What is the difference between JLPT N5 and N1?

JLPT has five levels. N5 is the most basic level and introduces simple kanji alongside hiragana and katakana, while N1 is the highest level for advanced reading in professional, newspaper, and literary contexts.

Do I need to handwrite kanji for the JLPT?

No. JLPT is a multiple-choice exam. It focuses on reading, kanji recognition, and meaning in sentence context, not on reproducing characters by hand.

Is this kanji list officially published by the JLPT organizers?

Since the 2010 exam revision, the JLPT organizers no longer publish an official kanji list by level. The lists on this site are based on historical exam analysis and trusted preparation materials.

JLPT Kanji by Level (N5 to N1)

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), or Nihongo Nōryoku Shiken, is an international-standard exam for evaluating and certifying Japanese language ability.

Each JLPT level requires understanding a different number of kanji. N5 requires around 100 basic kanji, while N1 requires mastery of around 2,000 kanji that span from casual needs to more complex professional and academic contexts.

This collection divides kanji by JLPT level standards, helping you focus your study step by step according to the specific exam target level you are preparing for.

Difference between N5 and N1?

JLPT has 5 levels. N5 is the most basic level, combining hiragana and katakana with simple kanji. The level then increases gradually up to N1, the highest level for understanding Japanese at a professional level, reading newspapers, and literature materials.

Is handwriting kanji necessary?

No. JLPT is purely multiple choice. This exam focuses on participants' ability in reading, recognizing kanji forms, and mapping their meaning in sentence context, not mechanical handwriting by stroke.

Is this list official from the exam institution?

Since the exam format was updated in 2010, the JLPT organizing institution no longer publishes an official list of specific kanji per level. The kanji list covered on this site is based on extensive historical analysis of previous exam questions together with the spectrum of trusted preparation books.

JLPT

JLPT N5

The first step in your journey to master Japanese. This collection contains 79 basic characters most frequently used in daily life, time, direction, and nature.

79 kanji

JLPT

JLPT N4

The next stage after the N5 foundation. This collection expands everyday kanji into school topics, family, movement, routine activities, and vocabulary used more actively in conversation and basic reading.

167 kanji

JLPT

JLPT N3

A gateway to the intermediate level. This collection starts introducing more abstract and denser kanji, often appearing in light articles, announcements, instructions, and longer general readings.

416 kanji

JLPT

JLPT N2

An advanced stage for readers already comfortable with everyday Japanese texts. This collection covers kanji that often appear in articles, opinions, formal documents, and light academic reading materials.

373 kanji

JLPT

JLPT N1

The highest layer in the JLPT corpus. This collection contains kanji with higher meaning nuance, register, and reading density, commonly found in editorials, essays, studies, and advanced formal texts.

1,250 kanji