Contemporary Life: every key term you need (+ practice quiz)

More AP Japanese Language guides

• Personal and Public Identities
• Beauty and Aesthetics
• Science and Technology
• Global Challenges

School year

Japanese school year starts in April and ends in March with three terms (学期); summer vacation is late July to August with homework (宿題).

6-3-3-4 system

小学校 6 years, 中学校 3, 高校 3, 大学 4; compulsory education (義務教育) covers elementary and junior high.

Nyūgakushiki and sotsugyōshiki

入学式 entrance ceremony in April (cherry blossoms), 卒業式 graduation in March; formal events with speeches and songs like 仰げば尊し.

Juku (塾)

After-school cram schools attended by many students for exam prep; 予備校 for university entrance re-takers (浪人).

Sōji (掃除)

Students clean their own classrooms and hallways daily; teaches responsibility rather than hiring janitors.

Kyūshoku (給食)

School lunch served in the classroom by student servers (給食当番); students say いただきます together.

Bukatsu and undōkai

Club activities and the school sports day (運動会) with relay races and 組体操; whole-community events.

Shūgaku ryokō (修学旅行)

School trip in the final year to places like Kyoto/Nara or Okinawa; strong shared memory for classes.

Center test → 共通テスト

National university entrance exam held in January; private universities hold their own exams in February.

Arubaito (アルバイト)

Part-time job (from German Arbeit); high schoolers and college students work in konbini, restaurants (時給 = hourly wage).

Konbini (コンビニ)

24-hour convenience stores (セブンイレブン, ローソン, ファミマ) selling onigiri, bento, hot food and services.

Depachika (デパ地下)

Department-store basement food halls with elaborate sweets and prepared foods; also 百貨店 vocabulary.

Ekiben (駅弁)

Station bento sold for train travel featuring regional specialties (名物); part of travel culture.

Izakaya (居酒屋)

Casual pub serving small dishes; 飲み会 drinking parties are part of workplace and university social life.

Nomikai and nominication

Work drinking parties (飲み会) as communication; 乾杯 to toast; declining is more accepted among younger workers.

Karōshi (過労死)

Death from overwork; led to 働き方改革 (Work Style Reform, 2019) limiting overtime (残業).

Hatarakikata kaikaku (働き方改革)

Work-style reform: overtime caps, paid leave (有給休暇) mandates, テレワーク; premium Friday campaign.

Shūshin koyō (終身雇用)

Lifetime employment and 年功序列 seniority wages, weakening as 転職 (job change) and 派遣 (temp work) grow.

Freeter and NEET

フリーター: young people in part-time jobs; ニート: not in education, employment or training; both terms for shifting youth employment.

Hikikomori (ひきこもり)

Social withdrawal, staying at home for months or years; over a million estimated, including middle-aged (8050問題).

Rush hour and oshiya

満員電車 packed trains; 押し屋 pushers at some Tokyo stations; commuting (通勤・通学) up to 90 minutes is common.

Manner mode and train etiquette

Phones on マナーモード, no calls, 優先席 priority seats, quiet talking; women-only cars (女性専用車両) at rush hour.

Housing vocabulary

アパート, マンション, 一戸建て, 1LDK (one room + living/dining/kitchen), 敷金 deposit, 礼金 key money, 家賃 rent.

Genkan (玄関)

Entryway where shoes are removed and turned to face the door; slippers inside, separate toilet slippers.

Ofuro (お風呂)

Bath culture: wash before entering the tub; family shares the same bathwater; 銭湯 public bath, 温泉 hot spring.

Gomi and recycling

Strict sorting (分別) by municipality; garbage bags may need name labels; 粗大ゴミ needs a paid sticker.

Health system

National health insurance (国民健康保険) covers 70%; annual 健康診断 at schools/work; masks worn when sick.

Washoku daily meals

Rice + miso soup + side dishes (一汁三菜); breakfast may be 和食 or パン; 弁当 for lunch.

Golden Week and holidays

Late April to early May cluster of holidays; also お盆 in August and 年末年始; 祝日 national holidays fall on Mondays under Happy Monday laws.

Otsukaresama (お疲れ様)

Set phrase acknowledging effort, said among coworkers when leaving; お先に失礼します when leaving before others.

Sumimasen uses

Means excuse me, sorry and thank you depending on context; frequent in daily interactions like getting a waiter's attention.

Point cards and coupons

ポイントカード at every store; Tポイント, 楽天ポイント; ordering by タッチパネル and 食券 ticket machines in ramen shops.

〜なければならない

Obligation: 宿題をしなければなりません; casual 〜なきゃ/〜ないと; used for rules of daily life.

〜てもいいですか / 〜てはいけません

Asking permission and prohibition: 写真を撮ってもいいですか。ここで食べてはいけません。

〜ながら

Doing two things at once: 音楽を聞きながら勉強します; 歩きスマホ (walking while using phone) is discouraged.

〜ことにする / ことになる

Personal decision vs. decision made externally: 毎日運動することにしました vs. 来月転勤することになりました。

Frequency and time expressions

毎日, 週に三回 (three times a week), たいてい, ときどき, めったに〜ない; essential for describing routines.