Complete JLPT Kanji List: All Levels N5 to N1

The JLPT kanji list spans 2,000-plus characters across five levels, from the 79 fundamental kanji of N5 to the advanced characters tested at N1. Understanding what kanji you need to know at each level is essential for focused study. This guide provides the complete breakdown of JLPT kanji by level, along with strategies for learning them efficiently.

How Many Kanji Are in Each JLPT Level?

The JLPT does not publish an official kanji list. The kanji tested at each level are defined by the set of kanji that appear in level-appropriate vocabulary and reading passages. However, based on analysis of past exams and the official JLPT guidelines, the following estimates are widely accepted:

N5: Approximately 79 kanji (basic, high-frequency characters) N4: Approximately 168 additional kanji (about 247 total) N3: Approximately 367 additional kanji (about 614 total) N2: Approximately 368 additional kanji (about 982 total) N1: Approximately 1,023 additional kanji (about 2,005 total)

The jump from N4 to N3 is the largest in terms of new kanji volume. Many learners find this the most challenging transition. The jump from N2 to N1 adds even more characters, but many are low-frequency kanji that appear primarily in specialized written materials.

For comparison, the Japanese Ministry of Education designates 2,136 kanji as Jōyō (commonly used). JLPT N1 covers the majority of these, plus some additional Jinmeiyō (name) kanji.

N5 Kanji: The Foundation

The 79 N5 kanji cover the most fundamental concepts in Japanese. These characters appear everywhere — in street signs, menus, textbooks, and basic conversations. Mastering them is the first major milestone in kanji learning.

N5 kanji include:

Numbers: 一 (one), 二 (two), 三 (three), 四 (four), 五 (five), 六 (six), 七 (seven), 八 (eight), 九 (nine), 十 (ten), 百 (hundred), 千 (thousand), 万 (ten thousand)

Time-related: 時 (time/hour), 分 (minute), 半 (half), 年 (year), 月 (month/moon), 日 (day/sun), 今 (now)

People: 人 (person), 男 (man), 女 (woman), 子 (child), 友 (friend), 先 (previous), 生 (life)

Place and direction: 上 (up), 下 (down), 右 (right), 左 (left), 東 (east), 西 (west), 南 (south), 北 (north), 前 (front), 後 (after/behind), 中 (middle), 外 (outside)

Everyday objects: 本 (book), 車 (car), 駅 (station), 店 (shop), 国 (country), 学校 (school), 電話 (telephone), 雨 (rain), 言 (say), 見 (see), 聞 (hear/ask)

Adjectives (descriptions): 大 (big), 小 (small), 高 (tall/expensive), 安 (cheap), 新 (new), 古 (old), 白 (white), 黒 (black), 赤 (red), 青 (blue), 多 (many), 少 (few)

Nature: 山 (mountain), 川 (river), 田 (rice field), 天 (heaven/sky), 気 (spirit/energy)

Other: 名 (name), 何 (what), 金 (gold/money), 足 (foot/leg), 王 (king), 円 (circle/yen), 休 (rest), 立 (stand), 食 (eat), 飲 (drink), 読 (read), 語 (language), 正 (correct), 会 (meet), 社 (company), 出 (exit), 入 (enter), 話 (talk), 買 (buy), 来 (come), 行 (go), 週 (week)

For a complete study guide with readings and compounds for every N5 kanji, visit our N5 study pages.

N4 Kanji: Building Vocabulary

N4 adds approximately 168 kanji to the 79 from N5. These are still common characters but include more abstract concepts and an expanded set of everyday vocabulary.

Example N4 kanji include:

Family and relationships: 父母兄弟姉妹夫妻子

Body parts: 目耳口手首体毛

Food and drink: 肉魚野菜茶牛米

Buildings and places: 病院図書館公園道門堂

Actions: 画画持待送返走歩止通始終

Qualities: 太細長早丸色広

Time and sequence: 毎朝晩午後間際度回

Nature and geography: 花林森海空風雪

N4 kanji also introduce more abstract concepts like 意味 (meaning), 質問 (question), 勉強 (study), and 練習 (practice). At this level, you start reading more complex passages that require understanding kanji in context.

Our N4 study pages organize N4 kanji by theme and provide example compounds and sentences for each character.

N3 Kanji: The Intermediate Leap

N3 adds approximately 367 kanji, bringing the total to about 614. This is the level where kanji learning becomes a major project. The characters covered at N3 include many common Jōyō kanji used in news articles, general literature, and everyday written materials.

Example N3 kanji categories:

Advanced actions: 押引選決認守防戦競与担

Abstract concepts: 絶対結果実際影響必要可能

Society and economy: 政治経済社会産業銀行役

Education and science: 験試究究課物科薬質

Communication: 連絡報告説明求質問返

Quantity and degree: 増減完全初最共様各別

Time and order: 予約段階続順番期次第催

N3 is often cited as the most challenging jump in the JLPT kanji curriculum. The number of characters triples from N4, and the characters themselves become more complex (more strokes, more abstract meanings). Many learners spend six months or more on N3 kanji alone.

If you are preparing for N3, focus on radicals. Understanding the structural components of kanji makes learning these complex characters manageable. Our kanji radicals guide covers the most important radicals you need.

N2 Kanji: Advanced Proficiency

N2 adds approximately 368 kanji, bringing the total to about 982. At this level, you can read most Japanese news articles, essays, and general publications. N2 kanji include many characters used in newspapers, official documents, and business contexts.

Example N2 kanji include:

Formal and written language: 証拠報告審査検査裁判執

Business and economics: 営業販売在庫融資債券株

Academic vocabulary: 教授研究分析評価評論批

Technology and science: 機械製造開発設測量程

Law and government: 法律規則義務権利許可禁

Human qualities: 勇誠謙慎努奮励責弊

N2 kanji often appear as components of longer compounds. Many are kango (Chinese-origin words) that combine multiple kanji to form technical or formal vocabulary. Learning kanji in compound form becomes increasingly important at this level.

For N2 preparation strategies, including kanji study approaches, see our JLPT N2 study strategies guide.

N1 Kanji: Near-Native Literacy

N1 adds approximately 1,023 kanji, bringing the total to about 2,005. At this level, you cover the vast majority of Jōyō kanji plus some additional characters used in specialized contexts.

Example N1 kanji categories:

Literary and classical: these are kanji that appear in literature, essays, and historical documents. Characters like 詠 (recite poetry), 麗 (lovely), and 唐 (Tang dynasty/China) fall into this category.

Specialized technical terms: kanji used primarily in academic or professional contexts. For example, 絨 (velvet/felt), 睦 (friendly), and 覇 (hegemony/leadership).

Rare or formal readings: at N1, you also need to know less common readings of kanji you already know from lower levels. A character like 生 has over a dozen possible readings, and you need to know which reading applies in which compound.

N1 kanji study relies heavily on extensive reading. Rather than memorizing characters in isolation, the most effective approach is to encounter them repeatedly in authentic Japanese texts — newspapers, novels, academic papers, and professional documents.

For comprehensive N1 preparation, see our JLPT N1 preparation guide.

Study Order: Which Kanji to Learn First

The JLPT levels provide a natural progression, but within each level, the order matters. Here are principles for ordering your kanji study.

Learn by Frequency

Within a level, learn the most common kanji first. For N5, this is straightforward — all 79 are high-frequency. For N3 and above, prioritize kanji that appear frequently in newspapers and everyday writing.

Frequency lists (available online) rank kanji by how often they appear in Japanese text. Learning in frequency order ensures you get the most practical value from each character you study.

Learn by Radical

Grouping kanji that share radicals helps you learn more efficiently. When you learn a radical, you gain the ability to recognize and write all kanji containing that radical. This compounds over time.

For example, learning the 言 (say/speech) radical helps you recognize 話 (talk), 語 (language), 説 (theory), and many others. Learning the 心 (heart) radical helps with 思 (think), 想 (concept), and 意 (meaning).

Learn On’yomi Groups

Kanji that share the same On’yomi (Chinese reading) are worth studying together. When you learn that 青 (blue), 清 (pure), 晴 (clear weather), and 静 (quiet) all share the On’yomi セイ (sei), you can predict the reading of unfamiliar compounds.

This pattern recognition is one of the most powerful tools for advanced kanji learning. Our onyomi vs kunyomi guide explains this in detail.

Learn in Vocabulary Context

Perhaps the most important principle: learn kanji in the context of actual words, not in isolation. Memorizing a character and its reading without vocabulary is less effective than learning 食べる (taberu, to eat) with 食 and 勉強 (benkyou, study) with 勉 and 強.

Each kanji you study should be anchored by two to three common compounds that you can read and use in sentences.

How Many Kanji Should You Learn Per Day?

The sustainable pace depends on your available study time and your level.

Beginner (N5/N4): 3 to 5 new kanji per day. At this level, each kanji requires learning basic readings and a few compounds. Total study time per kanji is about 5 to 10 minutes including review.

Intermediate (N3): 5 to 10 new kanji per day. At N3, you have established learning habits. Characters are more complex, but your familiarity with radicals speeds up the process.

Advanced (N2/N1): 10 to 15 new kanji per day. Many N2 and N1 kanji are variations of characters you already know, or they share readings with known characters. Learning speed increases.

These numbers assume consistent daily review using spaced repetition. Without regular review, forgetting rates are high.

Spaced Repetition for Kanji

Spaced repetition systems (SRS) are essential for kanji acquisition. The sheer volume of characters and readings makes manual review impractical.

Anki is the most popular SRS tool for kanji. Configure your decks with:

Front: Kanji character
Back: Readings, meaning, and 2 to 3 common compounds with example sentences
Audio: Optional but helpful for connecting kanji to pronunciation

Review new kanji daily. A typical session for intermediate learners involves 15 to 20 new cards and 50 to 100 review cards, taking 20 to 30 minutes.

The key to SRS success is consistency. A daily 20-minute review session is more effective than a weekly two-hour session.

Our how to use Anki for Japanese guide covers optimal Anki settings and card formats for kanji study.

Kanji that Appear in Multiple Levels

Some kanji appear in vocabulary at multiple JLPT levels. This happens because a single kanji may have multiple readings or meanings, some of which are tested at lower levels and others at higher levels.

For example, 生 appears in N5 vocabulary (先生 sensei, teacher), but its other readings (うまれる, いきる, せい, しょう) and compounds (生活 seikatsu, life; 生産 seisan, production) are tested at higher levels.

When you encounter a familiar kanji in an unfamiliar reading, add it to your study deck as a new card. Do not assume you have mastered a kanji because you know one reading.

Total Kanji Counts at Each Milestone

To help you visualize the entire journey:

After N5: 79 kanji — you can read basic signs, menus, and simple sentences
After N4: 247 kanji — you can read simple passages and understand general descriptions
After N3: 614 kanji — you can read news articles with some dictionary help and understand most everyday writing
After N2: 982 kanji — you can read newspapers, magazines, and general publications with reasonable fluency
After N1: 2,005+ kanji — you can read academic papers, literature, and any general publication

Most learners take one to two years to reach N3, two to three years to reach N2, and three to five years to reach N1. These timelines vary significantly based on study intensity and consistency.

For realistic timeframes, see our guide on how long to pass the JLPT.

Resources for Kanji Learning

In addition to this guide, several resources can support your kanji study:

KanjiTest.Online N5 study pages: Level-by-level kanji lists with readings and compounds
N5 flashcards: Interactive SRS flashcards for kanji recognition
N5 vocabulary: Kanji in vocabulary context with example sentences
Practice tests: Test your kanji knowledge under timed conditions

The same resources are available for N4, N3, N2, and N1 through their respective level pages.

Conclusion

The JLPT kanji list grows from 79 characters at N5 to over 2,000 at N1. Each level builds on the previous one, adding not just more characters but more complex readings and compounds. The key to mastering this progression is consistent daily study using spaced repetition, learning kanji in vocabulary context, and understanding the radical system that underlies all characters.

Start where you are. If you have not learned N5 kanji, begin there. If you are at N3, commit to learning five to ten new kanji per day. Track your progress. Celebrate milestones. Over months and years, the accumulated characters will unlock the written Japanese language.

Practice Your Skills

Ready to apply what you learned? KanjiTest.Online has everything you need:

Study — Browse all N5 kanji with readings and examples
Flashcards — Flip through interactive flashcards
Vocabulary — Learn essential N5 words
Practice Tests — Test your knowledge with timed quizzes

For more kanji and JLPT strategies, read our guides on how to remember kanji, kanji radicals guide, and common kanji mistakes.