Overview
Ask anyone who's been studying Japanese for a few months what slowed them down, and kanji comes up almost every time. Not because it's impossible, but because nobody tells you up front how much of it you actually have to learn.
For the JLPT N5, the honest answer is: about a hundred characters. That's a lot less scary than the thousands you'll hear about, and it's a very learnable amount in a few weeks. This page gives you the full picture: how many kanji N5 covers (and why sources disagree), how our 105-kanji list is organized, a sample of the list itself, the look-alike pairs that trip people up, and a study method that doesn't rely on brute force. The complete list, with readings, meanings and example words for every kanji, is in a free printable checklist PDF further down.
How Many Kanji Do You Need for JLPT N5?
The short answer is about 100, but nobody can give you an official number. The JLPT organizers don't publish a kanji list for any level, and their own level descriptions give no kanji or vocabulary counts. N5 is described only as reading typical expressions and sentences written in hiragana, katakana and basic kanji.
So where does "about 100" come from? Before the test was revised in 2010, the official guidelines did name figures: roughly 100 kanji and 800 words for the lowest level. That old guidance is why the number stuck. Study sites have since rebuilt N5 kanji lists from past exams and textbooks, and the results don't match: some come in near 80, others around 100 to 112. Neither is "wrong". They're educated reconstructions of a list that doesn't officially exist.
Our list has 105 kanji, which sits in the middle of that range and covers what N5 candidates are commonly expected to read. Learn all 105 and you're covered. It also helps to know how kanji actually appear on the exam: they're tested inside the vocabulary section (reading kanji words, choosing the right kanji for a word) and in the reading passages, not as a separate kanji quiz. That's why we always teach kanji together with real words, not as isolated shapes.
The Complete JLPT N5 Kanji List (Grouped by Theme)
We organized the list by theme, not by stroke count or textbook order. Kanji that live in the same mental neighborhood (numbers together, weather together, verbs together) are easier to keep straight than a list sorted by difficulty. Here's how the 105 break down:
To show you how each entry works, here's a sample of ten kanji, one or more from each theme. Every kanji in the full PDF follows this same layout.
The full breakdown of all 105 kanji, with readings, meanings and example words, is in the free PDF checklist below. Here's what to expect from each theme:
Kanji That Trip Everyone Up
These pairs show up constantly in N5 practice, and they're rarely a memory problem. They're an "I glanced at it too fast" problem. Slow down on these six:
Onyomi vs Kunyomi: A Two-Minute Primer
Almost every kanji has at least two readings, and this is the part that makes beginners nervous. It helps to know roughly when to expect each one.
Onyomi (音読み) is the "sound reading," borrowed from Chinese pronunciation centuries ago. You'll mostly see it when a kanji combines with other kanji to form a compound word, with no hiragana in between. Think of 学校 (がっこう), school, or 富士山 (ふじさん), Mt. Fuji.
Kunyomi (訓読み) is the native Japanese reading, tied to the word's original meaning. You'll mostly see it when a kanji stands alone or has hiragana attached, like 山 (やま), mountain, or 食べる (たべる), to eat.
These are tendencies, not laws, and there are exceptions. But when you're unsure, ask yourself: is this kanji part of a compound, or standing on its own? That question gets you the right reading more often than you'd expect.
How to Actually Study 105 Kanji (Without Burning Out)
Here's the trap: scrolling through a list feels productive, and it barely moves the needle. Kanji sticks when your brain has to work for it. A routine that holds up:
Plan on about four to six weeks if you're fitting this around work and other study, and you'll arrive at your mock exams with a real foundation instead of a vague feeling that you "kind of know" them.
Common Mistakes N5 Learners Make With Kanji
Get the Free JLPT N5 Kanji Checklist PDF
We put the whole list into something you can actually use at your desk: a 15-page printable checklist with all 105 N5 kanji, organized by theme, with the onyomi and kunyomi readings, the English meaning, and example words for each. Use it as a weekly checklist (tick off what you've learned), as a daily review sheet, or as a quick reference before you sit a mock exam. It also includes the onyomi/kunyomi primer, the look-alike pairs, and a page on what comes next after N5.
👉 Download the free JLPT N5 Kanji Checklist PDF
What Comes After N5: 188 New Kanji at N4
N5 proves you can handle daily-life basics: greetings, simple directions, present-tense verbs, and the numbers and time words you need to get through a day in Japan. N4 is where real reading starts. It adds 188 new kanji (293 in total, counting the 105 you'll already know), and they map onto everyday nouns, adjectives and verbs you'll use in conversation, not just recognize on a page.
If the N5 list already feels comfortable, N4 is the natural next step, not a hard reset. Most of what you've built carries straight over. When you're ready, start with our JLPT N4 kanji list, and if you're deciding which level to sit first, read our guide to JLPT N4 vs N5.
How Japademy's JLPT Prep Covers Kanji
Learning a list of kanji on your own is very doable. What's harder is knowing whether you're on track, and having someone catch the mistakes you can't see yourself. That's where a course helps. Our JLPT prep courses are built around the exam, with a certified native Japanese teacher, a small group, and one 105-minute live lesson a week across 18 weeks. Kanji, vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening are all taught the way the JLPT tests them, and the final weeks are dedicated to full mock-exam review. Our first N5 course starts with the January 2027 intake, designed for learners who have finished our Pre-Intermediate 3 level or have equivalent knowledge.
Not there yet? If you still need to learn hiragana and katakana or the basic grammar first, our 10-week beginner courses are the place to start.
Want to see if it's a fit?
Look at the course details, or start with the free checklist above.
See the JLPT course details or explore our beginner courses.
Ready to Study Alongside the List?
Once you've got the kanji moving, pair them with the rest of your N5 prep: our JLPT N5 study plan shows how to fit kanji, vocabulary, grammar and listening into one weekly routine, the N5 vocabulary list covers the core words those kanji appear in, and the N5 practice test tells you where you stand. You can also train your ear on our N5-level listening episodes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kanji are on the JLPT N5?
There's no official number, because the JLPT doesn't publish a kanji list for any level. The commonly cited figure is about 100, and lists rebuilt by study sites range from roughly 80 to 112. Our list has 105.
How long does it take to learn the N5 kanji?
With five or six kanji a day and regular review, most learners cover all 105 in three to four weeks. Allow four to six weeks if you're studying around a full-time job, so you have time to review and not just to meet each kanji once.
Do I need to know both onyomi and kunyomi readings for N5?
You should recognize both, but prioritize the reading used in the most common words. Kanji are tested inside vocabulary and reading questions, so learning each kanji through real words builds the right readings naturally.
What is the difference between N5 and N4 kanji?
N5 has about 105 kanji covering numbers, time, nature, directions, basic adjectives and the most common verbs. N4 adds 188 more (293 in total), moving into a wider range of everyday nouns, verbs and adjectives.
Is it better to learn kanji by frequency or by theme?
For a set as small as N5, theme works well, because grouping related kanji together makes them easier to remember and keep apart. Frequency starts to matter more at higher levels, where the numbers are large enough that you need to prioritize.
JLPT preparation online courses
Prepare for the JLPT with certified native teachers and proven exam strategy.
