Below, you’ll find a list of the JLPT N5 Kanji
It’s only about 100, so it should not be too hard to master.
N5 Kanji List
Want to save this list? Well, you can 1) print this page, or 2) scroll below for free N5 Kanji PDF workbooks.
| # | Kanji | Meaning | On’yomi | Kun’yomi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 日 | sun / day | にち・じつ | ひ・か |
| 2 | 月 | moon / month | げつ・がつ | つき |
| 3 | 火 | fire | か | ひ |
| 4 | 水 | water | すい | みず |
| 5 | 木 | tree / wood | もく・ぼく | き・こ |
| 6 | 金 | gold / money | きん・こん | かね・かな |
| 7 | 土 | earth / soil | ど・と | つち |
| 8 | 山 | mountain | さん | やま |
| 9 | 川 | river | せん | かわ |
| 10 | 田 | rice field | でん | た |
| 11 | 人 | person | じん・にん | ひと |
| 12 | 子 | child | し・す | こ |
| 13 | 女 | woman | じょ・にょ | おんな |
| 14 | 男 | man | だん・なん | おとこ |
| 15 | 父 | father | ふ | ちち |
| 16 | 母 | mother | ぼ | はは |
| 17 | 学 | study / learn | がく | まな(ぶ) |
| 18 | 生 | life / birth | せい・しょう | い(きる)・う(まれる) |
| 19 | 先 | before / ahead | せん | さき |
| 20 | 校 | school | こう | — |
| 21 | 年 | year | ねん | とし |
| 22 | 時 | time / hour | じ | とき |
| 23 | 分 | minute / part | ふん・ぶん | わ(かる) |
| 24 | 今 | now | こん・きん | いま |
| 25 | 何 | what | か | なに・なん |
| 26 | 一 | one | いち・いつ | ひと(つ) |
| 27 | 二 | two | に | ふた(つ) |
| 28 | 三 | three | さん | み(っつ) |
| 29 | 四 | four | し | よ(っつ)・よん |
| 30 | 五 | five | ご | いつ(つ) |
| 31 | 六 | six | ろく | む(っつ) |
| 32 | 七 | seven | しち | なな(つ) |
| 33 | 八 | eight | はち | やっ(つ) |
| 34 | 九 | nine | く・きゅう | ここの(つ) |
| 35 | 十 | ten | じゅう | とお |
| 36 | 百 | hundred | ひゃく | — |
| 37 | 千 | thousand | せん | ち |
| 38 | 万 | ten thousand | まん・ばん | — |
| 39 | 円 | yen / circle | えん | — |
| 40 | 大 | big / large | だい・たい | おお(きい) |
| 41 | 小 | small | しょう | ちい(さい)・こ |
| 42 | 中 | middle / inside | ちゅう | なか |
| 43 | 上 | above / up | じょう | うえ・あ(がる) |
| 44 | 下 | below / down | か・げ | した・さ(がる) |
| 45 | 左 | left | さ | ひだり |
| 46 | 右 | right | う・ゆう | みぎ |
| 47 | 東 | east | とう | ひがし |
| 48 | 西 | west | せい・さい | にし |
| 49 | 南 | south | なん・な | みなみ |
| 50 | 北 | north | ほく | きた |
| 51 | 口 | mouth | こう・く | くち |
| 52 | 目 | eye | もく・ぼく | め |
| 53 | 耳 | ear | じ | みみ |
| 54 | 手 | hand | しゅ | て |
| 55 | 足 | foot / leg | そく | あし・た(りる) |
| 56 | 力 | power / strength | りょく・りき | ちから |
| 57 | 心 | heart / mind | しん | こころ |
| 58 | 気 | spirit / feeling | き・け | — |
| 59 | 語 | language / word | ご | かた(る) |
| 60 | 話 | talk / speak | わ | はな(す)・はなし |
| 61 | 読 | read | どく・とく | よ(む) |
| 62 | 書 | write | しょ | か(く) |
| 63 | 見 | see / look | けん | み(る) |
| 64 | 聞 | hear / listen | ぶん・もん | き(く) |
| 65 | 食 | eat / food | しょく | た(べる) |
| 66 | 飲 | drink | いん | の(む) |
| 67 | 来 | come | らい | く(る)・き(たる) |
| 68 | 行 | go | こう・ぎょう | い(く)・おこな(う) |
| 69 | 帰 | return / go back | き | かえ(る) |
| 70 | 買 | buy | ばい | か(う) |
| 71 | 売 | sell | ばい | う(る) |
| 72 | 出 | exit / come out | しゅつ・すい | で(る)・だ(す) |
| 73 | 入 | enter | にゅう | はい(る)・い(れる) |
| 74 | 立 | stand | りつ・りゅう | た(つ) |
| 75 | 休 | rest | きゅう | やす(む) |
| 76 | 起 | wake up / rise | き | お(きる)・お(こす) |
| 77 | 寝 | sleep | しん | ね(る) |
| 78 | 雨 | rain | う | あめ・あま |
| 79 | 天 | sky / heaven | てん | あめ・あま |
| 80 | 空 | sky / empty | くう | そら・あ(く) |
| 81 | 花 | flower | か | はな |
| 82 | 草 | grass | そう | くさ |
| 83 | 林 | woods / grove | りん | はやし |
| 84 | 森 | forest | しん | もり |
| 85 | 石 | stone | せき・しゃく | いし |
| 86 | 貝 | shellfish | — | かい |
| 87 | 犬 | dog | けん | いぬ |
| 88 | 猫 | cat | びょう | ねこ |
| 89 | 魚 | fish | ぎょ | さかな・うお |
| 90 | 鳥 | bird | ちょう | とり |
| 91 | 白 | white | はく・びゃく | しろ・しら |
| 92 | 黒 | black | こく | くろ |
| 93 | 赤 | red | せき・しゃく | あか |
| 94 | 青 | blue / green | せい・しょう | あお |
| 95 | 国 | country | こく | くに |
| 96 | 家 | house / home | か・け | いえ・や |
| 97 | 店 | shop | てん | みせ |
| 98 | 駅 | station | えき | — |
| 99 | 道 | road / way | どう・とう | みち |
| 100 | 電 | electricity | でん | — |
| 101 | 車 | car / vehicle | しゃ | くるま |
| 102 | 本 | book / origin | ほん | もと |
| 103 | 名 | name | めい・みょう | な |
| 104 | 字 | letter / character | じ | あざ |
Free N5 KANJI TEST
Want to see if you know all of these N5 Kanji?
Then take the N5 Kanji test below…!
JLPT N5 Kanji Quiz
Quiz Complete
Frequently Asked Questions: How to Learn JLPT N5 Kanji
How many kanji do I need for the JLPT N5? Most places say between 100–104 kanji for the N5 level. The JLPT does not publish an exact list, but based on past exams… around 103–104 kanji. Mastering these will also unlock a huge amount of basic vocabulary.
How long does it take to learn all the N5 kanji? Most beginners can learn all N5 kanji in 4–8 weeks studying 30 minutes a day. However, this varies on person to person and depends on how much effort you’re willing to put in.
What’s the best way to learn kanji as a beginner? To be honest…? Just get a Japanese textbook. It’ll introduce Kanji along the way. There’s no point in making Kanji a separate mission.
If you do want to focus on Kanji… the answer’s not too different — Read. Just read. Now, I know, other programs will recommend that you buy their app… that uses spaced repetition… which is fine. In my highly biased opinion, there’s not much point in learning Kanji individually but rather through words… that you’ll read in whatever beginner book you’re using. I say reading because you’re naturally exposed to words (and Kanji) that they’ll just stick.
Should I learn the meaning, on’yomi, or kun’yomi first? I’m of the opinion that you shouldn’t memorize every little detail about every single kanji when there are 2000+. Focus on meanings and kanji in the context of words. Eventually, you’ll pick up what’s “on’yomi” and what’s “kun’yomi.”
Do I need to learn to write kanji or just recognize them? For the JLPT, you only need to recognize kanji. The test is multiple choice and does not require handwriting. That said, writing kanji by hand is still one of the best memorization techniques, even if it’s not tested.
Should I learn kanji before or after hiragana and katakana? Always learn hiragana and katakana first. Trying to study kanji without knowing kana makes it much harder to understand readings and vocabulary.