Japanese N5 Kanji List: All 100 Kanji You Need to Know to Pass the JLPT N5

読。書。聞。話。。。

Do you know those kanji yet? They’re some of the JLPT N5 kanji. If you’re going to take the test, it’s time to memorize them!

If you don’t know, “JLPT” stands for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. It’s one of the most well-known and acknowledged tests for Japanese proficiency around the world, with five levels of proficiency. N1 is the hardest level, considered near-fluent. N5 is the easiest level, covering the basic level of Japanese.

If you’re looking to test your skills and see where you’re at in Japanese, the JLPT is a great place to try it out. So here’s your quick guide to learning the necessary JLPT N5 kanji.
What to Expect on the JLPT N5 Test
Even though the JLPT N5 test is the most basic formal Japanese test, passing the test is still a big achievement.

To pass the JLPT N5 test, you have to be able to read Japanese at a basic level and understand simple conversations from daily life and school. You should know around 800 vocabulary words. I recommend starting with the Core 101 Japanese words, and about 50 basic grammar patterns.

My two favorite resources for studying grammar at this level are Genki I and JTest4U. Plus, you’ll need to be totally comfortable reading all the hiragana and katakana characters.
Why You Need to Know Kanji for the JLPT N5 Test
One of the most daunting tasks when starting to learn Japanese? Kanji.

At the N5 level, the JLPT expects you to know about 100 kanji to pass. These kanji can change slightly between tests, but you can generally expect to see the 100 most common kanji for verbs, numbers, time, places, people, basic adjectives, and directions.

The good news? These kanji are used so often you’ll see them over and over again in the vocab you learn and the texts you read. The bad news is that you’ll need to independently memorize most of these kanji because they’re radicals, or roots. Radicals in Japanese are simple kanji -- they’re the building blocks that make up complex kanji.

So, the more radicals you learn in kanji, the easier it becomes to understand more complex kanji. Learning the radicals first, then advancing onto complex kanji, is the most popular method for memorizing kanji (more on that later). For the first 100, because they’re radicals, you’ve just got to memorize them.

That being said, you can still come up with mnemonics to help you remember the kanji and their readings -- and I highly recommend that you do, because it will help you immensely down the road.
Japanese N5 Kanji List -- the 100 Kanji You Need to Know for the JLPT N5
Alright, so let’s start learning these kanji! I’ve broken them up into categories, such as numbers, time, people and places, because I’ve found that kanji are easiest to learn when I associate them with related words.

In the lists below, you’ll see the kanji and the English meaning, followed by the onyomi and kunyomi readings.

Why these different readings? Kanji originated with Chinese hànzì characters which the Japanese adapted and gave Japanese readings. Thus, onyomi (Chinese readings) and kunyomi (Japanese readings) were born. Almost all kanji have two readings (and most, unfortunately, have many more than two). A rare few gems will only have one reading.

For the most part, these different readings are less important for the JLPT N5. If you learn these kanji with a vocab word that might also be on the test, then you should be able to remember the most common reading. This won’t always be true, but it usually will be. It’ll help you get the most out of your study time.

For that reason, I also include an N5 vocabulary word that uses that kanji.
Japanese Kanji for Numbers
First, let’s look at numbers. The first three are very straightforward to remember: a single line (one), two lines (two), three lines (three). Easy.

The rest can be more difficult. The drawback is that most of the time in Japan, they use 1 - 10 romanized numbers instead of kanji. But you still have to learn them. Be careful with 千: it looks almost identical to チ (katakana chi) and one of the readings is the same.

Also, you may think 万年筆 (“fountain pen”) will never show up in the JLPT N5 and yet it somehow it always does. It translates as “ten thousand year writing brush” aka a pen that outlasts all others.




Kanji
English Meaning
Onyomi
Kunyomi
JLPT N5 Vocab with Kanji




一
One
ichi, itsu
hito(tsu), hito
一人 (one person, alone)


二
Two
ni
futa(tsu), futa
二人 (two people, pair)


三
Three
san
mit(tsu), mi
三日 (3rd day of the month)


四
Four
shi
yo(tsu), yo, yon
四日 (4th day of the month)


五
Five
go
itsu(tsu), itsu
五日 (5th day of the month)


六
Six
roku
mut(tsu), mu
六日 (6th day of the month)


七
Seven
shichi
nana(tsu), nana
七日 (7th day of the month)


八
Eight
hachi
yat(tsu), ya
八日 (8th day of the month)


九
Nine
kyuu, ku
kokono(tsu), kokono
九日 (9th day of the month)


十
Ten
juu, ji
tou, to
十日 (10th day of the month)


百
Hundred
hyaku
---
百万円 (1 million Yen)


千
Thousand
sen
chi
千万円 (10 million Yen)


万
Ten thousand
man, ban
---
万年筆 (fountain pen)


円
Yen, circle, and round
en
maru(i)
円い (round)




Japanese Kanji for Time
These kanji are often used together with numbers, so I’ve included them next. You’ll pair numbers up with kanji like 月 to create the months of the year, like 一月 (“January”).

Some of the kanji on this list have more uses than just time, such as 来る which is an irregular verb. But, 来 also reads as らい, meaning “future”. Combined with other time kanji you get: 来週 (“next week”), 来月 (“next month”), and 来年 (“next year”).




Kanji
English Meaning
Onyomi
Kunyomi
JLPT N5 Vocab with Kanji




日
Day, sun
nichi, jitsu
hi, ka
明日 (tomorrow)


週
Week
shuu
---
毎週 (every week)


月
Month, moon
getsu, gatsu
tsuki
月曜日 (Monday)


年
Year
nen
toshi
今年 (this year), 去年 (last year)


時
Time, hour
ji
toki
時計 (clock, watch)


間
Time frame, span of time
kan, ken
aida
時間 (time, hours)


分
Minute, part, to understand, to divide
bun, bu, fun
wa(karu)
三十分 (thirty minutes), 自分 (oneself)


午
Noon
go
---
午前 (morning, A.M.)


前
Before
zen
mae
名前 (name)


後
After, later, behind
go, kou
ato
午後 (afternoon, P.M.)


今
Now
kon, kin
ima
今晩 (this evening), 今朝 (this morning)


先
Before, ahead, future
sen
saki
先週 (last week), 先生 (teacher, master)


来
To come
rai
ku(ru)
来月 (next month), 来る (to come)


半
Half, middle
han
naka(ba)
半分 (half)


毎
Every, each
mai
---
毎日(every day)


何
What, which, how many
ka
nan, nani
何曜日 (what day of the week)




Japanese Kanji for People & Things
This category includes many of the basic natural elements (very important in Japanese culture, so they pop up a lot), people, and body parts. Because these kanji are used in so many words, they’ve evolved the most over time and have a lot of readings. I’ve included most of the top ones to know, but you’ll often find these have irregular readings, too.

Consider, for example, 母 and 父. When talking about your own mom and dad to others, you would read/say them as haha and chichi. But when talking to your parents, they would be kaa as in okaasan (お母さん) and tou as in otousan (お父さん). These kanji also change when used for grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

Just be on the lookout. You’ll have to memorize them on a word-by-word basis.




Kanji
English Meaning
Onyomi
Kunyomi
JLPT N5 Vocab with Kanji




人
Person
jin, nin
hito
人々 (people)


男
Man, boy, male
dan, nan
otoko
男の子 (boy)


女
Woman, girl, female
jo, nyo
onna, me
女の子 (girl)


子
Child
shi, su
ko
子供 (child)


母
Mother
bo
haha
母 (mother)


父
Father
fu
chichi
父 (father)


友
Friend
yuu
tomo
友達 (friend)


火
Fire
ka
hi
火曜日 (Tuesday)


水
Water
sui
mizu
水曜日 (Wednesday)


木
Tree, wood
moku, boku
ki, ko
木曜日 (Thursday)


土
Earth, ground
do, to
tsuchi
土曜日 (Saturday)


金
Money, gold
kin, kon
kane
金曜日 (Friday)


本
Book, source
hon
moto
日本語 (Japanese)


川
River
sen
kawa
川 (river)


花
Flower
ka
hana
花火 (fireworks)


気
Spirit
ki, ke
---
元気 (healthy, spirit, fine)


生
Life, to live, to be born, to grow
sei, shou
i(kiru), u(mareru), ha(yasu)
生徒 (pupil)


魚
Fish
gyo
sakana
魚 (fish)


天
Heaven
ten
ame, ama
天気 (weather)


空
Sky, empty
kuu
sora, a(keru)
空 (sky)


山
Mountain
san
yama
山 (mountain)


雨
Rain
u
ame
雨 (rain)


電
Electricity
den
---
電気 (electricity)


車
Car, vehicle
sha
kuruma
電車 (electric train)


語
Language, word, to chat
go
kata(ru)
英語 (English)


耳
Ear
ji
mimi
耳 (ear)


手
Hand
shu
te
手紙 (letter)


足
Foot, to add
soku
ashi, ta(su)
足 (foot)


目
Eye
moku
me
目 (eye)


口
Mouth
kou, ku
kuchi
出口 (exit)


名
Name
mei, myou
na
名前 (name)




Japanese Kanji for Places & Directions
It’s a good idea to memorize each reading really well for these common kanji. 店 is read as ten almost as often as mise. 外 is just as often read as gai as it is soto. But, they have patterns. 店 reads as ten when combined with other kanji, like 喫茶店. On its own, it’s mise. It’s the same with 外: gai describes something foreign or outside the norm of one’s own country or group. Soto is used to just say “outside.”




Kanji
English Meaning
Onyomi
Kunyomi
JLPT N5 Vocab with Kanji




店
Shop
ten
mise
喫茶店 (coffee shop)


駅
Station
eki
---
駅前 (in front of the station)


道
Street, path, way
dou
michi
道具 (tool)


社
Shrine, society
sha
yashiro
社長 (president of a company)


国
Country
koku
kuni
外国人 (foreigner)


外
Outside
gai, ge
soto, hazu(reru), hoka
外国 (foreign country)


学
School, learning
gaku
mana(bu)
大学 (university)


校
School
kou
---
学校 (school)


上
Up, above
shou, jou
ue, u, a(geru)
上着 (jacket)


下
Down, below
ka, ge
ku(daru), shita
靴下 (socks)


中
Middle, center, inner, between
chuu
naka
日中 (during the day, midday)


北
North
hoku
kita
北 (north)


西
West
sai, sei
nishi
西 (west)


東
East
tou
higashi
東京 (Tokyo)


南
South
nan
minami
南 (south)


右
Right
yuu
migi
右 (right)


左
Left
sa
hidari
左 (left)




Japanese Kanji for Verbs
These are among the most common verbs, besides する (suru, “to do”) which doesn’t use kanji. When used as verbs, you’ll almost always be using the kunyomi readings. For this test, those are the readings you’ll most likely be quizzed on, and the onyomi reading will be less important.

The most important onyomi readings that may pop up would be for 聞, 読, 書, 食, and 会. The first three -- hear, read, and write -- appear in their onyomi readings in the test descriptions themselves that state the test section you’re on. Most likely you won’t be quizzed on them, but you’ll want to know them to understand what you’re looking at on the test. The last two -- eat and meet -- have common onyomi readings like 食品 (“food,” or “food goods”) and 会社 (company).




Kanji
English Meaning
Onyomi
Kunyomi
JLPT N5 Vocab with Kanji




見
To see, to be visible, to show
ken
mi(ru)
見せる (to show)


聞
To hear, to listen, to ask
mon, bun
ki(ku)
聞く (to listen, to hear)


書
To write
sho
ka(ku)
辞書 (dictionary)


読
To read
doku
yo(mu)
読む (to read)


話
To talk, conversation
wa
hanashi, hana(su)
電話 (telephone)


買
To buy
bai
ka(u)
買い物 (shopping)


行
To go, to carry out
kou
i(ku), okona(u)
銀行 (bank)


出
To go out, to leave
shutsu
de(ru), da(su)
出かける (to go out)


入
To enter, to put in
nyuu
hai(ru), i(reru)
入口 (entrance)


休
To rest, break, holiday, vacation
kyuu
yasu(mu), yasu(mi)
休む (to take a day off)


食
To eat, food
shoku
ta(beru)
食堂 (dining room)


飲
To drink, a drink
in
no(mu)
飲み物 (beverage)


言
To talk, word
gen, gon
i(u)
言う (to say)


立
To stand
ritsu
ta(tsu)
立つ (to stand)


会
To meet, society
kai, e
a(u)
会社 (company)




Japanese Kanji for Adjectives
Lastly, we have the most basic and common adjectives to describe things. You will most likely be quizzed on the kunyomi readings, as those are more commonly used as adjectives, while the onyomi readings combine with other kanji to give a more descriptive noun.

For example, 小 (little) + 学校 (school) means “elementary school.” You’ll definitely need to know them for later tests and vocab, but for N5 purposes your time would be better focused reviewing the kunyomi readings.




Kanji
English Meaning
Onyomi
Kunyomi
JLPT N5 Vocab with Kanji




多
A lot, many
ta
oo(i)
多い (many), 多分 (probably)


少
A little, few
shou
suko(shi), suku(nai)
少ない (few)


古
Old
ko
furu(i)
古い (old)


新
New
shin
atara(shii)
新しい (new), 新聞 (newspaper)


大
Big, a lot
dai, tai
oo(kii)
大きい (big), 大変 (dreadful, immense)


小
Little, small
shou
chii(sai), ko
小さい (little)


安
Cheap, safety, peace
an
yasu(i)
安い (cheap)


高
Expensive, high
kou
taka(i)
高い (expensive)


長
Long, leader
chou
naga(i)
長い (long), 部長 (manager)


白
White
haku, byaku
shiro, shiro(i)
白い (white), 面白い (interesting)




Japanese Kanji Practice: The Best Ways to Memorize Kanji
Okay, so now you’ve seen the JLPT N5 kanji lists and know what you should study. But what’s the best way to memorize kanji?

The best way to practice kanji is to use a combination of James Heisig’s Remembering the Kanji method, the Anki app, and your own mnemonics. You can definitely do it in as few as four days if you followed this schedule to learn all the essential kanji in three months.

Heisig’s method is one of the best methods to memorize kanji. He introduces the kanji based on radical elements so you can learn each one by “stacking” your mnemonic stories together. It’s really ingenious. It still takes effort, time, and patience. But it’s worth it!

Alongside that, l use the NihongoShark kanji deck in the Anki app, or create your own Anki deck specifically for N5 kanji only. Enter in your mnemonic phrases and how to read them. Bonus points if you can tie how to read the kanji (or a word that uses it) into your mnemonic phrase.

I also suggest using Genki I and JTest4U, the most popular textbook for beginner Japanese that I mentioned earlier. It has a section in the back dedicated to learning kanji and reading practice that uses those kanji. It helps reinforce what you’re learning, at your level, without being incredibly tiresome.

And honestly, the sooner you knock out kanji, the better. Kanji helps you memorize vocab better, read with ease (making learning through native resources much easier), and have a deeper understanding of how the language works. And if you knock out these 100 kanji quickly, you can move on to focusing on the truly difficult parts of the test -- like listening comprehension.

It may seem impossible to memorize the kanji quickly, but you will get there.

Drill. Everyday. Rinse and repeat until the test!

Of course, there are other methods or apps you can use to learn the kanji. But this is how I learned, and how many others have learned with success.
頑張って、皆さん！ (Good luck, Everyone!)
Don’t let the JLPT N5 test intimidate you -- you’ve got this! The best advice I have? Try to relax and keep calm. If you go in stressed and nervous, you may struggle to focus, especially when listening.

What are your best tips for learning the kanji? Are there other methods or apps that have helped you? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

And most importantly, 頑張って、皆さん！

The post Japanese N5 Kanji List: All 100 Kanji You Need to Know to Pass the JLPT N5 appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.