JLPT N4 Kanji List: Complete 300 Kanji + Free PDF (2026)

Overview

You're looking at 300 kanji. That's the number standing between your current Japanese level and passing JLPT N4. Most articles dump the list on you and call it done. This one does the list, yes, but also tells you how to actually study it without losing your mind in week three.

Here's what you'll find below: the full N4 kanji list grouped by frequency (not alphabetical, which is useless for exam prep), readings and meanings in a scannable format, a realistic study framework that spreads the load across 12-16 weeks, and a free downloadable PDF you can print or save to your phone.

If you're wondering whether N4 is even the right target for you, our JLPT N4 vs N5 guide covers that decision. If you're past that and ready to plan the full prep, our 18-week JLPT N4 Study Plan integrates kanji into the full roadmap.

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How Many Kanji Do You Need for JLPT N4?

Around 300 characters total. That breaks down as:

• ~100 kanji from N5 (cumulative, assumed knowledge)
• ~170-200 new kanji for N4

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The official JLPT organization doesn't publish a fixed kanji list, which is why sources vary slightly. The 300 total comes from reverse-engineering past exam content plus the Minna no Nihongo and Try! series coverage. Every reputable N4 prep program targets this range.

Good news if you've been studying with Japademy or through Minna no Nihongo Lessons 1-37: you already know most of the N5 kanji and a decent chunk of the N4 set. The real work is closing the gap to reach full 300-kanji recognition.

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The Complete JLPT N4 Kanji List (Grouped by Frequency)

The list below is organized by frequency tier because that's what actually helps exam performance. High-frequency kanji appear in more exam questions, so learning them first gives measurable score gains earliest.

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Tier 1: The Most Frequent 50 N4 Kanji

These show up in roughly 60% of N4 reading and vocabulary questions. Master these first.

This is a representative sample of Tier 1. The full set of 50 high-frequency N4 kanji is included in the free downloadable PDF (link further down in this article), organized the same way with readings and sample vocabulary.

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Tier 2 and Tier 3: The Remaining 250 Kanji

The next two tiers cover the remaining kanji, moving from common daily-life characters (Tier 2, ~100 kanji: action verbs, emotions, time expressions) to lower-frequency but still-required characters (Tier 3, ~150 kanji: workplace, society, nuanced descriptors).

The full 300-kanji breakdown with readings, meanings, and 1-2 example words per character is in the downloadable PDF. The article body would be unreadable with all 300 in a scrolling table, so we've kept only the top tier visible here.

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The JLPT N4 Kanji You Already Know (If You Passed N5)

If you passed N5 or reached equivalent proficiency (roughly MNN Lesson 25), you already know ~100 kanji. These carry into N4 and make up about a third of what you'll see on the exam.

The N5 set includes characters for numbers, basic time (年, 月, 日, 時), directions (上, 下, 左, 右), common verbs (行, 来, 食, 見), and everyday nouns (水, 火, 人, 国). You don't need to re-learn these. You need to keep them active through regular review so they don't fade while you focus on the N4-specific additions.

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170 New Kanji You'll Learn at N4

The real N4 work is the ~170 new characters. They group loosely into:

• Time and duration: 昨, 来, 朝, 晩, 暗, 夜 (expanding beyond the basic N5 time set)
• Nature and environment: 海, 林, 森, 花, 草, 雲, 空気
• Body and health: 頭, 顔, 耳, 歯, 病, 薬
• Society and places: 社, 員, 員会, 店, 銀行, 病院, 郵便局
• Actions and intent: 始, 終, 使, 働, 考, 答
• Descriptive: 悪, 強, 弱, 明, 暗, 速, 遅, 重, 軽

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Seeing them grouped like this makes the 170 feel much less random. Most of these pair directly with vocabulary you'll also learn during N4 prep, so studying kanji and vocab together (rather than separately) is far more efficient.

How to Actually Study 300 Kanji (Without Burning Out)

A realistic study framework for 300 kanji:

• Daily dose: 3-5 new kanji per day during active learning weeks. More than 5 and retention drops.
• Spaced repetition: Use Anki, Quizlet, or a dedicated kanji app. Review sessions should hit yesterday's new kanji, last week's, and a random sample of older ones.
• Writing practice: Even though N4 is multiple-choice (no production required), writing kanji once or twice improves visual recall. 5 minutes a day of stroke-order practice is enough.
• Reading in context: Encounter kanji in sentences, not just flashcards. NHK Easy News is perfect because it highlights kanji with furigana you can hide.
• Timeline: At 3-5 new kanji per day, 300 characters takes about 12-18 weeks to introduce, with continuous review throughout.

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The biggest mistake isn't the pace. It's skipping review sessions to stay on the daily new-kanji schedule. If you can only do one thing on a busy day, review old kanji instead of adding new ones.

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Common Mistakes N4 Learners Make with Kanji

• Memorizing readings in isolation. Every kanji has multiple readings. Trying to memorize all readings at once is overwhelming. Instead, learn each kanji with one or two sample words, then pick up additional readings as they appear in vocabulary.
• Ignoring stroke order. It feels tedious but it reinforces visual memory. Stroke order also matters for kanji that look similar (e.g., 未 vs 末).
• Skipping handwriting. Even though N4 is multiple-choice, writing kanji (just once or twice per character) dramatically improves recognition speed.
• Cramming all 300 in the final weeks. Kanji need time to stick. A 4-week kanji sprint before the exam means half will be forgotten by test day.
• Learning kanji without vocabulary. A kanji in isolation has no meaning. Pair every new kanji with at least one sample word.

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Get the Free JLPT N4 Kanji Checklist PDF

The full list in this article is readable, but a dedicated printable PDF is what you'll actually use at your desk. We put one together: all 300 N4 kanji, organized by frequency tier, with onyomi, kunyomi, English meaning, and a sample vocabulary word for each.

Use it as a weekly checklist (tick off what you've learned), as a daily review sheet, or just as a reference to make sure you're not missing any characters before exam day.

Download the free JLPT N4 Kanji Checklist PDF.

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How Japademy's JLPT N4 Prep Course Covers Kanji

Kanji integrate into every week of our JLPT N4 Prep Course, not as a separate cram block. Each 105-minute live class introduces 5-8 new kanji in the context of the week's grammar and vocabulary, paired with Quizlet flashcards for spaced repetition between classes.

The advantage over solo study: your teacher corrects stroke order and pronunciation live, catches confusions between similar kanji before they become habits, and ensures you're not memorizing readings that won't actually appear on N4. Over 18 weeks, you'll build all 300 kanji at a sustainable pace of ~15 per week, with continuous review so nothing drops off.

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Ready to Learn All 300 N4 Kanji?

The list is the start. The study framework is the method. The PDF is the tool. The course is the accountability.

If you want to self-study, the free PDF plus the framework above will get you there, provided you stick to daily review and pace yourself across 12-16 weeks. If you want structured live instruction, pair the kanji with full N4 prep in our 18-week program.

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Ready to commit to N4 prep? Join the next JLPT N4 Prep Course intake. 18 weeks, certified native teachers, groups of 10 students.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How many kanji does JLPT N4 require?

Around 300 kanji total. Of those, roughly 100 carry over from N5 (cumulative) and about 170-200 are new to the N4 level. Sources vary slightly on the exact new-kanji count (JLPT doesn't publish an official list), but 300 total is the number every serious N4 study plan targets.

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Can I pass JLPT N4 if I only know 200 kanji?

Unlikely. The reading section relies heavily on kanji recognition, and 100 missing kanji leaves too many gaps in sentence comprehension. You might pass individual sections but likely miss the overall score threshold. Aim for full 300-kanji recognition before the exam. Partial production (writing) is fine since N4 is multiple-choice.

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What is the difference between N5 and N4 kanji?

N5 kanji (~100) focus on time, numbers, basic people/body, and common verbs. N4 kanji (~170 new) expand into actions, places, emotions, and more complex daily-life vocabulary. N4 kanji also tend to have more readings per character (multiple onyomi and kunyomi), which is why the learning curve steepens.

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How long should it take to learn 300 kanji?

Realistically 12-16 weeks at a sustainable pace of 3-5 new kanji per day plus spaced review. Faster is possible but retention suffers. If you cram 300 kanji in 4 weeks, most will be forgotten before exam day because the spaced repetition didn't have time to cement them.

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Is it better to learn kanji by frequency or by theme?

Frequency usually wins for exam prep. High-frequency kanji appear across reading, listening transcripts, and vocabulary sections, so learning them first gives faster visible progress. Thematic grouping (nature, body, etc.) is better for conceptual recall but slower for test-score gains. The kanji checklist linked above orders by frequency for this reason.