| 説明 | せつめい | explanation; exposition; description; account | n4 |
| 明治 | めいじ | Meiji era (1868.9.8-1912.7.30) | n2 |
| 明るい | あかるい | light; bright; well-lit; well-lighted | n5 |
| 明日 | あした | tomorrow; near future | n5 |
| 不明 | ふめい | unclear; obscure; indistinct; uncertain | n2 |
| 明 | みょう | vidya (wisdom); mantra; the coming (July 4, etc.) | |
| 明らか | あきらか | clear; obvious; evident; plain | n2 |
| 共同声明 | きょうどうせいめい | joint declaration | |
| 明ける | あける | to open (a door, etc.); to unwrap (e.g. parcel, package); to unlock; to open (for business, etc.) | n3 |
| 明確 | めいかく | clear; precise; definite; distinct | n2 |
| 証明 | しょうめい | proof; testimony; demonstration; verification | n3 |
| 文明 | ぶんめい | civilization; civilisation; culture; Bunmei era (1469.4.28-1487.7.20) | n1 |
| 明瞭 | めいりょう | clear; plain; distinct; obvious | n2 |
| 発明 | はつめい | invention; intelligent; clever; smart | n2 |
| 明示 | めいじ | elucidation; explicit statement; specification | n1 |
| 明く | あく | to open (e.g. doors); to open (e.g. business, etc.); to be empty; to be vacant | n4 |
| 明い | あかるい | light; bright; well-lit; well-lighted | n5 |
| 明り | あかり | light; glow; gleam; (a) light | n3 |
| 明白 | めいはく | obvious; clear; plain; evident | n1 |
| 明かす | あかす | to pass (the night); to spend; to reveal; to divulge | |
| 透明 | とうめい | transparent; clear | n2 |
| 夜明け | よあけ | dawn; daybreak | |
| 判明 | はんめい | becoming clear; coming to light; being ascertained; being identified | n1 |
| 聡明 | そうめい | wise; sagacious; intelligent; sensible | |
| 聰明 | そうめい | wise; sagacious; intelligent; sensible | |
| 打ち明ける | うちあける | to confide; to reveal; to disclose; to lay bare | n2 |
| 光明 | こうみょう | bright light; hope; bright future; light emanating from a buddha or bodhisattva, symbolizing their wisdom and compassion | n1 |
| 明け | あけ | dawn; daybreak; end; soon after something has ended | |
| 照明 | しょうめい | illumination; lighting | n2 |
| 明記 | めいき | clear writing; specification | n1 |
| 賢明 | けんめい | wise; sensible; well-advised; intelligent | n1 |
| 明後日 | あさって | day after tomorrow; wrong (e.g. direction) | n3 |
| 明朝 | みょうちょう | tomorrow morning | |
| 打明ける | うちあける | to confide; to reveal; to disclose; to lay bare | n2 |
| 鮮明 | せんめい | vivid; clear; distinct | n2 |
| 表明 | ひょうめい | declaration; indication; representation; manifestation | n2 |
| 明神 | あきつかみ | emperor; living god | |
| 明け方 | あけがた | dawn; daybreak | |
| 公明正大 | こうめいせいだい | fair; just and upright; open and honest; aboveboard | |
| 弁明 | べんめい | explanation; excuse; clarification; vindication | |
| 辨明 | べんめい | explanation; excuse; clarification; vindication | |
| 辯明 | べんめい | explanation; excuse; clarification; vindication | |
| 明治時代 | めいじじだい | Meiji period (1868-1912) | |
| 明るみ | あかるみ | bright place; the light; the open; light of day | n1 |
| 解明 | かいめい | elucidation; explication; explaining; unravelling | n1 |
| 証明書 | しょうめいしょ | certificate; credentials; testimonial | |
| 灯明 | とうみょう | light offered to a god or Buddha; votive light | |
| 燈明 | とうみょう | light offered to a god or Buddha; votive light | |
| 未明 | みめい | early dawn; grey of morning; gray of morning | |
| 明星 | みょうじょう | morning star; Venus; preeminent person (within their own field); star (of the stage, silver screen, etc.) | |
| 明快 | めいかい | clear; clear-cut; lucid; unequivocal | n1 |
| 明暗 | めいあん | light and darkness; light and shade | n1 |
| 声明 | せいめい | declaration; statement; proclamation | n2 |
| 聲明 | しょうみょう | sabdavidya (ancient Indian linguistic and grammatical studies); chanting of Buddhist hymns (usu. in Sanskrit or Chinese) | |
| 簡明 | かんめい | terse; concise; simple and clear | n1 |
| 分明 | ふんみょう | clearness; clear understanding | n1 |
| 松明 | たいまつ | torch (made of pine, bamboo, reed, etc.); flambeau; torchlight | |
| 黎明 | れいめい | daybreak; dawn; gray of the morning (grey); dawn (of a new age) | |
| 明治維新 | めいじいしん | Meiji Restoration (1868) | |
| 天明 | てんめい | dawn; daybreak; Tenmei era (1781.4.2-1789.1.25) | |
| 有明 | ありあけ | dawn (esp. from the 16th day of the lunar month onward); portable paper lantern for walking at night | |
| 明言 | めいげん | declaration; statement | |
| 明滅 | めいめつ | flickering; blinking | |
| 明晰 | めいせき | clear; distinct | |
| 明朗 | めいろう | cheerful; bright; clear; clean | |
| 明智 | めいち | sagacity; wisdom; intelligence | |
| 明くる日 | あくるひ | next day; following day | |
| 不明瞭 | ふめいりょう | unclear; indistinct; obscure; opaque | |
| 説明会 | せつめいかい | information session; briefing; explanatory meeting | |
| 明方 | あけがた | dawn; daybreak | |
| 明るさ | あかるさ | brightness; luminance; cheerfulness | |
| 明月 | めいげつ | harvest moon (trad. 15th day of the 8th lunar month); bright moon; full moon | |
| 神明 | しんめい | deity; god; Amaterasu (as an enshrined deity) | |
| 克明 | こくめい | detailed; scrupulous; careful; minute | n1 |
| 明察 | めいさつ | discernment; penetration; keen insight; acumen | |
| 薄明 | はくめい | twilight; dusk; faint light | |
| 清明 | せいめい | pure and clear; "clear and bright" solar term (approx. April 5) | n2 |
| 明太子 | めんたいこ | walleye pollack roe (generally served salted and spiced with red pepper) | |
| 夜明 | よあけ | dawn; daybreak | |
| 言明 | げんめい | declaration; statement; assertion | |
| 月明 | げつめい | moonlight | |
| 自明 | じめい | self-evident; obvious; axiomatic; self-explanatory | |
| 究明 | きゅうめい | investigation (esp. in academic and scientific contexts); finding out the facts; bringing (a matter) to light; inquiring into | n1 |
| 明かり | あかり | light; glow; gleam; (a) light | n3 |
| 説明書 | せつめいしょ | (printed) instructions; manual; explanatory leaflet (pamphlet, note); description | |
| 不透明 | ふとうめい | opaque; obscure; murky; turbid | n1 |
| 大明神 | だいみょうじん | deity with extraordinary spiritual powers | |
| 文明開化 | ぶんめいかいか | civilization and enlightenment; Japan's Westernization movement during the Meiji era (Westernisation) | |
| 明和 | めいわ | Meiwa era (1764.6.2-1772.11.16) | |
| 明け放す | あけはなす | to open wide (doors or windows); to throw open; to fling open; to leave open | |
| 明治天皇 | めいじてんのう | Emperor Meiji (1852-1912, reigned 1867-1912); Emperor Mutsuhito | |
| 明治期 | めいじき | Meiji period (1868-1912) | |
| 公明 | こうめい | fairness; openness; impartiality; Komeito (Japanese political party) | n1 |
| 闡明 | せんめい | clarification; elucidation; explanation | n2 |
| 澄明 | ちょうめい | clear and bright | |
| 透明性 | とうめいせい | transparency | |
| 明敏 | めいびん | intelligence; discernment | |
| 明確化 | めいかくか | clarification; definition | |
| 明細 | めいさい | details; particulars; specifics; detailed | |
| 明け暮れ | あけくれ | morning and evening; daily routine; to spend all one's time doing; to do day in, day out | |
| 平明 | へいめい | clear; simple | |
| 星明り | ほしあかり | starlight | |
| 釈明 | しゃくめい | explanation; vindication | n1 |
| 失明 | しつめい | loss of eyesight; loss of sight; going blind; blindness | |
| 無明 | むみょう | avidya (ignorance) | |
| 明るむ | あかるむ | to brighten; to grow light | |
| 明媚 | めいび | picturesque (scenery); unspoilt; beautiful | |
| 透明感 | とうめいかん | feeling of transparency; sense of translucence; clear and unclouded feel (e.g. of a voice, skin, etc.); bright and limpid impression | |
| 明晩 | みょうばん | tomorrow evening | |
| 明けがた | あけがた | dawn; daybreak | |
| 不動明王 | ふどうみょうおう | Acala (Wisdom King); Acalanatha; Fudō Myōō (Myō-ō); fierce Buddhist deity | |
| 明き | あき | space; room; gap; emptiness | n5 |
| 明鏡 | めいきょう | polished mirror; clear mirror | |
| 不明確 | ふめいかく | inaccurate; indistinct; imprecise; unclear | |
| 明代 | みんだい | Ming period (China; 1368-1644); Ming era | |
| 明け暮れる | あけくれる | to spend all one's time doing; to do day in, day out; to do nothing but ...; to be absorbed (in) | |
| 解き明かす | ときあかす | to uncover; to solve; to reveal | |
| 夜明し | よあかし | staying up all night; all-night vigil | |
| 明王 | みょうおう | Wisdom King; Vidyaraja | |
| 忌明け | いみあけ | end of mourning period (usu. 49 days) | |
| 明々白々 | めいめいはくはく | clearly evident; quite obvious; as clear as day; beyond any doubt | |
| 明年 | みょうねん | next year | |
| 明文化 | めいぶんか | stipulation; stating clearly; documenting in writing; stating explicitly | |
| 明度 | めいど | brightness; lightness | |
| 行方不明 | ゆくえふめい | missing (of a person); lost; unaccounted for; whereabouts unknown | |
| 明治大学 | めいじだいがく | Meiji University | |
| 内容証明 | ないようしょうめい | certification of contents | |
| 明け渡す | あけわたす | to vacate; to surrender (e.g. a castle); to give up (e.g. a position); to hand over (e.g. power) | |
| 明太 | メンタイ | walleye pollack (Theragra chalcogramma); Alaska pollack; walleye pollack roe (generally served salted and spiced with red pepper) | |
| 目明し | めあかし | hired thief taker (Edo period); private detective; private secret policeman | |
| 雪明り | ゆきあかり | brightness of snow; reflected light of snow; (by) snow light | |
| 明朝体 | みんちょうたい | Ming (serif typeface); Minchō | |
| 不明点 | ふめいてん | unclear point; unclear points | |
| 幽明 | ゆうめい | semidarkness; deep and strange; hades; the present and the other world | n5 |
| 明け放つ | あけはなつ | to open wide (doors or windows); to throw open; to fling open; to leave open | |
| 明君 | めいくん | wise ruler; enlightened monarch; benevolent lord | |
| 取扱説明書 | とりあつかいせつめいしょ | user's manual; instruction manual; operation manual | |
| 説明文 | せつめいぶん | explanatory note; explanatory text; explanation; caption | |
| 開明 | かいめい | civilization; civilisation; enlightenment | n1 |
| 語り明かす | かたりあかす | to talk the night away; to talk all night | |
| 黎明期 | れいめいき | dawn (of a new era, civilization, etc.); dawning | |
| 夕明り | ゆうあかり | lingering light of evening | |
| 英明 | えいめい | intelligent; wise; bright; brilliant | |
| 透明度 | とうめいど | transparency; degree of clearness | |
| 年明け | としあけ | beginning of the year; early in the New Year | |
| 明けっ放し | あけっぱなし | leaving open; leaving ajar; outspoken; frank | |
| 飲み明かす | のみあかす | to drink the night away | |
| 半透明 | はんとうめい | semi-transparent; translucent | |
| 明大 | めいだい | Meiji University (abbr) | |
| 明示的 | めいじてき | explicit | |
| 明細書 | めいさいしょ | detailed statement; detailed account; minute description; specifications | |
| 説き明かす | ときあかす | to explain; to make clear; to elucidate; to illustrate | |
| 明答 | めいとう | definite answer | |
| 明鏡止水 | めいきょうしすい | clear and serene (as a polished mirror and still water) | |
| 公明党 | こうめいとう | Komeito (Japanese political party) | |
| 糺明 | きゅうめい | searching examination; establishing the facts through thorough examination | n1 |
| 不鮮明 | ふせんめい | blur; blurred; indistinct | |
| 明知 | めいち | knowing clearly | |
| 明徳 | めいとく | virtue; Meitoku era (of the Northern Court; 1390.3.26-1392.10.5); Meitoku era (of reunified Japan; 1392.10.5-1394.7.5) | |
| 明らめる | あきらめる | to elucidate; to shed light on; to clarify | n3 |
| 明眸 | めいぼう | bright or beautiful eyes | |
| 原因不明 | げんいんふめい | cause unknown | |
| 夜明かし | よあかし | staying up all night; all-night vigil | |
| 照明器具 | しょうめいきぐ | lighting equipment | |
| 明夜 | みょうや | tomorrow night | |
| 明り取り | あかりとり | skylight; dormer; transom; dormer window | |
| 明応 | めいおう | Meiō era (1492.7.19-1501.2.29) | |
| 明文 | めいぶん | explicit statement (e.g. in law); express provision | |
| 明色 | めいしょく | bright (light) colour (color) | |
| 明暦 | めいれき | Meireki era (1655.4.13-1658.7.23) | |
| 天地神明 | てんちしんめい | the gods of heaven and earth | |
| 明け渡し | あけわたし | evacuation; surrender | |
| 身分証明書 | みぶんしょうめいしょ | identification papers; piece of identification; identity document; ID | |
| 配達証明 | はいたつしょうめい | delivery certificate | |
| 辛子明太子 | からしめんたいこ | salted cod roe flavored with red pepper | |
| 明け離れる | あけはなれる | to become daylight | |
| 明礬 | みょうばん | alum | |
| 山紫水明 | さんしすいめい | scenic beauty | |
| 梅雨明け | つゆあけ | end of the rainy season | |
| 明証 | めいしょう | proof; evidence; corroboration | n1 |
| 明治神宮 | めいじじんぐう | Meiji Shrine | |
| 説明的 | せつめいてき | explanatory; expository; elucidatory | |
| 糾明 | きゅうめい | searching examination; establishing the facts through thorough examination | n1 |
| 五明 | ごみょう | the five sciences of ancient India (grammar and composition, arts and mathematics, medicine, logic, and philosophy) | |
| 陽明学 | ようめいがく | Yangmingism (school of neo-Confucianism based on the teachings of Wang Yangming); School of Mind | |
| 古代文明 | こだいぶんめい | ancient civilization; ancient civilisation | |
| 泣き明かす | なきあかす | to weep the night away; to cry all night long | |
| 有明行灯 | ありあけあんどん | portable paper lantern for walking at night | |
| 白々明け | しらしらあけ | dawn; daybreak | |
| 種明かし | たねあかし | reveal of how a trick is done; disclosure of a secret (cause, source, etc.); exposure; explanation | |
| 明楽 | みんがく | Ming-era Chinese music (popularized in Japan during the early 17th century) | |
| 新明解国語辞典 | しんめいかいこくごじてん | Shinmeikai Kokugo Jiten (Japanese dictionary published by Sanseido) | |
| 明烏 | あけがらす | daybreak sound of a crow; (name of) poetry anthology | |
| 不明者 | ふめいしゃ | missing person | |
| 引明け | ひきあけ | dawn | |
| 窓明り | まどあかり | light coming in or leaking through a window | |
| 意味不明 | いみふめい | of uncertain meaning; ambiguous; cryptic; nonsensical | |
| 明け渡る | あけわたる | to become daylight | |
| 証明証 | しょうめいしょう | user certificate; certificate | |
| 無色透明 | むしょくとうめい | colorless and transparent | |
| 明哲 | めいてつ | wisdom; sagacity; wise man | |
| 意識不明 | いしきふめい | (state of) unconsciousness | |
| 明けっぱなし | あけっぱなし | leaving open; leaving ajar; outspoken; frank | |
| 明盲 | あきめくら | illiterate or blind person; person who sees without understanding; amaurosis | |
| 明美 | めいび | picturesque (scenery); unspoilt; beautiful | |
| 明らむ | あからむ | to become luminous at dawn (esp. the sky) | |
| 朝明け | あさあけ | dawn; daybreak | |
| 夜勤明け | やきんあけ | (being) off night duty; end of a night shift | |
| 目明き | めあき | one who can see; educated or sensible person | |
| 愛染明王 | あいぜんみょうおう | Ragaraja (esoteric school deity of love) | |
| 明眸皓歯 | めいぼうこうし | starry eyes and beautiful white teeth (said of beautiful women) | |
| 明徴 | めいちょう | clarification | |
| 週明け | しゅうあけ | beginning of next week (usu. Monday); early next week | |
| 原因究明 | げんいんきゅうめい | investigation to determine the cause (of); tracing something back to its origin | |
| 月明かり | つきあかり | moonlight | |
| 状況説明 | じょうきょうせつめい | briefing; status report; explanation of the situation | |
| 行方不明者 | ゆくえふめいしゃ | missing person | |
| 宣明 | せんめい | stating clearly; declaration; proclamation | n2 |
| 明解 | めいかい | clear explanation | n1 |
| 因明 | いんみょう | hetuvidya (ancient Indian logic for determining right from wrong, truth from falsehood, etc.) | |
| 水明 | すいめい | light shimmering on water | |
| 寒明け | かんあけ | the beginning of spring | |
| 給与明細 | きゅうよめいさい | payslip | |
| 明視 | めいし | clarity of vision | n3 |
| 明断 | めいだん | clear or definite judgement (judgment) | |
| 文明人 | ぶんめいじん | civilized person; civilized people | |
| 発明家 | はつめいか | inventor | |
| 発明者 | はつめいしゃ | inventor | |
| 不透明感 | ふとうめいかん | sense of uncertainty; lack of clarity; indecisiveness | |
| 柳暗花明 | りゅうあんかめい | beautiful scenery of spring; red-light district | |
| 連休明け | れんきゅうあけ | end of consecutive holidays | |
| 有明け | ありあけ | dawn (esp. from the 16th day of the lunar month onward); portable paper lantern for walking at night | |
| 未解明 | みかいめい | unexplained; unsolved; unclear | |
| 神明造 | しんめいづくり | style of shrine architecture based on that of Ise Jingu | |
| 休み明け | やすみあけ | just after a holiday break; the first day after the holidays | |
| 明明後日 | しあさって | in three days' time; two days after tomorrow | |
| 間接照明 | かんせつしょうめい | indirect lighting | |
| 印鑑証明書 | いんかんしょうめいしょ | registered seal certificate; seal-registration certificate | |
| 遅延証明書 | ちえんしょうめいしょ | certificate of lateness (issued by a railroad company, etc.) | |
| 明後年 | みょうごねん | year after next | |
| 補足説明 | ほそくせつめい | supplementary explanation | |
| 西洋文明 | せいようぶんめい | Western civilization; Western civilisation | |
| 証明写真 | しょうめいしゃしん | ID photo; passport photo | |
| 明主 | めいしゅ | wise ruler | |
| 明刻 | ミンコー | open three-of-a-kind (meld); three-of-a-kind made with a tile called from another player | |
| 明春 | みょうしゅん | next spring; next year's New Year season; beginning of next year | |
| 新明解 | しんめいかい | Shinmeikai Kokugo Jiten (Japanese dictionary published by Sanseido) (abbr) | |
| 明り先 | あかりさき | source of light | |
| 簡単明瞭 | かんたんめいりょう | simple and clear | |
| 詳細説明 | しょうさいせつめい | detailed explanation | |
| 説明責任 | せつめいせきにん | accountability; being held accountable | |
| 透明人間 | とうめいにんげん | invisible person (in science fiction, etc.) | |
| 道明寺粉 | どうみょうじこ | coarse rice powder | |
| 納税証明書 | のうぜいしょうめいしょ | tax payment certification; certificate of tax payment | |
| 明治学院大学 | めいじがくいんだいがく | Meiji Gakuin University | |
| 三明 | さんみょう | three kinds of awareness | |
| 薄明かり | うすあかり | dim light; faint light; half-light of early morning; twilight | |
| 出生証明書 | しゅっしょうしょうめいしょ | birth certificate | |
| 明きめくら | あきめくら | illiterate or blind person; person who sees without understanding; amaurosis | |
| 明りょう | めいりょう | clear; plain; distinct; obvious | n2 |
| 明達 | めいたつ | wisdom | |
| 不明朗 | ふめいろう | gloominess; gloom; questionable; unfair | |
| 明き盲 | あきめくら | illiterate or blind person; person who sees without understanding; amaurosis | |
| 説明者 | せつめいしゃ | briefer; elucidator; exponent; expositor | |
| 会社説明会 | かいしゃせつめいかい | company information session | |
| 昆明 | こんめい | Kunming (China) | |
| 明渡 | あけわたし | evacuation; surrender | |
| 溶明 | ようめい | fade-in | |
| 明き間 | あきま | vacancy; room for rent or lease; gap (between two objects); opening | |
| 明清楽 | みんしんがく | Ming and Qing-era Chinese music (as popularized in Japan before the First Sino-Japanese war) | |
| 明順応 | めいじゅんのう | light adaptation | |
| 薄明り | うすあかり | dim light; faint light; half-light of early morning; twilight | |
| 単純明快 | たんじゅんめいかい | simple and clear; plain and simple | |
| 明石焼き | あかしやき | Akashi ware (variety of pottery from Hyogo prefecture); round balls made from eggs, flour, etc. (local food of Akashi) | |
| 直截簡明 | ちょくせつかんめい | plain and simple; straightforward | |
| 明け払う | あけはらう | to open; to vacate | |
| 簡明直截 | かんめいちょくせつ | simple and plain; frank, direct and unambivalent; straightforward | |
| 卒業証明書 | そつぎょうしょうめいしょ | graduation certificate; diploma; testamur | |
| 成績証明書 | せいせきしょうめいしょ | transcript of results; report of results | |
| 明かり取り | あかりとり | skylight; dormer; transom; dormer window | |
| 明かり障子 | あかりしょうじ | paper screen door for admitting light | |
| 明き家 | あきや | vacant house; unoccupied house | n3 |
| 明所 | あきど | empty place; unoccupied space | |
| 羞明 | しゅうめい | photophobia | |
| 文明社会 | ぶんめいしゃかい | civilized society; civilised society | |
| 明かり窓 | あかりまど | transom; skylight; dormer window | |
| 明朗快活 | めいろうかいかつ | cheerful and openhearted | |
| 明治憲法 | めいじけんぽう | Meiji Constitution; Constitution of the Empire of Japan | |
| 明窓浄机 | めいそうじょうき | dustless desk by a well-lit window; well-lit and clean study conducive to learning | |
| 正体不明 | しょうたいふめい | unidentifiable; unidentified | |
| 真偽不明 | しんぎふめい | dubious; doubtful; of unknown authenticity | |
| 薄明光線 | はくめいこうせん | crepuscular rays; sunbeams | |
| 著明 | ちょめい | clarity | n1 |
| 明弁 | めいべん | discernment; clear analysis; clear expression; distinguished speech | |
| 明荷 | あけに | luggage trunk for wrestlers and referees; wicker basket for a wrestler's belt, apron, etc. | |
| 明辨 | めいべん | discernment; clear analysis; clear expression; distinguished speech | |
| 明辯 | めいべん | discernment; clear analysis; clear expression; distinguished speech | |
| 不分明 | ふぶんめい | obscure; vague | |
| 弁明書 | べんめいしょ | letter of explanation; written explanation | |
| 発明品 | はつめいひん | invention | |
| 黎明会 | れいめいかい | Reimeikai; progressive political society at various universities in Japan (1918-1920) | |
| お盆明け | おぼんあけ | just after Obon; the period (immediately) after Obon | |
| 今日明日 | きょうあす | today and tomorrow; today or tomorrow; in a day or two; very soon | |
| 持明院統 | じみょういんとう | imperial lineage from Emperor Gofukakusa to Emperor Gokomatsu | |
| 旗幟鮮明 | きしせんめい | making one's attitude (position, stand) clear; unfurling and clearly showing one's banner | |
| 明々後日 | しあさって | in three days' time; two days after tomorrow | |
| 明朗会計 | めいろうかいけい | clear accounting; honest accounting (billing); transparent billing practices (in restaurant and bar charges, etc.) | |
| 明海大学 | めいかいだいがく | Meikai University | |
| 消息不明 | しょうそくふめい | untraceable; long lost; one's whereabouts being unknown | |
| 現代文明 | げんだいぶんめい | modern civilization; modern civilisation | |
| 生死不明 | せいしふめい | not knowing whether someone is dead or alive; of unknown fate; missing | |
| 目明かし | めあかし | hired thief taker (Edo period); private detective; private secret policeman | |
| 舞台照明 | ぶたいしょうめい | stage lighting | |
| 説明書き | せつめいがき | (written) explanation; explanatory label (e.g. in a museum); information sign (e.g. at a tourist spot); instructions (e.g. for a product) | |
| 身分証明 | みぶんしょうめい | identification | |
| 明けっぴろげ | あけっぴろげ | wide-open; frank; open; candid | |
| 明治鍼灸大学 | めいじしんきゅうだいがく | Meiji College of Oriental Medicine | |
| 明家 | あきや | vacant house; unoccupied house | n3 |
| 天明調 | てんめいちょう | style of haikai or haiku from the Tenmei era (based on a return to the style of Basho); style of comical tanka from the Tenmei era (popularized by Oota Nampo) | |
| 宣明暦 | せんみょうれき | Tang lunar calendar (used for 823 years in Japan) | |
| 新発明 | しんはつめい | new invention; new discovery | |
| 明石焼 | あかしやき | Akashi ware (variety of pottery from Hyogo prefecture); round balls made from eggs, flour, etc. (local food of Akashi) | |
| 明礬石 | みょうばんせき | alunite | |
| 金明竹 | きんめいちく | Castillon bamboo (cultivar of Japanese timber bamboo, Phyllostachys bambusoides) | |
| 夜明け方 | よあけがた | dawn; daybreak | |
| 孔雀明王 | くじゃくみょうおう | Mahamayuri (deity usu. depicted riding a peacock) | |
| 簡潔明瞭 | かんけつめいりょう | clear and concise | |
| 花明かり | はなあかり | the brilliance of cherry blossoms which illuminate the evening | |
| 頭脳明晰 | ずのうめいせき | clearheadedness; sharpness of mind | |
| 明けっ広げ | あけっぴろげ | wide-open; frank; open; candid | |
| 明了 | めいりょう | clear; plain; distinct; obvious | n2 |
| 忌明 | いみあけ | end of mourning period (usu. 49 days) | |
| 明か | さやか | clear; fresh; bright | |
| 再発明 | さいはつめい | reinvention | |
| 声明書 | せいめいしょ | statement | |
| 川明り | かわあかり | glow of a river in the darkness; surface of a river gleaming in the darkness; gleam on a river at dusk | |
| 文明史 | ぶんめいし | history of civilization | |
| 明治節 | めいじせつ | Emperor Meiji's birthday (November 3; national holiday held from 1927 to 1948) | |
| 明電舎 | めいでんしゃ | Meidensha Corporation | |
| 照明弾 | しょうめいだん | flare; star shell | |
| 不透明性 | ふとうめいせい | opacity | |
| 休日明け | きゅうじつあけ | the day after a holiday | |
| 休暇明け | きゅうかあけ | post-vacation | |
| 利用明細 | りようめいさい | account statement | |
| 存在証明 | そんざいしょうめい | proof of existence | |
| 年季明け | ねんきあけ | expiration of a term of service | |
| 徹夜明け | てつやあけ | after staying up all night | |
| 明星大学 | めいせいだいがく | Meisei University | |
| 来週明け | らいしゅうあけ | early next week; (at the) beginning of next week | |
| 無明長夜 | むみょうじょうや | the long night of spiritual darkness | |
| 趣旨説明 | しゅしせつめい | explanation of aim (esp. of a legislative bill); rationalization | |
| 透明水彩 | とうめいすいさい | watercolor; transparent watercolor (as opposed to gouache); aquarelle | |
| 明暗境界線 | めいあんきょうかいせん | terminator; twilight zone | |
| 盗難証明書 | とうなんしょうめいしょ | certificate of theft (for insurance purposes, etc.) | |
| 給与明細書 | きゅうよめいさいしょ | payslip statement | |
| 身元不明者 | みもとふめいしゃ | John Doe; Jane Doe; person unknown | |
| 電子証明書 | でんししょうめいしょ | digital certificate | |
| 明治薬科大学 | めいじやっかだいがく | Meiji Pharmaceutical University | |
| 明旦 | みょうたん | tomorrow morning | |
| 根明 | ねあか | innate cheerfulness; innately cheerful person; happy-go-lucky person; natural optimist | |
| 今明日 | こんみょうにち | today and (or) tomorrow | |
| 口明け | くちあけ | opening (of a bottle); broaching; beginning; opening | |
| 声明文 | せいめいぶん | proclamation; statement | |
| 大明槓 | ダイミンカン | turning a concealed pung into an open kong by calling another player's discard | |
| 常灯明 | じょうとうみょう | continuously burning light (e.g. at a Buddhist altar) | |
| 常燈明 | じょうとうみょう | continuously burning light (e.g. at a Buddhist altar) | |
| 幕明け | まくあけ | rise of the curtain; opening of a play; beginning (e.g. of an era); start | |
| 御灯明 | みあかし | lighted lamp (or candle, etc.) provided as a religious offering | |
| 手明き | てすき | not busy; unengaged; being free; leisure | |
| 文明国 | ぶんめいこく | civilized nation; civilised nation | |
| 明け番 | あけばん | day off; off duty | |
| 明け荷 | あけに | luggage trunk for wrestlers and referees; wicker basket for a wrestler's belt, apron, etc. | |
| 明せき | めいせき | clear; distinct | |
| 明所視 | めいしょし | photopic vision; daylight vision; photopia | |
| 明日葉 | あしたば | Angelica keiskei (species of angelica, a herb of the parsley family) | |
| 明晰夢 | めいせきむ | lucid dream; dream in which the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming | |
| 明瞭度 | めいりょうど | intelligibility; clarity; clearness; articulation | |
| 明石潟 | あかしがた | Camellia sasanqua 'Akasigata' (cultivar of Christmas camellia) | |
| 明細図 | めいさいず | detail map | |
| 発明王 | はつめいおう | master inventor; king of inventors (e.g. Edison) | |
| 透明体 | とうめいたい | a transparent body | |
| 透明帯 | とうめいたい | zona pellucida | |
| 不在証明 | ふざいしょうめい | alibi | |
| 事理明白 | じりめいはく | facts being beyond dispute; logic being indisputable | |
| 反対声明 | はんたいせいめい | statement of opposition; opposition declaration | |
| 引き明け | ひきあけ | dawn | |
| 明け残る | あけのこる | to remain in the morning sky (i.e. the Moon and stars) | |
| 明明白白 | めいめいはくはく | clearly evident; quite obvious; as clear as day; beyond any doubt | |
| 清風明月 | せいふうめいげつ | refreshing breeze and the bright moon; a beautiful nocturnal scene with a full moon | |
| 簡明率直 | かんめいそっちょく | simple, plain, and artless; clear, concise, and unaffected | |
| 航海薄明 | こうかいはくめい | nautical twilight | |
| 西欧文明 | せいおうぶんめい | Western civilization; Western civilisation | |
| 身元不明 | みもとふめい | (a person or body being) unidentifiable (unidentified) | |
| 近代文明 | きんだいぶんめい | modern civilization; modern world | |
| 黄河文明 | こうがぶんめい | Yellow River civilization; Huang civilization; cradle of Chinese civilization | |
| タネ明かし | たねあかし | reveal of how a trick is done; disclosure of a secret (cause, source, etc.); exposure; explanation | |
| 保険証明書 | ほけんしょうめいしょ | insurance certificate | |
| 在籍証明書 | ざいせきしょうめいしょ | certificate of enrollment; certificate of (school) registration | |
| 在職証明書 | ざいしょくしょうめいしょ | certificate of employment | |
| 所得証明書 | しょとくしょうめいしょ | income certificate; certificate of earnings | |
| 罹災証明書 | りさいしょうめいしょ | disaster certificate; document certifying that one is a disaster victim | |
| 証明写真機 | しょうめいしゃしんき | photo booth | |
| 原産地証明書 | げんさんちしょうめいしょ | certificate of origin | |
| 明治安田生命保険 | めいじやすだせいめいほけん | Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance | |
| 明屋 | あきや | vacant house; unoccupied house | n3 |
| 明き地 | あきち | vacant land; unoccupied ground; empty lot; empty point | n3 |
| 明亮 | めいりょう | clear; plain; distinct; obvious | n2 |
| 明初 | めいしょ | first year of Meiji era | n2 |
| 内明 | ないみょう | adhyatma vidya (one of the five sciences of ancient India); science of spirituality | |
| 明々 | あかあか | brightly lit; brightly lighted; lit up; lighted up | |
| 明る | あかる | to become bright; to become clear | |
| 明呪 | みょうじゅ | mantra | |
| 明喩 | めいゆ | simile | |
| 明店 | あきだな | empty house; vacant house | |
| 明意 | めいい | explicit meaning; directly stated meaning (as opposed to implied); explicature | |
| 明明 | あかあか | brightly lit; brightly lighted; lit up; lighted up | |
| 明晳 | めいせき | clear; distinct | |
| 明渠 | めいきょ | open ditch | |
| 明澄 | めいちょう | lucid; clear | |
| 疎明 | そめい | explanation (for purpose of convincing a judge) | |
| 目明 | めあかし | hired thief taker (Edo period); private detective; private secret policeman | |
| 軒明 | のきあかり | eaves lantern | |
| 不文明 | ふぶんめい | indistinct; obscure | |
| 光明石 | こうめいせき | kōmeiseki; kōmei stone; slightly radioactive stone used in onsens, traditional medicine, etc. | |
| 前明き | まえあき | front-opening | |
| 医方明 | いほうみょう | cikitsavidya (the ancient Indian study of medicine) | |
| 大明日 | だいみょうにち | very auspicious day | |
| 失明者 | しつめいしゃ | blind person | |
| 小明槓 | ショウミンカン | forming a four-of-a-kind by adding a self-drawn tile to an open three-of-a-kind | |
| 川明太 | かわめんたい | burbot (Lota lota) | |
| 工巧明 | くぎょうみょう | silpasthanavidya (ancient Indian study of the arts, incl. mathematics and mechanics) | |
| 幕明き | まくあき | rise of the curtain; opening of a play; beginning (e.g. of an era); start | |
| 年明き | ねんあき | expiration of a term of service | |
| 文明館 | ぶんめいかん | the Bunmeikan Theater | |
| 早明戦 | そうめいせん | Waseda-Meiji (baseball) game | |
| 明かし | あかし | light (esp. as a religious offering); lamp | |
| 明かん | あかん | useless; no good; hopeless; cannot | |
| 明き巣 | あきす | empty nest; empty house; empty home; burglary (of an empty house) | |
| 明き店 | あきだな | empty house; vacant house | |
| 明くる | あくる | next (day, morning, etc.); following | |
| 明け烏 | あけがらす | daybreak sound of a crow; (name of) poetry anthology | |
| 明つ神 | あきつかみ | emperor; living god | |
| 明へん | あかへん | useless; no good; hopeless | |
| 明り窓 | あかりまど | transom; skylight; dormer window | |
| 明刻子 | ミンコーツ | open three-of-a-kind (meld); three-of-a-kind made with a tile called from another player | |
| 明年度 | みょうねんど | next (fiscal) year | |
| 明渡し | あけわたし | evacuation; surrender | |
| 明渡す | あけわたす | to vacate; to surrender (e.g. a castle); to give up (e.g. a position); to hand over (e.g. power) | |
| 明細表 | めいさいひょう | itemized account; itemised account | |
| 明赤色 | めいせきしょく | bright red | |
| 月明り | つきあかり | moonlight | |
| 本発明 | ほんはつめい | present invention | |
| 松明花 | タイマツバナ | Oswego tea (Monarda didyma); bee balm; bergamot | |
| 根明か | ねあか | innate cheerfulness; innately cheerful person; happy-go-lucky person; natural optimist | |
| 水明り | みずあかり | faint reflection of light upon the water in the dark | |
| 河明り | かわあかり | glow of a river in the darkness; surface of a river gleaming in the darkness; gleam on a river at dusk | |
| 泣明す | なきあかす | to weep the night away; to cry all night long | |
| 清明祭 | せいめいさい | tomb sweeping festival (Okinawa, April 4 or 5) | |
| 温明殿 | うんめいでん | pavilion housing the sacred mirror (in Heian Palace) | |
| 火明り | ひあかり | lamplight; torchlight | |
| 火明命 | ほあかりのみこと | Hoakari no Mikoto (Japanese deity) | |
| 灯明り | ひあかり | lamplight; torchlight | |
| 照明器 | しょうめいき | lighting equipment | |
| 照明灯 | しょうめいとう | light used for brightly lighting up a plaza, building, etc. | |
| 町明り | まちあかり | city lights | |
| 盆明け | ぼんあけ | just after Obon; the period (immediately) after Obon | |
| 石決明 | アワビ | abalone; ear shell | |
| 神明社 | しんめいしゃ | (post-Heian) shrine dedicated to Amaterasu | |
| 秋明菊 | しゅうめいぎく | Japanese anemone; Anemone hupehensis var. japonica | |
| 穴明き | あなあき | pierced; drilled; perforated; hollow | |
| 立明戦 | りつめいせん | Rikkyo-Meiji (baseball) game | |
| 翠明荘 | すいめいそう | Suimeiso (hotel and restaurant chain - suimeiso.co.jp) | |
| 胡志明 | ホーチミン | Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969); Nguyen Tat Thanh; Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) | |
| 脇明け | わきあけ | robe worn by military officials with a round collar, unstitched open sides, and no wrapped fabric along the bottom; small opening in the side of traditional Japanese clothing (where the sleeve meets the bodice, below the armpit); clothing with such an opening (usu. worn by women or children) | |
| 腋明け | わきあけ | robe worn by military officials with a round collar, unstitched open sides, and no wrapped fabric along the bottom; small opening in the side of traditional Japanese clothing (where the sleeve meets the bodice, below the armpit); clothing with such an opening (usu. worn by women or children) | |
| 自明解 | じめいかい | trivial solution | |
| 蓋明け | ふたあけ | opening; beginning; commencement | |
| 街明り | まちあかり | city lights | |
| 解明す | ときあかす | to uncover; to solve; to reveal | |
| 証明力 | しょうめいりょく | credibility; probative value; power of evidence on a judge's mind | |
| 説明し | ときあかし | explanation; exposition | |
| 透明質 | とうめいしつ | hyaloplasm | |
| 遣明使 | けんみんし | Japanese mission to Ming dynasty China | |
| 遣明船 | けんみんせん | ship used in Japanese missions to Ming dynasty China | |
| 非自明 | ひじめい | nontrivial (e.g. solution); non-obvious | |
| がら明き | がらあき | almost completely empty; virtually empty; inadequately defended; undefended | |
| また明日 | またあした | see you tomorrow | |
| み明かし | みあかし | lighted lamp (or candle, etc.) provided as a religious offering | |
| れい明期 | れいめいき | dawn (of a new era, civilization, etc.); dawning | |
| カリ明礬 | カリみょうばん | potassium alum | |
| ピン説明 | ピンせつめい | pin-outs | |
| 不透明度 | ふとうめいど | opacity | |
| 五大明王 | ごだいみょうおう | five great wisdom kings (Acala, Kundali, Trilokavijaya, Vajrayaksa, Yamantaka) | |
| 五明後日 | ごあさって | four days from now (five days in some places) | |
| 仄明かり | ほのあかり | faint light; dim light | |
| 休会明け | きゅうかいあけ | reassembly after a recess (e.g. of a legislature); reconvening after a break | |
| 住所不明 | じゅうしょふめい | address unknown | |
| 作者不明 | さくしゃふめい | of unknown authorship; anonymous (work) | |
| 先見の明 | せんけんのめい | foresight; prescience | |
| 光明真言 | こうみょうしんごん | Mantra of Light | |