Hana LearnHana LearnYour first Japanese exam: what it really tests, the kanji and words that matter, and an 8-week plan that doesn't eat your life.
The JLPT — Japanese-Language Proficiency Test — runs five levels, and N5 is the gateway: proof you can read basic Japanese and follow slow, clear conversation. It's offered twice a year (July and December) in Japan and across the world, entirely multiple-choice, no speaking or writing sections.
| Section | What it tests | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary 文字・語彙 | Kana reading, kanji recognition, word meaning | ~20 min |
| Grammar & Reading 文法・読解 | Particles, sentence patterns, short passages | ~40 min |
| Listening 聴解 | Slow, clear conversations and announcements | ~30 min |
Scoring is out of 180; you pass at 80 overall with minimum sectional scores — you can't zero the listening and pass on reading. In practice N5 expects every kana, about 100 kanji, and roughly 800 words.
The N5 is written in Japanese script from the first question. Before any vocabulary list matters, hiragana and katakana must be automatic — not "I can work it out," but instant. Our free hiragana chart and katakana chart cover all 104 sounds of each with audio, and the quiz tells you honestly whether you're there yet.
These 105 characters are the heart of the N5 list — numbers, time, people, directions and sizes. Each links its most useful word. (There's no official list; this is the consistent core of decades of past exams.)
| Kanji | Meaning | On-yomi | Kun-yomi | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | one | ichi、itsu | hito(tsu) | 一つ ひとつ — one (thing) |
| 二 | two | ni | futa(tsu) | 二つ ふたつ — two (things) |
| 三 | three | san | mi(ttsu) | 三つ みっつ — three (things) |
| 四 | four | shi | yo(ttsu)、yon | 四月 しがつ — April |
| 五 | five | go | itsu(tsu) | 五月 ごがつ — May |
| 六 | six | roku | mu(ttsu) | 六月 ろくがつ — June |
| 七 | seven | shichi | nana(tsu) | 七月 しちがつ — July |
| 八 | eight | hachi | ya(ttsu) | 八月 はちがつ — August |
| 九 | nine | kyuu、ku | kokono(tsu) | 九月 くがつ — September |
| 十 | ten | juu | too、to | 十月 じゅうがつ — October |
| 百 | hundred | hyaku | — | 百円 ひゃくえん — one hundred yen |
| 千 | thousand | sen | chi | 千円 せんえん — one thousand yen |
| 万 | ten thousand | man、ban | — | 一万 いちまん — ten thousand |
| 円 | yen, circle | en | maru(i) | 円 えん — yen; circle |
| 日 | day, sun | nichi、jitsu | hi、ka | 日本 にほん — Japan |
| 月 | month, moon | getsu、gatsu | tsuki | 月曜日 げつようび — Monday |
| 火 | fire | ka | hi | 火曜日 かようび — Tuesday |
| 水 | water | sui | mizu | 水 みず — water |
| 木 | tree, wood | moku、boku | ki | 木 き — tree |
| 金 | gold, money, metal | kin | kane | お金 おかね — money |
| 土 | earth, soil | do、to | tsuchi | 土曜日 どようび — Saturday |
| 年 | year | nen | toshi | 今年 ことし — this year |
| 時 | time, hour | ji | toki | 時間 じかん — time; hours |
| 分 | minute, part, understand | fun、bun | wa(karu) | 五分 ごふん — five minutes |
| 間 | interval, between, space | kan、ken | aida、ma | 間 あいだ — interval; between |
| 今 | now | kon | ima | 今日 きょう — today |
| 週 | week | shuu | — | 先週 せんしゅう — last week |
| 人 | person | jin、nin | hito | 日本人 にほんじん — Japanese person |
| 男 | man, male | dan、nan | otoko | 男の人 おとこのひと — man |
| 女 | woman, female | jo | onna | 女の人 おんなのひと — woman |
| 子 | child | shi | ko | 子ども こども — child |
| 父 | father | fu | chichi | お父さん おとうさん — father (polite) |
| 母 | mother | bo | haha | お母さん おかあさん — mother (polite) |
| 友 | friend | yuu | tomo | 友達 ともだち — friend |
| 名 | name, famous | mei、myou | na | 名前 なまえ — name |
| 目 | eye | moku | me | 目 め — eye |
| 口 | mouth | kou、ku | kuchi | 口 くち — mouth |
| 耳 | ear | ji | mimi | 耳 みみ — ear |
| 手 | hand | shu | te | 手 て — hand |
| 足 | foot, leg, suffice | soku | ashi、ta(riru) | 足 あし — foot; leg |
| 上 | up, above, top | jou | ue、a(garu) | 上 うえ — up; above |
| 下 | down, below, under | ka、ge | shita、kuda(ru) | 下 した — down; below |
| 中 | middle, inside | chuu | naka | 中 なか — inside; middle |
| 外 | outside | gai | soto | 外 そと — outside |
| 左 | left | sa | hidari | 左 ひだり — left |
| 右 | right | u、yuu | migi | 右 みぎ — right |
| 前 | front, before | zen | mae | 前 まえ — front; before |
| 後 | behind, after | go、kou | ato、ushi(ro) | 後ろ うしろ — behind |
| 東 | east | tou | higashi | 東 ひがし — east |
| 西 | west | sei、sai | nishi | 西 にし — west |
| 南 | south | nan | minami | 南 みなみ — south |
| 北 | north | hoku | kita | 北 きた — north |
| 国 | country | koku | kuni | 国 くに — country |
| 駅 | station | eki | — | 駅 えき — station |
| 山 | mountain | san | yama | 山 やま — mountain |
| 川 | river | sen | kawa | 川 かわ — river |
| 田 | rice field | den | ta | 田んぼ たんぼ — rice paddy |
| 天 | heaven, sky | ten | ama | 天気 てんき — weather |
| 空 | sky, empty | kuu | sora、a(ku)、kara | 空 そら — sky |
| 雨 | rain | u | ame | 雨 あめ — rain |
| 花 | flower | ka | hana | 花 はな — flower |
| 魚 | fish | gyo | sakana、uo | 魚 さかな — fish |
| 犬 | dog | ken | inu | 犬 いぬ — dog |
| 行 | go, conduct | kou、gyou | i(ku)、okona(u) | 行く いく — to go |
| 来 | come | rai | ku(ru)、ki(masu) | 来る くる — to come |
| 見 | see, look | ken | mi(ru) | 見る みる — to see, to watch |
| 聞 | hear, ask | bun、mon | ki(ku) | 聞く きく — to listen, to ask |
| 読 | read | doku | yo(mu) | 読む よむ — to read |
| 書 | write | sho | ka(ku) | 書く かく — to write |
| 話 | speak, talk, story | wa | hana(su)、hanashi | 話す はなす — to speak |
| 食 | eat, food | shoku | ta(beru) | 食べる たべる — to eat |
| 飲 | drink | in | no(mu) | 飲む のむ — to drink |
| 買 | buy | bai | ka(u) | 買う かう — to buy |
| 大 | big, large | dai、tai | oo(kii) | 大きい おおきい — big |
| 小 | small, little | shou | chii(sai)、ko | 小さい ちいさい — small |
| 高 | tall, high, expensive | kou | taka(i) | 高い たかい — tall; expensive |
| 安 | cheap, peaceful, safe | an | yasu(i) | 安い やすい — cheap |
| 新 | new | shin | atara(shii) | 新しい あたらしい — new |
| 古 | old | ko | furu(i) | 古い ふるい — old (things) |
| 長 | long, leader | chou | naga(i) | 長い ながい — long |
| 何 | what | ka | nani、nan | 何 なに — what |
| 先 | ahead, previous | sen | saki | 先生 せんせい — teacher |
| 生 | life, birth, raw | sei、shou | i(kiru)、u(mareru)、nama | 学生 がくせい — student |
| 学 | study, learning | gaku | mana(bu) | 学校 がっこう — school |
| 校 | school | kou | — | 学校 がっこう — school |
| 午 | noon | go | — | 午前 ごぜん — a.m. |
| 半 | half | han | naka(ba) | 半分 はんぶん — half |
| 毎 | every | mai | — | 毎日 まいにち — every day |
| 語 | language, word | go | kata(ru) | 日本語 にほんご — Japanese |
| 電 | electricity | den | — | 電車 でんしゃ — train |
| 車 | car, vehicle | sha | kuruma | 車 くるま — car |
| 帰 | return | ki | kae(ru) | 帰る かえる — to return home |
| 道 | road, way | dou | michi | 道 みち — road |
| 気 | spirit, energy, air | ki、ke | — | 天気 てんき — weather |
| 本 | book, origin | hon | moto | 本 ほん — book |
| 白 | white | haku | shiro(i) | 白い しろい — white |
| 休 | rest | kyuu | yasu(mu) | 休む やすむ — to rest |
| 出 | exit, go out | shutsu | de(ru)、da(su) | 出口 でぐち — exit |
| 入 | enter | nyuu | hai(ru)、i(reru) | 入口 いりぐち — entrance |
| 立 | stand | ritsu | ta(tsu) | 立つ たつ — to stand |
| 会 | meet | kai | a(u) | 会う あう — to meet |
| 力 | power, strength | ryoku、riki | chikara | 力 ちから — strength |
| 同 | same | dou | ona(ji) | 同じ おなじ — same |
| 社 | company, shrine | sha | yashiro | 会社 かいしゃ — company |
| 店 | shop, store | ten | mise | 店 みせ — shop |
A taste of the ~800 N5 words, organized the way you'll actually meet them. The full themed sets — with audio, examples and spaced reviews — live in the app.
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | hello; good afternoon |
| おはようございます | ohayou gozaimasu | good morning |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | good evening |
| さようなら | sayounara | goodbye |
| ありがとう | arigatou | thank you |
| はい | hai | yes |
| いいえ | iie | no |
| お願いします | onegai shimasu | please (requesting something) |
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | ichi | one |
| 二 | ni | two |
| 三 | san | three |
| 四 | yon | four |
| 五 | go | five |
| 六 | roku | six |
| 七 | nana | seven |
| 八 | hachi | eight |
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| すし | sushi | sushi |
| ご飯 | gohan | cooked rice; meal |
| 水 | mizu | water |
| お茶 | ocha | tea (green tea) |
| 肉 | niku | meat |
| 魚 | sakana | fish |
| 野菜 | yasai | vegetables |
| 果物 | kudamono | fruit |
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 電車 | densha | train |
| 駅 | eki | station |
| 空港 | kuukou | airport |
| 切符 | kippu | ticket |
| ホテル | hoteru | hotel |
| 左 | hidari | left |
| 右 | migi | right |
| まっすぐ | massugu | straight ahead |
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 家 | ie | house; home |
| 部屋 | heya | room |
| お風呂 | ofuro | bath |
| ベッド | beddo | bed |
| 電話 | denwa | telephone |
| テレビ | terebi | television |
| 起きる | okiru | to wake up; to get up |
| 寝る | neru | to sleep; to go to bed |
Both scripts to automatic recognition. 20 minutes a day: chart, quiz, repeat. Nothing else matters until this is done.
Greetings, numbers, time, food, travel. Meet は・が・を・に・で in real sentences rather than as a table to memorize.
The core kanji above at ~8 a day with mnemonics, plus 10 minutes of slow listening every single day — the section that fails unprepared candidates.
Two timed practice tests. Whatever leaks — usually listening stamina and particle choices — gets the final fortnight's attention.
It's the friendliest serious exam in language learning: around 100–120 hours of study for most learners. Full kana, roughly 100 kanji, about 800 words, and core particle grammar.
As a credential, rarely — employers start caring around N2. As a deadline that forces consistent study and proves to yourself that you're really doing this, it's excellent.
Roughly 100 kanji and 800 words. There's no official list anymore, but decades of past exams make the practical list well known — the kanji below are its core.
No — the entire exam is in Japanese script. Kana must be automatic before test day, which is exactly what our free chart and quiz are for.
You can — many do, since the levels share a registration fee and N4 subsumes N5 material. Take N5 if you want an early, confidence-building milestone; skip to N4 if you're already a year in.
The path in Hana Learn walks kana → words → kanji in exactly this order, with reviews scheduled so nothing you learn leaks back out.
Get Hana Learn free