば for general conditions, たら for sequence or once, なら for something given. Each has restrictions - と cannot precede a request - so questions test context fit.

Honorific language in three types: 尊敬語 for the other person's actions (いらっしゃる), 謙譲語 for your own (伺う), and 丁寧語 (です・ます). Questions ask you to rewrite a sentence for a superior or fix double honorifics.

A verb placed after て that adds nuance instead of action: 〜ている (ongoing), 〜てしまう (completion or regret), 〜ておく (preparation), 〜てみる (trying). Exams test the meaning difference between these endings.

Modifying a noun: adjectives and verbs go directly before it (静かな部屋, 昨日買った本), while の links two nouns. Long modifiers are common in reading passages and must be parsed backwards from the head noun.

Fixed sentence patterns such as 〜ば〜ほど, 〜ながら, 〜ために, and 〜わけではない. Each carries a set meaning and a connection rule, so questions test which pattern joins two clauses correctly and naturally.

Words that join clauses and signal logic: しかし for contrast, だから for cause, つまり for restatement, また for addition. Reading questions ask what relationship a blank connector marks, so learn function rather than translation.

Referring words built on こ (near the speaker), そ (near the listener or just mentioned), あ (distant), and ど (question). In passages, これ, それ, and その point back, and questions ask which phrase they replace.

A block of sentences in a passage, usually developing one idea and marked by an indent. Finding each paragraph's topic sentence and conclusion is the quickest route to main-idea and structure questions.

The central claim of a whole passage, expressed in one sentence of your own words. Distinguish it from supporting examples and from a single paragraph's topic; wrong options often quote a true detail that is not the main point.

A passage structure that sets two things against each other, signalled by 一方, に対して, or ではなく. Questions ask what is being contrasted or which feature belongs to which side.

Restating an idea in different words, often marked by つまり, すなわち, or 言い換えれば. Correct reading answers usually paraphrase the passage rather than repeat it, so practise matching meaning across different wording.

The writer's own view, as opposed to reported facts or other people's opinions. Look for 〜べきだ, 〜と思う, and 重要なのだ, and for contrast markers that introduce the author's correction of a common belief.

Working out an unfamiliar word's meaning from the sentences around it: contrast markers, examples, and definitions in apposition (〜とは…のことだ). It is essential for reading passages that contain vocabulary beyond your list.

The listening section. You hear a dialogue or monologue, usually once or twice, then answer what was decided, why, or what the speaker will do next. Reading the question options before the audio starts helps you listen selectively.

Taking notes while listening: record numbers, times, place names, and final decisions using arrows and symbols rather than full sentences. The audio is not paused, so speed matters more than neatness.

What a speaker actually intends, which may differ from the literal words. Questions ask why someone says something or what they imply; cues include tone, ちょっと…, 〜かもしれない, and deliberately unfinished sentences.

Requesting (〜てもらえませんか, 〜てください) and inviting (〜ませんか, 〜ましょう). Questions test whether the second speaker accepts, declines, or makes a counter-proposal, and what action follows as a result.

Indirect phrasing that softens a refusal or an opinion, such as ちょっと難しいですね or 考えておきます. The words sound positive but mean no. Listening and reading questions regularly test this pragmatic reading.

Phrases for asking someone to repeat or clarify: すみません、もう一度お願いします or 〜ということですか. Recognising them keeps you oriented when a dialogue contains a misunderstanding that the question is really about.

Chinese-derived readings (音) versus native Japanese readings (訓): 山 is サン in 火山 but やま standing alone. Exams test which reading a compound takes, so memorise vocabulary inside kanji compounds rather than isolated characters.

Compounds of two or more kanji such as 環境, 影響, and 具体的. Entrance exams take vocabulary from academic prose, so study compounds in context and note the particles and verbs they usually pair with.

Words with similar but not identical meaning, for example 増加 and 増殖, or 理由 and 原因. Questions ask which fits a sentence; collocation and nuance decide, so check what particle or noun each word takes.

Words opposite in meaning, such as 建設 and 破壊, 許可 and 禁止, or 抽象 and 具体. They help you guess unknown words from context and answer questions asking which option contrasts with an underlined term.

Four-character idioms of Chinese origin, such as 一石二鳥, 異口同音, and 試行錯誤. They appear in reading passages and vocabulary questions, and both the meaning and the reading can be tested.

The hiragana written after a kanji stem to complete a word: 食べる, 高い, 申し込む. Wrong okurigana is a frequent error in writing tasks and can also appear in kanji reading questions.

Words pronounced the same but written with different kanji, such as 対象, 対称, and 対照, or 回答 and 解答. Context decides the spelling, so practise choosing the correct kanji inside full sentences.

Polite style (です・ます) versus plain style (だ・である). An essay must keep one style consistently; mixing them, or using plain style in a formal letter, loses marks. Check which style the prompt expects.

A short composition on a set topic, often several hundred characters, marked on task completion, organization, grammar, and vocabulary. Read the prompt twice, since omitting a required point costs more than a small grammatical slip.

The topic sentence stating a paragraph's main point, usually placed first or last. Writing one for each paragraph makes an essay easy to follow and is a fast way to raise your organization score.

Reviewing and correcting your own draft: check particle choice, tense consistency, and whether the conclusion actually answers the prompt. Save the final minutes of the writing section for this, because it catches the easiest errors.

Manuscript paper rules: one character per box, indent the first line of every paragraph, place small っ or ゃ in the upper-left of a box, and never start a line with a comma or period. Formatting errors lose marks.

A stated length limit such as 四百字以内. Writing far below it looks underdeveloped, while exceeding it may be penalised. Plan and count as you write, and place your key content in the first two-thirds.