NAT-TEST 3Q key terms

Japanese logographic characters originally borrowed from Chinese, each with readings and meaning. NAT-TEST 3Q 文字・語彙 questions test recognition, reading, and correct stroke-based writing of common characters.

The cursive syllabary of 46 basic characters used for grammatical endings, particles, and words without kanji. Test items often ask you to choose the correct hiragana spelling of a word written in kanji.

The angular syllabary of 46 basic characters used mainly for loanwords, onomatopoeia, and emphasis. Questions test reading katakana words and knowing their meaning in Japanese.

The Sino-Japanese reading of a kanji, often used in compound words. Test items may ask which reading is correct in a compound such as 学校（がっこう）.

The native Japanese reading of a kanji, usually when the character stands alone or with kana endings. Questions ask you to read a kanji word using its kun reading.

Hiragana written after a kanji stem to show inflection or part of speech, as in 食べる or 高い. Items test whether you can choose the correct okurigana in a sentence.

A compound word made of two or more kanji, such as 電車 or 図書館. Vocabulary questions check whether you know the meaning and reading of common two-character compounds.

Words borrowed from other languages, usually written in katakana, such as アルバイト or パソコン. Items test meaning and sometimes the original-language source.

A word with the opposite meaning of another, such as 大きい and 小さい. Vocabulary sections often ask you to select the antonym of a given word.

A word with a similar meaning to another, such as きれい and 美しい. Questions ask you to choose the closest meaning among four options.

A word with more than one meaning, such as かける or とる. Test items check whether you can choose the meaning that fits the sentence context.

The surrounding words and situation that determine a word's meaning. Vocabulary and reading questions often require choosing the option that fits the whole context, not just the word alone.

A short grammatical particle such as は, が, を, に, or で that marks the role of a word in a sentence. Grammar items test choosing the correct particle.

A particle that shows the grammatical case of a noun, such as が for subject, を for object, and に for destination or time. Questions test which case particle fits.

The way a verb changes form for tense, polarity, politeness, and mood, such as 書く, 書きます, 書いた. Grammar items test correct conjugation in context.

The te-form of a verb or adjective, used for requests, ongoing actions, and connecting clauses, as in 食べて, 行って. Items test correct formation and use with auxiliary verbs.

A construction combining the te-form with いる to express an ongoing action or a resulting state, as in 読んでいる or 結婚している. Questions test which meaning applies.

Intransitive verbs describe actions without a direct object, while transitive verbs take を. Pairs such as 開く and 開ける are frequently tested in particle and form questions.

The passive form of a verb, such as 書かれる or 食べられる, used to describe an action received by the subject. Items test formation and appropriate use, including suffering passive.

The causative form of a verb, such as 行かせる or 食べさせる, meaning to make or let someone do something. Questions test formation and choice between を and に.

Forms expressing conditions, such as と, ば, たら, and なら. Grammar items test which conditional fits the meaning and tense of the sentence.

A word that links clauses or sentences, such as しかし, だから, or また. Questions test choosing the connector that matches the logical relationship between ideas.

Polite language including 尊敬語, 謙譲語, and 丁寧語, used to show respect. Grammar and reading items test correct humble and honorific forms such as いらっしゃる and 伺う.

Polite speech using です・ます and prefixes such as お and ご. Items test whether the level of politeness matches the situation described.

Words such as これ, それ, あれ, and この that point to something in the text or situation. Reading questions ask what a pronoun refers to in the passage.

The main topic or central idea of a passage. Reading questions often ask you to choose the statement that best expresses the author's main point.

A short summary of the essential content of a text. Items may ask which option correctly summarizes the passage rather than repeating details.

The writer's own view or claim, often marked by expressions such as ～べきだ or ～と思う. Questions ask you to distinguish the author's opinion from factual examples.

The cause or justification given for something in a text, often introduced by なぜなら or から. Items ask you to identify why a stated action or opinion is held.

A word or phrase repeated in a passage that signals its central concern. Finding keywords helps you answer main-idea and detail questions quickly.

A question type asking which option matches what the passage actually says. You must check each choice against the text and reject options that add or distort information.

The listening section of the test, where you hear dialogues or monologues once and choose the best answer. It tests comprehension of task, point, and overall meaning.

A listening task type where you hear a conversation and must decide what the speaker will do next or what action is required. You identify the task from the question before listening.

A listening task type where you must catch a specific point, such as a reason, time, or place, stated in the conversation. The question tells you what to listen for in advance.

Writing short notes while listening, such as numbers, times, or names. Good note-taking helps you answer detail questions without relying on memory alone.

Saying the same idea with different words. Listening and reading options often paraphrase the audio or passage, so recognizing rephrasing is essential.

Short responses such as そうですね or へえ that show the listener is following. Recognizing these helps you track who is speaking and how the conversation is progressing.