JLPT N5

N5 Kanji List

105 kanji · Free reference — click any kanji for readings and examples.

About JLPT N5 Kanji

The 110 JLPT N5 kanji form the foundation of Japanese literacy. These characters cover essential concepts like numbers, time, people, and nature. Mastering them is the first step toward reading real Japanese.

Each kanji below links to a detail page with on'yomi and kun'yomi readings, English meaning, and example words. Use this free reference alongside your study, or sign up to practice with our adaptive SRS system.

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一ひと、ひと.つ七なな、なな.つ、なの九ここの、ここの.つ二ふた、ふた.つ、ふたた.び人ひと、り、と入い.る、い.れる、はい.る八や、や.つ、やっ.つ、よう力ちから十とお、と万よろず三み、み.つ、みっ.つ上うえ、うわ、かみ、あ.げる、あ.がる、のぼ.る、のぼ.せる、のぼ.す下した、しも、もと、さ.げる、さ.がる、くだ.る、くだ.り、くだ.す、くだ.さる、お.ろす、お.りる千ち口くち土つち大おお、おお.きい、おお.いに女おんな、め子こ、ね小ちい.さい、こ、お、さ山やま川かわ中なか、うち、あた.る五いつ、いつ.つ今いま六む、む.つ、むっ.つ、むい円まる.い、まる、まど、まど.か、まろ.やか分わ.ける、わ.け、わ.かれる、わ.かる、わ.かつ午うま友とも天あまつ、あめ、あま少すく.ない、すこ.し手て、て、た日ひ、び、か月つき木き、こ水みず、みずうみ火ひ、び、ほ父ちち牛うし出で.る、だ.す、い.でる北きた半なか.ば古ふる.い、ふる、ふる.す右みぎ四よ、よ.つ、よっ.つ、よん外そと、ほか、はず.す、はず.れる、と左ひだり本もと母はは、も生い.きる、い.かす、い.ける、う.まれる、う.まれ、うまれ、うむ、お.う、は.える、は.やす、き、なま、なま、なる、なす、むす、う白しろ、しら、しろ.い目め、ま立た.つ、た.ち、た.てる、た.て、たて、たて、た.て、だ.て、だ.てる休やす.む、やす.まる、やす.める会あ.う、あ.わせる、あつ.まる先さき、ま.ず名な多おお.い、まさ.に、まさ.る安やす.い、やす.まる、やす、やす.らか年とし毎ごと気いき百もも耳みみ行い.く、ゆ.く、おこな.う西にし何なに、なん、なに、なん来く.る、きた.る、きた.す、き.たす、き.たる、き、こ男おとこ、お社やしろ花はな見み.る、み.える、み.せる言い.う、こと足あし、た.りる、た.る、た.す車くるま国くに学まな.ぶ店みせ、たな東ひがし空そら、あ.く、あ.き、あ.ける、から、す.く、す.かす、むな.しい金かね、かな、げ長なが.い、おさ雨あめ、あま、さめ前まえ南みなみ後のち、うし.ろ、うしろ、あと、おく.れる食く.う、く.らう、た.べる、はむ時とき、どき書か.く、か.き校コウ、キョウ馬うま、ま高たか.い、たか、たか.まる、たか.める週シュウ魚さかな、うお買か.う間あいだ、ま、あい飲の.む、の.み新あたら.しい、あら.た、あら、にい話はな.す、はなし電デン聞き.く、き.こえる語かた.る、かた.らう読よ.む、よ.み駅エキ
Study Guide

How to Study JLPT N5 Kanji

The JLPT N5 expects around 100 kanji — the smallest set of any level, and the foundation everything else is built on. The goal at N5 is not to write kanji from memory, but to recognize them instantly and read them correctly in context. Here is how a JLPT teacher recommends approaching them.

1. Understand on'yomi and kun'yomi

Almost every kanji has at least two kinds of reading. The on'yomi (音読み) is the reading borrowed from Chinese, usually used when a kanji is part of a compound word — for example 学 reads gaku in 学校 (がっこう, "school"). The kun'yomi (訓読み) is the native Japanese reading, usually used when the kanji stands alone or takes okurigana — 学 reads mana(bu) in 学ぶ ("to learn").

Do not try to memorize every reading in isolation. Learn the readings through the words that actually use them. When you study 人, learn it through 人 (ひと, "person") and 日本人 (にほんじん, "Japanese person") at the same time — the words teach you both readings naturally.

2. Study in a sensible order

Start with numbers (一 二 三 …), then days and time (日 月 火 水 木 金 土), then high-frequency everyday kanji (人 大 小 上 下 中 山 川). These appear constantly on the exam and in real text, so early mastery pays off immediately. Leave visually complex kanji until you are comfortable recognizing simpler shapes — your eye needs to learn the building blocks (radicals) first.

3. Watch out for look-alikes

A large share of N5 kanji mistakes come from confusing similar shapes: 大 (big) vs 太 (fat), 日 (day/sun) vs 目 (eye), 土 (earth) vs 士 (samurai), 千 (thousand) vs 干 (dry). The exam deliberately offers these as wrong choices. When two kanji look alike, study them side by side and fix the one detail that separates them — the extra stroke, the longer line — rather than hoping to tell them apart later.

4. How kanji is tested on the N5

N5 kanji appears mainly in the Language Knowledge (Vocabulary) section: you read a kanji and choose its correct hiragana reading, or read a hiragana word and choose the correct kanji. You are never asked to handwrite kanji. This means recognition and reading are what count — passive recall is enough. Practising with the words above, then quizzing yourself on the reading, mirrors exactly what the test asks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many kanji do I need to know for JLPT N5?+
You need to know approximately 110 kanji for JLPT N5. These cover basic concepts like numbers (one through ten), days of the week, common verbs, and everyday objects. The kanji section appears in the Language Knowledge portion of the test.
Do I need to write kanji for JLPT N5?+
No. The JLPT is a multiple-choice test — you are never required to write kanji by hand. You need to recognize kanji, know their readings (on'yomi and kun'yomi), and understand their meanings in context.
What is the best way to study N5 kanji?+
Start by learning the most common kanji (numbers, days, basic verbs) first. Practice both readings for each kanji, learn them in context through example words, and use spaced repetition to retain them long-term. Nihongo Pass's adaptive SRS system handles this automatically.
What is the difference between on'yomi and kun'yomi?+
On'yomi is the Chinese-derived reading used mainly in compound words (e.g., 山 = サン in 富士山). Kun'yomi is the native Japanese reading used when the kanji appears alone or with okurigana (e.g., 山 = やま). For N5, knowing both readings for each kanji is important.
Can I practice these kanji on Nihongo Pass?+
Yes. Sign up for a free account to practice N5 kanji with our adaptive SRS system. The app tracks which kanji you know well and which need more review, and adjusts your study schedule to maximize retention before the exam.

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