Basic Japanese Vocabulary: An Explanation of Usage

Basic Japanese Vocabulary is written as a supplementary guide for students who are at the initial stage of learning Japanese and wish to reinforce their learning by an effective mastery of basic words. While learning, students encounter similar words which they use interchangeably without realising the subtle differences in meaning encoded in them. This problem is not solved easily by looking in dictionaries or reading grammar books, or even by reviewing a vocabulary list supplemented by textbooks.

This guide divides similar words into seven linguistically distinct, yet interrelated, areas which give rise to the similarity. In each chapter, a pair of words is presented under a single entry followed by concise explanations and clear examples. The book highlights what is most important for essential vocabulary learning. Reading the book will help students grasp the overall structure of Japanese vocabulary. There are 135 entries covering more than 300 words in the main text.

The book can be used by intermediate students who wish to refresh their knowledge of Japanese as well as by teachers of Japanese, particularly those whose mother tongue is not Japanese.