JLPT N5 Kanji list

If you want to work in Japan, the minimum requirement of Japanese language skills is mostly JLPT N2 level. You may already know that N1 is the hardest level, considered near-fluent. Whereas N5 is the easiest level, covering the basic level of Japanese. Suppose you have just started preparing for the JLPT exam, you need to learn some basic Kanji. Even though the JLPT N5 test is the most basic formal Japanese test, passing the JLPT N5 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. Here is the list of the Kanjis to pass the JLPT N5 exam.

#KanjiOnyomiKunyomiMeaning of Kanji
1イチ
ichi
ひと(つ)
hito(tsu)
One
2ニ、 ジ
ni, ji
ふた(つ)
futa(tsu)
Two
3サン
san
み(つ)
mi(tsu)
Three
4
shi
よ(つ)、 よん
yo(tsu), yon
Four
5
go
いつ(つ)
itsu(tsu)
Five
6ロク
roku
む(つ)、 むい
mu(tsu), mui
Six
7シチ
shichi
なな(つ)、 なの
nana(tsu), nano
Seven
8ハチ
hachi
や(つ)、 よう
ya(tsu), you
Eight
9キュウ、 ク
kyuu, ku
ここの(つ)
kokono(tsu)
Nine
10ジュウ
juu
とお、 と
tou, to
Ten
11ヒャク、 ビャク
hyaku, byaku
もも
momo
Hundred
12セン
sen

chi
Thousand
13マン、 バン
man, ban
Ten thousand
14サ、 シャ
sa, sha
ひだり
hidari
Left
15ウ、 ユウ
u, yuu
みぎ
migi
Right
16ゼン
zen
まえ
mae
In front, before
17ゴ、 コウ
go, kou
のち、 うし(ろ)、 あと
nochi, ushi(ro), ato
Behind, back, later
18ジョウ、 ショウ、 シャン
jou, shou, shan
うえ、 うわ-、 かみ、 あ(げる)、 のぼ(る)、 たてまつ(る)
ue, uwa, kami, a(geru), nobo(ru), tatematsu(ru)
Above, up
19カ、 ゲ
ka, ge
した、 しも、 もと、 さ(げる)、 くだ(る)、 お(ろす)
shita, shimo, moto, sa(geru), kuda(ru), o(rosu)
Under
20チュウ
chuu
なか、 うち、 あた(る)
naka, uchi, ata(ru)
In, inside, middle, mean, center
21ガイ、 ゲ
gai, ge
そと、 ほか、 はず(す)、 と-
soto, hoka, hazu-, to-
Outside
22ニチ, ジツ
nichi, jitsu
ひ, -び, -か
hi, -bi, -ka
Day, sun, Japan, counter for days
23ゲツ、 ガツ
getsu, gatsu
つき
tsuki
Month, moon
24ネン
nen
とし
toshi
Year
25シュウ
shuu
Week
26ブン、 フン、 ブ
bun, fun, bu
わ(ける)
wa(keru)
Minute, part, understand
27
ji
とき、 -どき
toki, doki
Time, hour
28ニュウ
nyuu
い(る)、はい(る)
i(ru), hai(ru)
Enter, insert
29シュツ、 スイ
shutsu, sui
で(る)、 だ(す)、 い(でる)
de(ru), da(su), i(deru)
Exit, leave, go out
30ホン
hon
もと
moto
Book, present, true, counter for long cylindrical things
31コク
koku
くに
kuni
Country
32ジン、 ニン
jin, nin
ひと
hito
Person
33シ、 ス、 ツ
shi, su, tsu
こ、 ね
ko, ne
Child
34ダン、 ナン
dan, nan
おとこ、 お
otoko, o
male; man
35ジョ
jo
おんな、 め
onnna, me
woman, female
36
fu
ちち、 とう
chichi, tou
Father
37
bo
はは、 かあ
haha, kaa
Mother
38ホク
hoku
きた
kita
North
39ナン、 ナ
nan, na
みなみ
minami
South
40トウ
tou
ひがし
higashi
East
41西セイ、 サイ
sei, sai
にし
nishi
West
42
ka
なに、 なん
nani, nan
What
43ユウ
yuu
とも
tomo
Friend
44カン、 ケン
kan, ken
あいだ、 ま、 あい
aida, ma, ai
Between, interval, space
45セイ、 ショウ
sei, shou
い(きる)、 う(む)、 お(う)、 は(える)、 なま
i(kiru), u(mu), o(u), ha(eru), nama
Life, genuine, birth
46
u
あめ、 あま
ame, ama
Rain
47スイ
sui
みず
mizu
Water
48セン
sen
かわ
kawa
River, stream
49サン、 セン
san, sen
やま
yama
Mountain
50
ka
ひ、 -び、 ほ-
hi, bi, ho
Fire
51ボク、 モク
boku, moku
き、 こ-
ki, ko
Tree, wood
52テン
ten
あまつ
amatsu
Heavens, sky, imperial
53シャ
sha
くるま
kuruma
Car, wheel
54ハク、 ビャク
haku, byaku
しろ(い)
shiro(i)
White
55ド、 ト
do, to
つち
tsuchi
Soil, earth, ground
56コウ
kou
School, exam
57キン、 コン、 ゴン
kin, kon, gon
かね、 かな-、 -がね
kane, kana, gane
Gold, money
58デン
den
Electricity, electric powered
59ショ
sho
か(く)
kaku
Write
60ドク、 トク、 トウ
doku, toku, tou
よ(む)
yo(mu)
To read
61ケン
ken
み(る)、 み(せる)
mi(ru), mi(seru)
See, hopes, chances, idea, opinion, look at, visible
62ブン、 モン
bun, mon
き(く)
ki(ku)
To hear; to listen; to ask
63ライ、 タイ
rai, tai
く.る、 きた.る、 き、 こ
kuru, kitaru, ki, ko
Come, due, next, cause, become
64コウ、 ギョウ、 アン
kou, gyou, an
い(く)、 ゆ(く)、 おこな(う)
i(ku), yu(ku), okona(u)
Going, journey, carry out, line, row
65ダイ、 タイ
dai, tai
おお(きい)
oo(kii)
Large, big
66マイ
mai
ごと(に)
goto(ni)
Every
67チョウ
chou
なが(い)、 おさ
naga(i), osa
Long, leader, superior, senior
68コン、 キン
kon, kin
いま
ima
Now, present
69ガク
gaku
まな(ぶ)
mana(bu)
Study, learning, science
70コウ
kou
たか(い)
taka(i)
Tall, high, expensive
71ショウ
shou
ちい(さい)、 こ-、 お-、 さ-
chii(sai), ko-, o-, sa-
Little, small
72エン
en
まる(い)
maru(i)
Circle, yen, round
73キ、 ケ
ki, ke
いき
iki
Spirit, mind, air, atmosphere, mood
74
wa
はな(す)、 はなし
hana(su), hanashi
Tale, talk
75
go
うま
uma
noon, sign of the horse
76メイ、 ミョウ
mei, myou

na
Name, noted, distinguished, reputation
77ハン
han
なか(ば)
naka(ba)
Half, middle, odd number, semi-
78ショク、 ジキ
shoku, jiki
く(う)、 た(べる)、 は(む)
k(u), ta(beru), ha(mu)
Eat, food
79キュウ
kyuu
やす(む)
yasu(mu)
Rest, day off, retire, sleep
80セン
sen
さき、 ま(ず)
saki, ma(zu)
Before, ahead, previous, future, precedence

Relevant Frequently Questions about Kanji

1. What is the history behind Japanese Kanji and their readings?

For a long time, Japan didn’t have a written language of its own. Rather, kanji is believed to have made its way to Japan from China sometime between the fifth and eighth centuries AD. At least, that’s what the evidence suggests—we know that there were groups forming in Japan to study the Chinese language at about this time in history. (And, on another note, the katakana and hiragana writing systems arose in the ninth century AD.)

As you can imagine, any time a language translates from one culture to another, things get changed around. Because of word adoptions, trades, and just your regular garden variety interpretations, Japanese created a language made up of many parts. Remember, while the Japanese didn’t have a written language, it did, of course, have a spoken language prior to the arrival of Chinese characters, and the attempts to merge the two helped to create these natural variations in kanji readings.

2. What is the meaning of Onyomi and kunyomi?

This leaves Japanese learners in a curious situation where we have to adapt to the fact that there are two types of kanji readings: Onyomi and kunyomi.

The two types of Kanji readings: Onyomi and Kunyomi.

Onyomi translates roughly to “sound reading.” It means that the kanji is read the same way that it would in the Chinese language—or at least is read as a close approximation of the sounds that are found in the Chinese language, sometimes with their own unique, Japanese spin. Those who already know Chinese will notice that the readings aren’t necessarily a perfect match, due to that spin.

Kunyomi is what’s known as the fully Japanese version of the kanji reading. It’s the way that the Japanese culture managed to merge the kanji with the existing spoken language they had prior to the written one. In this circumstance, the Chinese meaning of the original character is kept, but the closest equivalent to the word in Japan’s spoken language is associated with it. As you can imagine, these words weren’t always a one-to-one match, and the Japanese language added its own connotations as needed. Hiragana was later added to kanji, tweaking readings and bringing more meaning to each kanji they’re associated with.

When should You Use Onyomi?

That explains the two types of readings, but what about the rest?

Well, they all came from the onyomi side of the picture. Changes in culture and language don’t happen overnight—they happen slowly over time as people and perceptions shift. The news words arrived over time, often coming in multiple waves. Each wave came with slight variations and different ways of saying the words. Several of those waves stuck, and as people adapted to the multiple variations. This lead to a language with multiple pronunciations of the same word.

Of course, as a modern Japanese learner, you’re now faced with a quandary.

How do you know which readings to use? When should you use each one?

First, it’s more likely that you’ll use an onyomi in certain situations. Your first clue to use onyomi is when you’re looking at a word with multiple kanji strung together in a compound word. These words usually come from the original Chinese readings. Examples include:

理解 (りかい) understanding

短期 (たんき) short term

You’ll know that you’re on the right track when you see a word with no hiragana. Those words are strong candidates for onyomi pronunciation. The next time you’re going to consider a Japanese word as a strong contender for onyomi reading is when you’re looking at a standalone kanji. Words like (いち – one) or (はち – eight). If you see a kanji on its own, then your go-to option should be one of the onyomi readings.

When Should You Use Kunyomi?

Kunyomi is a near guarantee when you’re using proper nouns. Most notably, it’s used when you’re using native Japanese proper names. Most of the common family names are pronounced using the kunyomi version of the kanji.

So, names like 木村 (きむら) and 藤井 (ふじい) will be read as kunyomi. Just take care, because there are a few notable exceptions such as 陣内 (じんない), 伊藤 (いとう) and 佐藤 (さとう), which are read in the onyomi style.

The same is true of most of the proper nouns that are the names of places. For example:

長野 (ながの) Nagano

旭川 (あさひかわ) Asahikawa

熊本 (くまもと) Kumamoto

箱根 (はこね) Hakone

These are all kunyomi readings—obviously because they’re kanji slapped onto traditionally Japanese place names. Just like with the family names, though, there are some exceptions of note. Places such as 北海道 (ほっかいどう – Hokkaido) and 東京 (とうきょ う – Tokyo) are read aloud with the onyomi. A helpful trick is to remember that a kunyomi is almost always used when you see a single kanji that’s followed by a hiragana character that makes up part of the word. These hiragana are called okurigana. You’ll see them frequently when you’re looking at verbs or adjectives. Think of the adjective 白い (しろい – white) for a good example, or the verb 食べる (たべる – to eat).

More read: