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JLPT N1 kanji: 50 essential characters

Fifty advanced JLPT N1 kanji from news, law and formal writing, with meanings, on’yomi and kun’yomi readings, and an example word for each.

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拠

Kanji meaning

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All 50 cards

  1. 1
    拠
    Kanji meaning
    basis; grounds
    On: キョ, コ 根拠 (konkyo) · basis, grounds
  2. 2
    衆
    Kanji meaning
    masses; multitude
    On: シュウ, シュ 衆議院 (shūgiin) · House of Representatives
  3. 3
    捜
    Kanji meaning
    search
    On: ソウ · Kun: さが(す) 捜査 (sōsa) · criminal investigation
  4. 4
    審
    Kanji meaning
    examine; judge
    On: シン 審判 (shinpan) · referee; judgment
  5. 5
    裁
    Kanji meaning
    judge; cut (cloth)
    On: サイ · Kun: た(つ), さば(く) 裁判 (saiban) · trial, court case
  6. 6
    隊
    Kanji meaning
    troop; squad
    On: タイ 自衛隊 (jieitai) · Self-Defense Forces
  7. 7
    析
    Kanji meaning
    analyze; split
    On: セキ 分析 (bunseki) · analysis
  8. 8
    獲
    Kanji meaning
    seize; obtain
    On: カク · Kun: え(る) 獲得 (kakutoku) · acquisition, winning
  9. 9
    拒
    Kanji meaning
    refuse
    On: キョ · Kun: こば(む) 拒否 (kyohi) · refusal, rejection
  10. 10
    撤
    Kanji meaning
    remove; withdraw
    On: テツ 撤退 (tettai) · withdrawal, pulling out
  11. 11
    宜
    Kanji meaning
    good; suitable
    On: ギ 便宜 (bengi) · convenience, accommodation
  12. 12
    膨
    Kanji meaning
    swell
    On: ボウ · Kun: ふく(らむ), ふく(れる) 膨大 (bōdai) · enormous, vast
  13. 13
    抑
    Kanji meaning
    suppress; restrain
    On: ヨク · Kun: おさ(える) 抑制 (yokusei) · restraint, control
  14. 14
    慎
    Kanji meaning
    prudent; careful
    On: シン · Kun: つつし(む) 慎重 (shinchō) · careful, cautious
  15. 15
    携
    Kanji meaning
    carry; take part in
    On: ケイ · Kun: たずさ(える), たずさ(わる) 携帯 (keitai) · carrying; mobile phone
  16. 16
    顕
    Kanji meaning
    manifest; evident
    On: ケン 顕著 (kencho) · remarkable, striking
  17. 17
    偏
    Kanji meaning
    biased; one-sided
    On: ヘン · Kun: かたよ(る) 偏見 (henken) · prejudice
  18. 18
    紛
    Kanji meaning
    tangle; be mixed up
    On: フン · Kun: まぎ(れる), まぎ(らわしい) 紛争 (funsō) · conflict, dispute
  19. 19
    措
    Kanji meaning
    set aside; arrange
    On: ソ 措置 (sochi) · measure, step
  20. 20
    該
    Kanji meaning
    applicable; the said
    On: ガイ 該当 (gaitō) · applicable, relevant
  21. 21
    遂
    Kanji meaning
    accomplish
    On: スイ · Kun: と(げる) 遂行 (suikō) · carrying out, execution
  22. 22
    甚
    Kanji meaning
    very; extreme
    On: ジン · Kun: はなは(だ), はなは(だしい) 甚大 (jindai) · immense, severe
  23. 23
    鎖
    Kanji meaning
    chain
    On: サ · Kun: くさり 閉鎖 (heisa) · closure, shutdown
  24. 24
    謙
    Kanji meaning
    modest; humble
    On: ケン 謙虚 (kenkyo) · modest, humble
  25. 25
    為
    Kanji meaning
    do; sake
    On: イ 行為 (kōi) · act, deed
  26. 26
    譲
    Kanji meaning
    yield; hand over
    On: ジョウ · Kun: ゆず(る) 譲歩 (jōho) · concession
  27. 27
    暫
    Kanji meaning
    temporarily; a while
    On: ザン 暫定 (zantei) · provisional, tentative
  28. 28
    矛
    Kanji meaning
    halberd; spear
    On: ム · Kun: ほこ 矛盾 (mujun) · contradiction
  29. 29
    盾
    Kanji meaning
    shield
    On: ジュン · Kun: たて 後ろ盾 (ushirodate) · backing, supporter
  30. 30
    礎
    Kanji meaning
    foundation stone
    On: ソ · Kun: いしずえ 基礎 (kiso) · foundation, basics
  31. 31
    諮
    Kanji meaning
    consult
    On: シ · Kun: はか(る) 諮問 (shimon) · consultation, inquiry
  32. 32
    煩
    Kanji meaning
    trouble; bother
    On: ハン, ボン · Kun: わずら(う), わずら(わす) 煩雑 (hanzatsu) · complicated, cumbersome
  33. 33
    唆
    Kanji meaning
    tempt; suggest
    On: サ · Kun: そそのか(す) 示唆 (shisa) · suggestion, hint
  34. 34
    懸
    Kanji meaning
    hang; be at stake
    On: ケン, ケ · Kun: か(ける), か(かる) 懸念 (kenen) · concern, worry
  35. 35
    克
    Kanji meaning
    overcome
    On: コク 克服 (kokufuku) · overcoming
  36. 36
    奨
    Kanji meaning
    encourage; recommend
    On: ショウ 奨学金 (shōgakukin) · scholarship
  37. 37
    践
    Kanji meaning
    tread; put into practice
    On: セン 実践 (jissen) · practice, putting into practice
  38. 38
    癒
    Kanji meaning
    heal; cure
    On: ユ · Kun: い(える), い(やす) 癒やし (iyashi) · healing, comfort
  39. 39
    憂
    Kanji meaning
    grieve; melancholy
    On: ユウ · Kun: うれ(える), うれ(い), う(い) 憂慮 (yūryo) · anxiety, concern
  40. 40
    鬱
    Kanji meaning
    gloom; depression
    On: ウツ 鬱病 (utsubyō) · depression (illness)
  41. 41
    嗅
    Kanji meaning
    smell; sniff
    On: キュウ · Kun: か(ぐ) 嗅覚 (kyūkaku) · sense of smell
  42. 42
    貪
    Kanji meaning
    covet; be greedy
    On: ドン · Kun: むさぼ(る) 貪欲 (don’yoku) · greedy, avaricious
  43. 43
    瞬
    Kanji meaning
    blink; instant
    On: シュン · Kun: またた(く) 瞬間 (shunkan) · moment, instant
  44. 44
    潜
    Kanji meaning
    dive; lurk
    On: セン · Kun: ひそ(む), もぐ(る) 潜在 (senzai) · latent, potential
  45. 45
    赴
    Kanji meaning
    proceed to; go to
    On: フ · Kun: おもむ(く) 赴任 (funin) · taking up a post
  46. 46
    弊
    Kanji meaning
    harm; our (humble)
    On: ヘイ 弊社 (heisha) · our company (humble)
  47. 47
    謹
    Kanji meaning
    respectful; discreet
    On: キン · Kun: つつし(む) 謹んで (tsutsushinde) · respectfully
  48. 48
    擁
    Kanji meaning
    embrace; protect
    On: ヨウ 擁護 (yōgo) · protection, defense
  49. 49
    衰
    Kanji meaning
    decline; weaken
    On: スイ · Kun: おとろ(える) 衰退 (suitai) · decline, decay
  50. 50
    是
    Kanji meaning
    right; just so
    On: ゼ 是非 (zehi) · by all means; certainly

Frequently asked questions

What is the JLPT N1?

The highest level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test. It assumes you can read newspapers and abstract writing, which means roughly 2,000 kanji.

Is there an official N1 kanji list?

No. The JLPT has published no kanji lists since 2010; this deck follows widely used study lists based on the former Level 1.

Are these kanji in the Jōyō list?

Yes. All of them are Jōyō kanji, including 鬱, 嗅 and 貪, which were added in the 2010 revision.

How should I study N1 kanji?

Learn them through compounds you meet while reading. The example word on each card is a good first compound to remember.

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