If you are preparing for the JLPT N5, kanji is one of the areas that trips up beginners the most. You open a textbook, see a wall of characters, and wonder where to even start. The good news: the N5 exam only tests 80 kanji. That is a very manageable list — and this guide walks you through every single one, organized by category, with readings, meanings, example words, and example sentences.
By the time you finish reading, you will know exactly which characters to prioritize, how they appear on the exam, and the most effective strategies for locking them into long-term memory.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total kanji to learn | 80 characters |
| JLPT level | N5 (beginner) |
| Reading types tested | On’yomi (Chinese reading) & Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) |
| How kanji appear on the test | Vocabulary reading questions, sentence fill-in, kanji writing recognition |
| Recommended study time | 4–6 weeks for complete memorization |
| Best study method | Category grouping + spaced repetition (Anki) |
How N5 Kanji Is Tested
Before diving into the list, it helps to understand how these characters show up on the actual JLPT N5 exam. The test does not ask you to write kanji from scratch — you only need to read and recognize them. There are two main question types:
- Vocabulary reading questions: A kanji word is shown and you choose the correct reading (hiragana) from four options. Example: 山 — which reading is correct? (a) かわ (b) やま (c) うみ (d) そら
- Kanji recognition in sentences: A sentence has a hiragana word underlined. You choose the correct kanji that matches it. Example: まいにち みず をのみます。 — which kanji fits みず? (a) 火 (b) 土 (c) 水 (d) 木
Both question types require you to connect the look of the character to its reading and meaning. This is why studying kanji in context — as part of real vocabulary words — is far more effective than memorizing characters in isolation.
YukaThe N5 exam always puts kanji inside words and sentences. So learn each kanji as part of a real word — not just as a standalone character. That way you practice the reading and the meaning at the same time!
Numbers & Time Kanji
Numbers and time expressions are among the first kanji you encounter in any Japanese textbook — and for good reason. They appear constantly in daily conversation, on signs, and throughout the JLPT exam. Learn these first.
| Kanji | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | English | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | いち | ひと(つ) | one | 一つ (hitotsu) — one thing |
| 二 | に | ふた(つ) | two | 二月 (nigatsu) — February |
| 三 | さん | み(つ) | three | 三時 (sanji) — 3 o’clock |
| 四 | し | よ(つ)・よん | four | 四月 (shigatsu) — April |
| 五 | ご | いつ(つ) | five | 五日 (itsuka) — 5th day |
| 六 | ろく | む(つ) | six | 六時 (rokuji) — 6 o’clock |
| 七 | しち | なな(つ) | seven | 七月 (shichigatsu) — July |
| 八 | はち | やっ(つ) | eight | 八日 (youka) — 8th day |
| 九 | く・きゅう | ここの(つ) | nine | 九月 (kugatsu) — September |
| 十 | じゅう | とお | ten | 十分 (juppun) — 10 minutes |
| 百 | ひゃく | — | hundred | 百円 (hyakuen) — 100 yen |
| 千 | せん | ち | thousand | 千円 (senen) — 1,000 yen |
| 万 | まん | — | ten thousand | 一万 (ichiman) — 10,000 |
| 年 | ねん | とし | year | 今年 (kotoshi) — this year |
| 月 | げつ・がつ | つき | month / moon | 来月 (raigetsu) — next month |
| 日 | にち・じつ | ひ・か | day / sun | 今日 (kyou) — today |
| 時 | じ | とき | time / hour | 何時 (nanji) — what time |
| 分 | ふん・ぷん | わ(かる) | minute / understand | 五分 (gofun) — 5 minutes |
| 半 | はん | — | half | 三時半 (sanjihan) — 3:30 |
Example sentence:
クラスは毎朖火曜日の午前三時半にはじまります。
Kurasu wa maitsuki kayoubi no gozen sanji-han ni hajimarimasu.
The class starts at 3:30 AM every Tuesday of every month. (Study sentence using 月, 火, 前, 三, 半)
今日は十二月㑚日です。
Kyou wa juunichi des. — Today is the 12th. (Uses 今, 日, 十, 二)
People & Body Kanji
These kanji describe people and parts of the human body. Many of them are among the oldest and most pictographic characters in Japanese — you can actually see the shape of a person (人), a hand (手), or an eye (目) if you look closely.
| Kanji | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | English | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 人 | じん・にん | ひと | person / people | 外国人 (gaikokujin) — foreigner |
| 女 | じょ | おんな | woman / female | 女の人 (onna no hito) — woman |
| 男 | だん | おとこ | man / male | 男の子 (otoko no ko) — boy |
| 子 | し・す | こ | child | 子ども (kodomo) — child |
| 手 | しゅ | て | hand | 上手 (jouzu) — skilled |
| 目 | もく | め | eye | 目的 (mokuteki) — purpose |
| 口 | こう・く | くち | mouth | 入口 (iriguchi) — entrance |
| 耳 | じ | みみ | ear | 耳鼻科 (jirika) — ENT clinic |
| 足 | そく | あし | foot / leg / enough | 足りる (tariru) — to be enough |
| 気 | き・け | — | spirit / feeling / energy | 元気 (genki) — healthy / fine |
Example sentences:
彼女は手がきれいです。
Kanojo wa te ga kirei desu. — Her hands are beautiful.
あの子どもは元気です。
Ano kodomo wa genki desu. — That child is energetic.
ReiNotice that 手 (hand) shows up in 上手 (jouzu), which means “skilled.” The idea is that someone with a good hand is skilled at something. Connecting kanji to their original image helps you remember them much longer!
Nature & Places Kanji
Nature kanji are highly pictographic and make great starting points for beginners. Mountain (山), river (川), rice field (田), tree (木) — each one was originally drawn to look like the thing it represents. Many of these also combine to form new compound words.
| Kanji | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | English | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 山 | さん | やま | mountain | 富士山 (fujisan) — Mt. Fuji |
| 川 | せん | かわ | river | 川口 (kawaguchi) — river mouth |
| 田 | でん | た | rice field | 田中 (tanaka) — common surname |
| 木 | もく・ぼく | き | tree / wood | 木曜日 (mokuyoubi) — Thursday |
| 水 | すい | みず | water | 水曜日 (suiyoubi) — Wednesday |
| 火 | か | ひ | fire | 火曜日 (kayoubi) — Tuesday |
| 土 | ど・と | つち | earth / soil | 土曜日 (doyoubi) — Saturday |
| 空 | くう | そら・あ(く) | sky / empty | 空港 (kuukou) — airport |
| 花 | か | はな | flower | 花見 (hanami) — cherry blossom viewing |
| 雨 | う | あめ | rain | 大雨 (ooame) — heavy rain |
| 石 | せき・しゃく | いし | stone / rock | 石けん (sekken) — soap |
| 林 | りん | はやし | grove / small forest | 林道 (rindou) — forest path |
| 森 | しん | もり | forest | 森林 (shinrin) — forest (formal) |
Compound tip: 木 (one tree) → 林 (two trees = grove) → 森 (three trees = forest). This visual progression makes all three characters easy to remember together.
Example sentence:
山の上に花が和いています。
Yama no ue ni hana ga saite imasu. — Flowers are blooming on the mountain.
Directions & Position Kanji
Direction and position words are essential for giving and understanding instructions. You will hear these constantly in everyday Japanese — on the street, in stores, and in test questions involving describing where things are.
| Kanji | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | English | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 上 | じょう | うえ・あ(がる) | up / above | 上手 (jouzu) — skilled |
| 下 | か・げ | した・さ(がる) | down / below | 地下 (chika) — underground |
| 左 | さ | ひだり | left | 左手 (hidarite) — left hand |
| 右 | ゆう・う | みぎ | right | 右側 (migigawa) — right side |
| 中 | ちゅう | なか | inside / middle | 中学校 (chuugakkou) — middle school |
| 前 | ぜん | まえ | front / before | 午前 (gozen) — AM / morning |
| 後 | ご・こう | あと・うし(ろ) | behind / after | 午後 (gogo) — PM / afternoon |
| 外 | がい・げ | そと | outside | 外国 (gaikoku) — foreign country |
| 内 | ない・だい | うち | inside / within | 国内 (kokunai) — domestic |
| 東 | とう | ひがし | east | 東京 (toukyou) — Tokyo |
| 西 | せい・さい | にし | west | 関西 (kansai) — Kansai region |
| 南 | なん | みなみ | south | 南口 (minamiguchi) — south exit |
| 北 | ほく | きた | north | 北海道 (hokkaidou) — Hokkaido |
| 国 | こく | くに | country / nation | 外国 (gaikoku) — foreign country |
| 町 | ちょう | まち | town | 町内 (chounai) — neighborhood |
| 村 | そん | むら | village | 農村 (nouson) — farming village |
| 道 | どう | みち | road / way | 北海道 (hokkaidou) — Hokkaido |
Example sentence:
駅の南口を出て、右に曲がってください。
Eki no minamiguchi wo dete, migi ni magatte kudasai. — Exit from the south entrance of the station and turn right.
Objects, Concepts & Action Kanji
This section covers a mix of common nouns, adjectives, and action verbs that appear throughout N5-level reading and listening tasks. These are the kanji that glue sentences together.
| Kanji | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | English | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 本 | ほん | もと | book / origin | 日本語 (nihongo) — Japanese language |
| 車 | しゃ | くるま | car / vehicle | 電車 (densha) — train |
| 金 | きん・こん | かね | gold / money | お金 (okane) — money |
| 白 | はく・びゃく | しろ | white | 白紙 (hakushi) — blank paper |
| 黒 | こく | くろ | black | 黒板 (kokuban) — blackboard |
| 赤 | せき | あか | red | 赤ちゃん (akachan) — baby |
| 青 | せい | あお | blue / green | 青空 (aozora) — blue sky |
| 大 | だい・たい | おお(きい) | big / large | 大学 (daigaku) — university |
| 小 | しょう | ちい(さい)・こ | small | 小学校 (shougakkou) — elementary school |
| 長 | ちょう | なが(い) | long / chief | 社長 (shachou) — company president |
| 高 | こう | たか(い) | high / expensive | 高校 (koukou) — high school |
| 安 | あん | やす(い) | cheap / safe / peaceful | 安心 (anshin) — peace of mind |
| 新 | しん | あたら(しい) | new | 新幹線 (shinkansen) — bullet train |
| 古 | こ | ふる(い) | old / ancient | 古本 (furuhon) — used book |
| 好 | こう | す(き)・この(む) | like / fond of | 好き (suki) — like / favorite |
| 何 | か | なに・なん | what | 何語 (nanigo) — what language |
| Kanji | On’yomi | Kun’yomi | English | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 食 | しょく | た(べる) | eat / food | 食堂 (shokudou) — cafeteria |
| 飲 | いん | の(む) | drink | 飲み物 (nomimono) — beverage |
| 見 | けん | み(る) | see / look | 見物 (kenbutsu) — sightseeing |
| 聞 | ぶん・もん | き(く)・き(こえる) | hear / ask / listen | 新聞 (shinbun) — newspaper |
| 行 | こう・ぎょう | い(く)・おこな(う) | go | 旅行 (ryokou) — travel |
| 来 | らい | く(る)・き(た) | come | 来週 (raishuu) — next week |
| 出 | しゅつ・すい | で(る)・だ(す) | exit / come out | 出口 (deguchi) — exit |
| 入 | にゅう | はい(る)・い(れる) | enter | 入口 (iriguchi) — entrance |
| 買 | ばい | か(う) | buy | 買い物 (kaimono) — shopping |
| 書 | しょ | か(く) | write | 教科書 (kyoukasho) — textbook |
| 読 | どく | よ(む) | read | 読書 (dokusho) — reading (books) |
| 話 | わ | はな(す)・はなし | speak / story | 電話 (denwa) — telephone |
| 立 | りつ | た(つ)・た(てる) | stand | 立場 (tachiba) — standpoint |
| 休 | きゅう | やす(む) | rest / day off | 休日 (kyuujitsu) — holiday |
| 生 | せい・しょう | い(きる)・は(える) | life / birth / raw | 学生 (gakusei) — student |
| 学 | がく | まな(ぶ) | study / learn | 学校 (gakkou) — school |
| 言 | げん・ごん | い(う)・こと | say / word | 言葉 (kotoba) — word / language |
| 思 | し | おも(う) | think / feel | 思い出 (omoide) — memory |
| 知 | ち | し(る) | know | 知識 (chishiki) — knowledge |
Example sentences:
毎日日本語を勉強して、本を読んでいます。
Mainichi nihongo wo benkyou shite, hon wo yonde imasu. — I study Japanese every day and read books.
食庶で明日鷹を食べます。
Shokudou de ashita ramen wo tabemasu. — I will eat ramen at the cafeteria tomorrow.
Study Tips: How to Memorize Kanji Efficiently
Memorizing 80 kanji sounds daunting, but with the right techniques you can master them in 4 to 6 weeks. Here are the methods that work best for N5 learners.
1. Learn Kanji in Groups, Not Randomly
This guide organizes kanji by category — numbers, people, nature, directions, actions — for a reason. Your brain stores information in networks. When you learn 山 (mountain), 川 (river), and 田 (rice field) together, each one reinforces the others. Never study from a random shuffled list.
2. Use Radicals as Building Blocks
Many N5 kanji are made of simpler parts called radicals (部首, bushu). Once you know the parts, you can decode unfamiliar characters. Key radical examples:
- 木 (ki / tree) is a radical inside 林 (grove) and 森 (forest)
- 口 (kuchi / mouth) appears inside 食 (eat) and 言 (say)
- 女 (onna / woman) is a radical inside 好 (like / fond of) — a woman with a child = liking
- 水 (mizu / water) as a side radical 氵 appears in many water-related kanji
3. Use Spaced Repetition (Anki)
Download a free Anki deck specifically for JLPT N5 kanji. Anki shows you cards at the exact moment you are about to forget them, which is scientifically proven to be the most efficient memorization method. Aim for 10–15 new kanji per day and review daily.
4. Write Each Kanji at Least Once
Even though you do not need to write kanji on the N5 exam, writing each character by hand at least once helps your brain form a stronger memory trace. Pay attention to stroke order (筆順, hitsujun) — characters written in the correct order look more natural and are easier to recognize at speed.
5. Spot the Visual Story
Many kanji started as pictures. 山 looks like three mountain peaks. 川 looks like a flowing river. 目 looks like an eye. 木 looks like a tree with roots and branches. Use these visual stories as memory hooks, especially for the pictographic nature kanji.
YukaMy top tip: make a physical flashcard for every kanji on this list, write the kanji on one side, and the reading plus a sample word on the other. Carry them with you and review 5 cards whenever you have a spare moment on the train or during a break!
Quick Quiz
Test yourself with these N5-style kanji questions. Choose the correct answer for each. Answers are shown below each question — try to answer before you look!
Question 1
はなは山の上に和いています。
Hana wa yama no ue ni saite imasu.
What does 「山」 mean in this sentence?
- river
- mountain
- forest
- town
Answer: (2) mountain — 山 (yama) = mountain. The flowers are blooming on top of the mountain.
Question 2
まいにち みず をのみます。
Choose the correct kanji for the underlined word mizu:
- 火
- 土
- 水
- 木
Answer: (3) 水 — 水 (mizu) = water. I drink water every day.
Question 3
このほんは ふるい です。
Choose the correct kanji for the underlined word furui:
- 新
- 古
- 高
- 安
Answer: (2) 古 — 古い (furui) = old. This book is old.
Question 4
学生は毎日図書館で本をÿ＿ÿ＿ます。
Which kanji completes the sentence? (yomimasu = reads)
- 書き
- 聞き
- 見
- 読み
Answer: (4) 読み — 読む (yomu) = to read. The student reads books at the library every day.
Question 5
どのかんじのよみがたたしいですか？「東」 の読み方はどれですか？
What is the correct reading of 東?
- にし
- きた
- みなみ
- ひがし
Answer: (4) ひがし — 東 (higashi) = east. Think of 東京 (Toukyou) = Eastern Capital.
Question 6
「おかね」の正しい漢字はどれですか？
Which kanji correctly writes okane (money)?
- 銀
- 金
- 鉄
- 銅
Answer: (2) 金 — お金 (okane) = money. 金 means gold and also money in everyday usage.
How did you score? If you got 5 or 6 correct, your N5 kanji recognition is already solid. If you missed some, go back to that kanji’s table and add it to your Anki deck today.
Which kanji do you find hardest to remember? Share in the comments below — other learners might have the same struggle, and sharing your tips helps everyone!
Keep Learning
Ready to build on your kanji knowledge? These guides will help you master every part of the N5 exam:
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About the Author
Daisuke is the creator of JP YoKoSo — a Japanese learning site for English speakers. Every article is written to explain Japanese clearly, with real examples, grammar notes, and practical tips for learners at every level.
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