If you’re preparing for the JLPT N5 (Japanese Language Proficiency Test), mastering the kanji is one of the most essential first steps. This is the complete, curated list of all JLPT N5 kanji — including readings (On’yomi and Kun’yomi) and real-world vocabulary examples.
Whether you’re studying on your own, using flashcards, or building a digital deck, this page gives you everything you need to learn and recognize every kanji required for JLPT N5.
✅ What Is the JLPT N5 Kanji List?
The JLPT N5 is the most basic level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. It focuses on:
- Common daily-use vocabulary
- Around 100 essential kanji
- The ability to read simple sentences
This list includes all kanji you’re expected to recognize for N5 — based on official guidelines, past exams, and standard JLPT prep textbooks like Minna no Nihongo and Genki I.
📘 How This Kanji List Is Organized
For each JLPT N5 kanji, this list provides:
- Kanji character
- English meaning
- On’yomi (音読み) – the Sino-Japanese reading
- Kun’yomi (訓読み) – the native Japanese reading
- Example vocabulary – common words where the kanji appears
If you’re preparing for the test, you’ll want to read, recognize, and understand all of these. You are not required to write them by hand for the JLPT.
📋 Complete JLPT N5 Kanji List
| No. | Kanji | Strokes | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 一 | 1 | ICHI, ITSU | hito(tsu) | one | 一人 (hitori) – one person; 一つ (hitotsu) – one thing |
| 2 | 二 | 2 | NI | futa(tsu) | two | 二人 (futari) – two people; 二つ (futatsu) – two things |
| 3 | 三 | 3 | SAN | mit(tsu) | three | 三日 (mikka) – three days; 三つ (mittsu) – three things |
| 4 | 四 | 5 | SHI | yot(tsu), yon | four | 四日 (yokka) – four days; 四つ (yottsu) – four things |
| 5 | 五 | 4 | GO | itsu(tsu) | five | 五日 (itsuka) – five days; 五つ (itsutsu) – five things |
| 6 | 六 | 4 | ROKU | mut(tsu) | six | 六日 (muika) – six days; 六つ (muttsu) – six things |
| 7 | 七 | 2 | SHICHI | nana(tsu) | seven | 七日 (nanoka) – seven days; 七つ (nanatsu) – seven things |
| 8 | 八 | 2 | HACHI | yat(tsu) | eight | 八日 (youka) – eight days; 八つ (yattsu) – eight things |
| 9 | 九 | 2 | KYŪ, KU | kokono(tsu) | nine | 九日 (kokonoka) – nine days; 九つ (kokonotsu) – nine things |
| 10 | 十 | 2 | JŪ | tō, to | ten | 十日 (tōka) – ten days; 十 (jū) – ten |
| 11 | 百 | 6 | HYAKU | – | hundred | 百円 (hyakuen) – 100 yen; 百人 (hyakunin) – 100 people |
| 12 | 千 | 3 | SEN | chi | thousand | 千円 (senen) – 1,000 yen; 千葉 (Chiba) – Chiba (place name) |
| 13 | 万 | 3 | MAN | – | ten thousand | 一万 (ichiman) – 10,000; 万年筆 (mannen hitsu) – fountain pen |
| 14 | 水 | 4 | SUI | mizu | water | 水曜日 (suiyōbi) – Wednesday; 水 (mizu) – water |
| 15 | 火 | 4 | KA | hi | fire | 火曜日 (kayōbi) – Tuesday; 花火 (hanabi) – fireworks |
| 16 | 木 | 4 | BOKU, MOKU | ki | tree, wood | 木曜日 (mokuyōbi) – Thursday; 木 (ki) – tree |
| 17 | 天 | 4 | TEN | ame, ama | heaven, sky | 天気 (tenki) – weather; 天 (ten) – heaven |
| 18 | 土 | 3 | DO, TO | tsuchi | soil, earth | 土曜日 (doyōbi) – Saturday; 土 (tsuchi) – soil |
| 19 | 北 | 5 | HOKU | kita | north | 北 (kita) – north; 北アメリカ (Kita Amerika) – North America |
| 20 | 東 | 8 | TŌ | higashi | east | 東 (higashi) – east; 東京 (Tōkyō) – Tokyo |
| 21 | 西 | 6 | SEI | nishi | west | 西 (nishi) – west; 西洋 (seiyō) – the West |
| 22 | 南 | 9 | NAN | minami | south | 南 (minami) – south; 南アメリカ (Minami Amerika) – South America |
| 23 | 左 | 5 | SA | hidari | left | 左 (hidari) – left; 左側 (hidarigawa) – left side |
| 24 | 右 | 5 | U, YŪ | migi | right | 右 (migi) – right; 右側 (migigawa) – right side |
| 25 | 日 | 4 | NICHI, JITSU | hi, -bi | day, sun | 日曜日 (nichiyōbi) – Sunday; 今日 (kyō) – today |
| 26 | 月 | 4 | GETSU, GATSU | tsuki | month, moon | 月曜日 (getsuyōbi) – Monday; 一月 (ichigatsu) – January |
| 27 | 花 | 7 | KA | hana | flower | 花 (hana) – flower; 花見 (hanami) – flower viewing |
| 28 | 魚 | 11 | GYO | sakana | fish | 魚 (sakana) – fish; 金魚 (kingyo) – goldfish |
| 29 | 空 | 8 | KŪ | sora | sky | 空 (sora) – sky; 空港 (kūkō) – airport |
| 30 | 山 | 3 | SAN | yama | mountain | 山 (yama) – mountain; 富士山 (Fujisan) – Mt. Fuji |
| 31 | 川 | 3 | SEN | kawa | river | 川 (kawa) – river; 河川 (kasen) – river |
| 32 | 雨 | 8 | U | ame | rain | 雨 (ame) – rain; 雨天 (uten) – rainy weather |
| 33 | 本 | 5 | HON | moto | book, origin | 本 (hon) – book; 日本 (Nihon) – Japan |
| 34 | 目 | 5 | MOKU | me | eye | 目 (me) – eye; 目的 (mokuteki) – purpose |
| 35 | 口 | 3 | KŌ, KU | kuchi | mouth | 口 (kuchi) – mouth; 人口 (jinkō) – population |
| 36 | 耳 | 6 | JI | mimi | ear | 耳 (mimi) – ear; 耳鼻科 (jibika) – ENT doctor |
| 37 | 手 | 4 | SHU | te | hand | 手 (te) – hand; 手紙 (tegami) – letter |
| 38 | 足 | 7 | SOKU | ashi | foot, sufficient | 足 (ashi) – foot; 足りる (tariru) – to be sufficient |
| 39 | 人 | 2 | JIN, NIN | hito | person | 人 (hito) – person; 日本人 (Nihonjin) – Japanese person |
| 40 | 母 | 5 | BO | haha | mother | 母 (haha) – mother; 母親 (hahaoya) – mother |
| 41 | 父 | 4 | FU | chichi | father | 父 (chichi) – father; 父親 (chichioya) – father |
| 42 | 女 | 3 | JO, NYO | onna | female | 女 (onna) – woman; 女性 (josei) – female |
| 43 | 男 | 7 | DAN, NAN | otoko | male | 男 (otoko) – man; 男性 (dansei) – male |
| 44 | 子 | 3 | SHI, SU | ko | child | 子 (ko) – child; 子供 (kodomo) – child |
| 45 | 小 | 3 | SHŌ | chiisa(i), ko | small | 小さい (chiisai) – small; 小学校 (shōgakkō) – elementary school |
| 46 | 中 | 4 | CHŪ | naka | middle, inside | 中 (naka) – inside; 中国 (Chūgoku) – China |
| 47 | 大 | 3 | DAI, TAI | ō(kii) | big | 大きい (ōkii) – big; 大人 (otona) – adult |
| 48 | 上 | 3 | JŌ, SHŌ | ue, kami, a(geru) | above, up | 上 (ue) – above; 上げる (ageru) – to raise |
| 49 | 下 | 3 | GE, KA | shita, sa(geru) | below, down | 下 (shita) – below; 下げる (sageru) – to lower |
| 50 | 何 | 7 | KA | nani | what | 何 (nani) – what; 何時 (nanji) – what time |
| 51 | 行 | 6 | KŌ, GYŌ | i(ku) | go | 行く (iku) – to go; 銀行 (ginkō) – bank |
| 52 | 見 | 7 | KEN | mi(ru) | see | 見る (miru) – to see; 見学 (kengaku) – field trip |
| 53 | 言 | 7 | GEN, GON | i(u) | say, word | 言う (iu) – to say; 言葉 (kotoba) – word |
| 54 | 語 | 14 | GO | kata(ru) | language | 日本語 (Nihongo) – Japanese language; 英語 (Eigo) – English language |
| 55 | 食 | 9 | SHOKU | ta(beru), ku(u) | eat | 食べる (taberu) – to eat; 食事 (shokuji) – meal |
| 56 | 飲 | 12 | IN | no(mu) | drink | 飲む (nomu) – to drink; 飲み物 (nomimono) – drink |
| 57 | 会 | 6 | KAI | a(u) | meet | 会う (au) – to meet; 会社 (kaisha) – company |
| 58 | 学 | 8 | GAKU | mana(bu) | study | 学校 (gakkō) – school; 学ぶ (manabu) – to learn |
| 59 | 休 | 6 | KYŪ | yasu(mu) | rest | 休む (yasumu) – to rest; 休日 (kyūjitsu) – holiday |
| 60 | 買 | 12 | BAI | ka(u) | buy | 買う (kau) – to buy; 買い物 (kaimono) – shopping |
| 61 | 聞 | 14 | BUN, MON | ki(ku) | hear | 聞く (kiku) – to hear; 新聞 (shinbun) – newspaper |
| 62 | 来 | 7 | RAI | ku(ru) | come | 来る (kuru) – to come; 来年 (rainen) – next year |
| 63 | 立 | 5 | RITSU | ta(tsu) | stand | 立つ (tatsu) – to stand |
| 64 | 生 | 5 | SEI, SHŌ | i(kiru), u(mareru), nama | life, raw, student | 学生 (gakusei) – student; 生 (sei) – life |
| 65 | 話 | 13 | WA | hana(su), hanashi | talk | 話す (hanasu) – to talk; 電話 (denwa) – telephone |
| 66 | 出 | 5 | SHUTSU | de(ru) | exit | 出る (deru) – to exit; 出口 (deguchi) – exit |
| 67 | 読 | 14 | DOKU | yo(mu) | read | 読む (yomu) – to read; 読書 (dokusho) – reading |
| 68 | 入 | 2 | NYŪ | hai(ru), i(reru) | enter | 入る (hairu) – to enter; 入口 (iriguchi) – entrance |
| 69 | 書 | 10 | SHO | ka(ku) | write, book | 書く (kaku) – to write; 本 (hon) – book |
| 70 | 後 | 9 | GO, KŌ | ato, ushi(ro) | after | 後 (ato) – after; 午後 (gogo) – PM |
| 71 | 古 | 5 | KO | furu(i) | old | 古い (furui) – old; 古代 (kodai) – ancient times |
| 72 | 高 | 10 | KŌ | taka(i) | high, expensive | 高い (takai) – high, expensive; 高校 (kōkō) – high school |
| 73 | 安 | 6 | AN | yasu(i) | cheap, safe | 安い (yasui) – cheap; 安全 (anzen) – safety |
| 74 | 多 | 6 | TA | oo(i) | many | 多い (ooi) – many; 多数 (tasū) – majority |
| 75 | 新 | 13 | SHIN | atara(shii) | new | 新しい (atarashii) – new; 新聞 (shinbun) – newspaper |
| 76 | 少 | 4 | SHŌ | suku(nai), suko(shi) | few, little | 少ない (sukunai) – few; 少し (sukoshi) – a little |
| 77 | 長 | 8 | CHŌ | naga(i) | long | 長い (nagai) – long; 社長 (shachō) – company president |
| 78 | 白 | 5 | HAKU, BYAKU | shiro(i) | white | 白い (shiroi) – white; 白 (shiro) – white |
| 79 | 分 | 4 | FUN, BUN | wa(karu) | minute, understand | 分 (fun) – minute; 分かる (wakaru) – to understand |
| 80 | 時 | 10 | JI | toki | time, hour | 時間 (jikan) – time; 時 (ji) – o’clock |
| 81 | 間 | 12 | KAN, KEN | aida, ma | interval | 間 (aida) – between; 時間 (jikan) – time |
| 82 | 週 | 11 | SHŪ | – | week | 週間 (shūkan) – week; 先週 (senshū) – last week |
| 83 | 年 | 6 | NEN | toshi | year | 年 (toshi) – year; 来年 (rainen) – next year |
| 84 | 今 | 4 | KON, KIN | ima | now | 今 (ima) – now; 今日 (kyō) – today |
| 85 | 先 | 6 | SEN | saki | previous, ahead | 先 (saki) – ahead; 先生 (sensei) – teacher |
| 86 | 前 | 9 | ZEN | mae | before | 前 (mae) – before; 午前 (gozen) – AM |
| 87 | 午 | 4 | GO | – | noon | 午前 (gozen) – AM; 午後 (gogo) – PM |
| 88 | 半 | 5 | HAN | naka(ba) | half | 半分 (hanbun) – half; 半 (han) – half |
| 89 | 店 | 8 | TEN | mise | store | 店 (mise) – store; 店員 (ten’in) – clerk |
| 90 | 外 | 5 | GAI | soto | outside | 外 (soto) – outside; 外国 (gaikoku) – foreign country |
| 91 | 電 | 13 | DEN | – | electricity | 電話 (denwa) – telephone; 電車 (densha) – train |
| 92 | 道 | 12 | DŌ | michi | road | 道 (michi) – road; 道路 (dōro) – road |
| 93 | 毎 | 6 | MAI | – | every | 毎日 (mainichi) – every day; 毎年 (maitoshi) – every year |
| 94 | 友 | 4 | YŪ | tomo | friend | 友達 (tomodachi) – friend; 友人 (yūjin) – friend |
| 95 | 名 | 6 | MEI, MYŌ | na | name | 名前 (namae) – name; 有名 (yūmei) – famous |
| 96 | 金 | 8 | KIN, KON | kane | gold, money, metal | 金曜日 (kinyōbi) – Friday; 金 (kin) – gold |
| 97 | 円 | 4 | EN | maru(i) | circle, yen | 円 (en) – yen; 円い (marui) – round |
| 98 | 車 | 7 | SHA | kuruma | car | 車 (kuruma) – car; 自動車 (jidōsha) – automobile |
| 99 | 駅 | 14 | EKI | – | station | 駅 (eki) – station; 駅前 (ekimae) – in front of the station |
| 100 | 気 | 6 | KI, KE | – | spirit, air | 元気 (genki) – healthy; 気 (ki) – spirit |
| 101 | 国 | 8 | KOKU | kuni | country | 国 (kuni) – country; 日本国 (Nihonkoku) – Japan |
| 102 | 社 | 7 | SHA | yashiro | company, shrine | 会社 (kaisha) – company; 社会 (shakai) – society |
| 103 | 校 | 10 | KŌ | – | school | 学校 (gakkō) – school; 高校 (kōkō) – high school |
🧠 Study Tips for Mastering JLPT N5 Kanji
- Use spaced repetition (SRS) – Tools like Anki, WaniKani, or Kanji Garden help solidify recognition over time.
- Practice reading in context – Don’t just memorize; read simple texts, signs, and dialogues that use these kanji.
- Pair kanji with vocabulary – Focus on real words like 学生 (student) and 見る (to see), not just isolated characters.
- Study a little every day – Just 5–10 minutes of focused kanji review can build long-term retention.
📌 Final Thoughts
This page gives you the definitive JLPT N5 kanji list — nothing more, nothing less. If you can read and understand every kanji here, you’re already in great shape for the test.
Remember, kanji is not just a test requirement — it’s a key to reading signs, menus, and messages in real life. Bookmark this page, revisit it often, and build a solid foundation for your Japanese journey.
Good luck with your JLPT N5 studies — 頑張って！
P.S. Want to test your JLPT N5 kanji knowledge? Check out our brand new JLPT N5 Random Kanji Generator!
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