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JLPT N5 kanji: 50 essential characters

Fifty of the most common JLPT N5 kanji with meanings, on’yomi and kun’yomi readings, and an example word for each.

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Kanji meaning

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  1. 1
    一
    Kanji meaning
    one
    On: イチ, イツ · Kun: ひと(つ) 一つ (hitotsu) · one thing
  2. 2
    二
    Kanji meaning
    two
    On: ニ · Kun: ふた(つ) 二月 (nigatsu) · February
  3. 3
    三
    Kanji meaning
    three
    On: サン · Kun: み(っつ) 三日 (mikka) · the 3rd; three days
  4. 4
    四
    Kanji meaning
    four
    On: シ · Kun: よ(ん), よっ(つ) 四月 (shigatsu) · April
  5. 5
    五
    Kanji meaning
    five
    On: ゴ · Kun: いつ(つ) 五人 (gonin) · five people
  6. 6
    六
    Kanji meaning
    six
    On: ロク · Kun: む(っつ) 六時 (rokuji) · six o’clock
  7. 7
    七
    Kanji meaning
    seven
    On: シチ · Kun: なな(つ) 七月 (shichigatsu) · July
  8. 8
    八
    Kanji meaning
    eight
    On: ハチ · Kun: や(っつ) 八百屋 (yaoya) · greengrocer
  9. 9
    九
    Kanji meaning
    nine
    On: キュウ, ク · Kun: ここの(つ) 九月 (kugatsu) · September
  10. 10
    十
    Kanji meaning
    ten
    On: ジュウ · Kun: とお 十分 (juppun) · ten minutes
  11. 11
    百
    Kanji meaning
    hundred
    On: ヒャク 三百 (sanbyaku) · three hundred
  12. 12
    千
    Kanji meaning
    thousand
    On: セン · Kun: ち 千円 (sen’en) · 1,000 yen
  13. 13
    万
    Kanji meaning
    ten thousand
    On: マン, バン 一万円 (ichiman’en) · 10,000 yen
  14. 14
    円
    Kanji meaning
    yen; circle
    On: エン · Kun: まる(い) 百円 (hyakuen) · 100 yen
  15. 15
    日
    Kanji meaning
    day; sun
    On: ニチ, ジツ · Kun: ひ, か 日曜日 (nichiyōbi) · Sunday
  16. 16
    月
    Kanji meaning
    month; moon
    On: ゲツ, ガツ · Kun: つき 月曜日 (getsuyōbi) · Monday
  17. 17
    火
    Kanji meaning
    fire
    On: カ · Kun: ひ 火曜日 (kayōbi) · Tuesday
  18. 18
    水
    Kanji meaning
    water
    On: スイ · Kun: みず 水曜日 (suiyōbi) · Wednesday
  19. 19
    木
    Kanji meaning
    tree; wood
    On: モク, ボク · Kun: き 木曜日 (mokuyōbi) · Thursday
  20. 20
    金
    Kanji meaning
    gold; money
    On: キン, コン · Kun: かね 金曜日 (kin’yōbi) · Friday
  21. 21
    土
    Kanji meaning
    earth; soil
    On: ド, ト · Kun: つち 土曜日 (doyōbi) · Saturday
  22. 22
    人
    Kanji meaning
    person
    On: ジン, ニン · Kun: ひと 日本人 (nihonjin) · Japanese person
  23. 23
    男
    Kanji meaning
    man
    On: ダン, ナン · Kun: おとこ 男の子 (otoko no ko) · boy
  24. 24
    女
    Kanji meaning
    woman
    On: ジョ, ニョ · Kun: おんな 女の子 (onna no ko) · girl
  25. 25
    子
    Kanji meaning
    child
    On: シ, ス · Kun: こ 子ども (kodomo) · child
  26. 26
    父
    Kanji meaning
    father
    On: フ · Kun: ちち お父さん (otōsan) · father
  27. 27
    母
    Kanji meaning
    mother
    On: ボ · Kun: はは お母さん (okāsan) · mother
  28. 28
    友
    Kanji meaning
    friend
    On: ユウ · Kun: とも 友だち (tomodachi) · friend
  29. 29
    山
    Kanji meaning
    mountain
    On: サン · Kun: やま 富士山 (Fujisan) · Mount Fuji
  30. 30
    川
    Kanji meaning
    river
    On: セン · Kun: かわ 小川 (ogawa) · stream, brook
  31. 31
    天
    Kanji meaning
    heaven; sky
    On: テン · Kun: あめ, あま 天気 (tenki) · weather
  32. 32
    気
    Kanji meaning
    spirit; energy
    On: キ, ケ 元気 (genki) · healthy, energetic
  33. 33
    雨
    Kanji meaning
    rain
    On: ウ · Kun: あめ, あま 大雨 (ōame) · heavy rain
  34. 34
    花
    Kanji meaning
    flower
    On: カ · Kun: はな 花火 (hanabi) · fireworks
  35. 35
    大
    Kanji meaning
    big
    On: ダイ, タイ · Kun: おお(きい) 大学 (daigaku) · university
  36. 36
    小
    Kanji meaning
    small
    On: ショウ · Kun: ちい(さい), こ 小学校 (shōgakkō) · elementary school
  37. 37
    中
    Kanji meaning
    middle; inside
    On: チュウ · Kun: なか 中国 (Chūgoku) · China
  38. 38
    上
    Kanji meaning
    up; above
    On: ジョウ · Kun: うえ, あ(がる) 上手 (jōzu) · skillful
  39. 39
    下
    Kanji meaning
    down; below
    On: カ, ゲ · Kun: した, さ(がる) 地下鉄 (chikatetsu) · subway
  40. 40
    左
    Kanji meaning
    left
    On: サ · Kun: ひだり 左手 (hidarite) · left hand
  41. 41
    右
    Kanji meaning
    right
    On: ウ, ユウ · Kun: みぎ 右手 (migite) · right hand
  42. 42
    前
    Kanji meaning
    before; front
    On: ゼン · Kun: まえ 午前 (gozen) · a.m., morning
  43. 43
    後
    Kanji meaning
    after; behind
    On: ゴ, コウ · Kun: あと, うし(ろ) 午後 (gogo) · p.m., afternoon
  44. 44
    年
    Kanji meaning
    year
    On: ネン · Kun: とし 今年 (kotoshi) · this year
  45. 45
    時
    Kanji meaning
    time; hour
    On: ジ · Kun: とき 時間 (jikan) · time
  46. 46
    学
    Kanji meaning
    study; learning
    On: ガク · Kun: まな(ぶ) 学生 (gakusei) · student
  47. 47
    校
    Kanji meaning
    school
    On: コウ 学校 (gakkō) · school
  48. 48
    生
    Kanji meaning
    life; birth
    On: セイ, ショウ · Kun: い(きる), う(まれる) 先生 (sensei) · teacher
  49. 49
    先
    Kanji meaning
    ahead; previous
    On: セン · Kun: さき 先週 (senshū) · last week
  50. 50
    本
    Kanji meaning
    book; origin
    On: ホン · Kun: もと 日本 (Nihon) · Japan

Frequently asked questions

What is the JLPT N5?

The entry level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test. It expects roughly 100 kanji and basic vocabulary.

What are on’yomi and kun’yomi?

On’yomi are readings borrowed from Chinese, used mostly in compounds; kun’yomi are native Japanese readings, used when a kanji stands alone or with okurigana.

Do I need to know kana first?

Yes. Readings are written in kana, so learn hiragana and katakana before this deck.

Beginner

Hiragana

Learn to read all 46 basic hiragana plus the most common voiced sounds, with example words for every character.

50 cards
Beginner

Katakana

Learn all 46 basic katakana and the common voiced sounds, each with a real loanword so the shapes stick.

50 cards
Beginner

N5 vocabulary

Fifty core JLPT N5 words (everyday verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs) with readings, meanings and a natural example sentence for each.

50 cards
Beginner

N4 kanji

Fifty core JLPT N4 kanji with meanings, on’yomi and kun’yomi readings, and a common example word for each. Free flashcards with spaced repetition.

50 cards
Beginner

N4 vocabulary

Fifty JLPT N4 words for daily life: plans, travel, opinions and feelings, each with its reading, meaning and an example sentence.

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Intermediate

N3 kanji

Fifty high-frequency JLPT N3 kanji with meanings, on’yomi and kun’yomi readings, and a common example word for each. Free flashcards with spaced repetition.

50 cards
Intermediate

N3 vocabulary

Fifty JLPT N3 words that bridge everyday and written Japanese: causes and results, feelings, character traits and key adverbs, with example sentences.

50 cards
Intermediate

N2 kanji

Fifty frequent JLPT N2 kanji for news, business and society, with meanings, on’yomi and kun’yomi readings, and an example word for each.

50 cards
Intermediate

N2 vocabulary

Fifty JLPT N2 words from news, work and essays: policies, trends, evidence and nuanced adjectives, each with a reading and example sentence.

50 cards
Intermediate

N1 kanji

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.

50 cards
Intermediate

N1 vocabulary

Fifty advanced JLPT N1 words from editorials, law and literature, with readings, precise meanings and natural example sentences.

50 cards