JLPT N5 Kanji List – Beginner Kanji with Readings & Examples

2024/08/23

Master the foundation of Japanese writing with this comprehensive guide to JLPT N5 kanji. This article presents a detailed breakdown of the 80+ characters you need to know, organized by category for easy learning.

Discover each kanji’s meaning, readings, and example words, along with effective memorization techniques and insights into the On’yomi and Kun’yomi reading systems. Whether you’re preparing for the JLPT N5 exam or simply building your Japanese language skills, this guide provides the tools you need to confidently tackle basic kanji.

JLPT N5 Kanji List

1. Kanji related to Numbers

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
一	one	イチ (ichi)	ひと- (hito-)	一日 (ichinichi): one day
二	two	ニ (ni)	ふた- (futa-)	二月 (nigatsu): February
三	three	サン (san)	み- (mi-)	三人 (sannin): three people
四	four	シ (shi)	よ- (yo-)	四季 (shiki): four seasons
五	five	ゴ (go)	いつ- (itsu-)	五月 (gogatsu): May
六	six	ロク (roku)	む- (mu-)	六日 (muika): sixth day
七	seven	シチ (shichi)	なな- (nana-)	七時 (shichiji): seven o’clock
八	eight	ハチ (hachi)	や- (ya-)	八月 (hachigatsu): August
九	nine	キュウ、ク (kyuu, ku)	ここの- (kokono-)	九日 (kokonoka): ninth day
十	ten	ジュウ (juu)	とお (too)	十分 (juubun): enough
百	hundred	ヒャク (hyaku)	–	百円 (hyakuen): 100 yen
千	thousand	セン (sen)	–	千円 (sen’en): 1000 yen
万	ten thousand	マン (man)	–	一万 (ichiman): 10,000

2. Kanji related to Time

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
年	year	ネン (nen)	とし (toshi)	今年 (kotoshi): this year
月	month, moon	ゲツ、ガツ (getsu, gatsu)	つき (tsuki)	一月 (ichigatsu): January
日	day, sun	ニチ、ジツ (nichi, jitsu)	ひ (hi)	日曜日 (nichiyoubi): Sunday
時	time, hour	ジ (ji)	とき (toki)	時間 (jikan): time
分	minute, part	フン、ブン (fun, bun)	わ- (wa-)	五分 (gofun): five minutes
半	half	ハン (han)	なか- (naka-)	半年 (hannen): half a year
午	noon	ゴ (go)	–	午後 (gogo): afternoon
前	before	ゼン (zen)	まえ (mae)	午前 (gozen): morning
後	after	ゴ、コウ (go, kou)	あと (ato)	午後 (gogo): afternoon
今	now	コン (kon)	いま (ima)	今日 (kyou): today

3. Kanji related to People and Family

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
人	person	ジン、ニン (jin, nin)	ひと (hito)	日本人 (nihonjin): Japanese person
男	man	ダン、ナン (dan, nan)	おとこ (otoko)	男の子 (otokonoko): boy
女	woman	ジョ (jo)	おんな (onna)	女の人 (onnanohito): woman
子	child	シ、ス (shi, su)	こ (ko)	子供 (kodomo): child
父	father	フ (fu)	ちち (chichi)	お父さん (otousan): father
母	mother	ボ (bo)	はは (haha)	お母さん (okaasan): mother
友	friend	ユウ (yuu)	とも (tomo)	友達 (tomodachi): friend

4. Kanji related to Directions and Positions

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
上	up, above	ジョウ (jou)	うえ (ue)	上手 (jouzu): skilled
下	down, below	カ、ゲ (ka, ge)	した (shita)	下手 (heta): unskilled
中	middle, inside	チュウ (chuu)	なか (naka)	中国 (chuugoku): China
外	outside	ガイ、ゲ (gai, ge)	そと (soto)	外国 (gaikoku): foreign country
左	left	サ (sa)	ひだり (hidari)	左手 (hidarite): left hand
右	right	ウ、ユウ (u, yuu)	みぎ (migi)	右側 (migigawa): right side
北	north	ホク (hoku)	きた (kita)	北海道 (hokkaidou): Hokkaido
南	south	ナン (nan)	みなみ (minami)	南国 (nangoku): tropical country
東	east	トウ (tou)	ひがし (higashi)	東京 (toukyou): Tokyo
西	west	セイ、サイ (sei, sai)	にし (nishi)	西日本 (nishinihon): Western Japan

5. Kanji related to Actions

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
見	see	ケン (ken)	み.る (mi.ru)	見る (miru): to see
聞	hear, ask	ブン、モン (bun, mon)	き.く (ki.ku)	聞く (kiku): to hear, to ask
読	read	ドク、トウ (doku, tou)	よ.む (yo.mu)	読む (yomu): to read
書	write	ショ (sho)	か.く (ka.ku)	書く (kaku): to write
話	speak	ワ (wa)	はな.す (hana.su)	話す (hanasu): to speak
食	eat	ショク、ジキ (shoku, jiki)	た.べる (ta.beru)	食べる (taberu): to eat
飲	drink	イン (in)	の.む (no.mu)	飲む (nomu): to drink
来	come	ライ (rai)	く.る (ku.ru)	来る (kuru): to come
行	go	コウ、ギョウ (kou, gyou)	い.く (i.ku)	行く (iku): to go
入	enter	ニュウ (nyuu)	はい.る (hai.ru)	入る (hairu): to enter
出	exit	シュツ (shutsu)	で.る (de.ru)	出る (deru): to exit

6. Kanji related to Places and Transportation

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
国	country	コク (koku)	くに (kuni)	外国 (gaikoku): foreign country
町	town	チョウ (chou)	まち (machi)	町内 (chounai): neighborhood
校	school	コウ (kou)	–	学校 (gakkou): school
車	car, vehicle	シャ (sha)	くるま (kuruma)	電車 (densha): train
駅	station	エキ (eki)	–	駅前 (ekimae): in front of the station

7. Kanji related to Nature and Environment

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
山	mountain	サン (san)	やま (yama)	富士山 (fujisan): Mt. Fuji
川	river	セン (sen)	かわ (kawa)	川口 (kawaguchi): river mouth
田	rice field	デン (den)	た (ta)	田舎 (inaka): countryside
土	soil, earth	ド、ト (do, to)	つち (tsuchi)	土曜日 (doyoubi): Saturday
木	tree, wood	モク、ボク (moku, boku)	き (ki)	木曜日 (mokuyoubi): Thursday
水	water	スイ (sui)	みず (mizu)	水曜日 (suiyoubi): Wednesday
火	fire	カ (ka)	ひ (hi)	火曜日 (kayoubi): Tuesday
金	gold, money	キン、コン (kin, kon)	かね (kane)	金曜日 (kinyoubi): Friday
天	heaven, sky	テン (ten)	あめ (ame)	天気 (tenki): weather
雨	rain	ウ (u)	あめ (ame)	雨天 (utten): rainy weather

8. Kanji related to Qualities and Quantities

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
大	big	ダイ、タイ (dai, tai)	おお- (oo-)	大きい (ookii): big
小	small	ショウ (shou)	ちい- (chii-)	小さい (chiisai): small
長	long	チョウ (chou)	なが- (naga-)	長い (nagai): long
高	high, expensive	コウ (kou)	たか- (taka-)	高い (takai): high, expensive
安	cheap, safe	アン (an)	やす- (yasu-)	安い (yasui): cheap
多	many	タ (ta)	おお- (oo-)	多い (ooi): many
少	few	ショウ (shou)	すく- (suku-)	少ない (sukunai): few
新	new	シン (shin)	あたら- (atara-)	新しい (atarashii): new
古	old	コ (ko)	ふる- (furu-)	古い (furui): old
白	white	ハク、ビャク (haku, byaku)	しろ (shiro)	白い (shiroi): white

9. Other Kanji

Kanji	Meaning	On’yomi	Kun’yomi	Example Words
本	book, origin	ホン (hon)	もと (moto)	日本 (nihon): Japan
名	name	メイ、ミョウ (mei, myou)	な (na)	名前 (namae): name
気	spirit, mind	キ、ケ (ki, ke)	–	元気 (genki): healthy, energetic
生	life, birth	セイ、ショウ (sei, shou)	い- (i-)	学生 (gakusei): student
先	before, ahead	セン (sen)	さき (saki)	先生 (sensei): teacher
何	what	カ (ka)	なに (nani)	何か (nanika): something
円	circle, yen	エン (en)	まる (maru)	円い (marui): round
電	electricity	デン (den)	–	電話 (denwa): telephone

Tips for Memorizing Kanji

Memorizing kanji can be challenging, but with the right strategies, it becomes more manageable and even enjoyable. Here are some effective tips.

1. Use mnemonics: Create vivid mental images or stories that connect the kanji’s shape, meaning, and readings.
2. Practice writing regularly: Writing kanji helps reinforce muscle memory and improves recognition.
3. Use flashcards: Create flashcards with the kanji on one side and its meanings and readings on the other.
4. Learn kanji in context: Study kanji within vocabulary words and sentences to understand their usage better.
5. Use spaced repetition: Review kanji at increasing intervals to optimize long-term retention.
6. Group similar kanji: Learn kanji with similar radicals or meanings together to create associations.
7. Utilize online resources and apps: Many digital tools can make kanji learning more interactive and efficient.

Understanding Kanji Readings

Kanji characters typically have two types of readings: On’yomi and Kun’yomi. Understanding these reading systems is crucial for mastering kanji.

What is On’yomi?

On’yomi (音読み), or “sound reading,” is derived from the Chinese pronunciation of the character. These readings are typically used in compound words where two or more kanji are combined. On’yomi readings are usually written in katakana in dictionaries.

For example:

• 学校 (がっこう, gakkou) – school
• 新聞 (しんぶん, shinbun) – newspaper

What is Kun’yomi?

Kun’yomi (訓読み), or “meaning reading,” is the native Japanese reading of the kanji. These readings are often used when the kanji stands alone or is combined with hiragana. Kun’yomi readings are usually written in hiragana in dictionaries.

For example:

• 食べる (たべる, taberu) – to eat
• 高い (たかい, takai) – high, expensive

Understanding these reading systems will help you pronounce kanji correctly in different contexts and expand your vocabulary more effectively. Remember that some kanji may have multiple On’yomi and Kun’yomi readings, and the appropriate reading often depends on the specific word or context in which the kanji is used.

What to Focus on for JLPT N5 Beyond Kanji

While kanji is an important aspect of JLPT N5, there are several other areas you need to focus on to succeed.

1. Vocabulary:
   • Learn approximately 800 basic vocabulary words
   • Focus on words commonly used in daily life situations
   • Use flashcards or vocabulary lists for efficient memorization
2. Grammar:
   • Master basic particle usage (は、が、を, etc.)
   • Learn conjugations of verbs and adjectives in present and past tenses
   • Practice forming and understanding simple sentences
3. Reading:
   • Develop skills to read and understand short, simple texts
   • Practice reading hiragana and katakana fluently
   • Work on comprehending basic sentences and paragraphs
4. Listening:
   • Train your ear to understand slow, clear speech in everyday situations
   • Practice listening to short conversations and dialogues
   • Focus on grasping key information from audio materials
5. Hiragana and Katakana:
   • Ensure you can read and write both syllabaries accurately and quickly
   • Practice reading words written in hiragana and katakana without furigana
6. Test-taking Strategies:
   • Familiarize yourself with the JLPT N5 test format
   • Practice time management for each section of the exam
   • Learn techniques for eliminating wrong answers in multiple-choice questions

Remember, while speaking isn’t tested on the JLPT, developing basic conversation skills can enhance your overall language proficiency and make your study more practical and engaging.

See Also: Study Guide for the JLPT N5 Exam