Last updated: September 11, 2026
JLPT N4 Kanji List: The ~300 Characters You Need for Elementary Japanese
Complete JLPT N4 kanji list — the core ~200 new characters grouped by theme with readings, example compounds, and a six-week study schedule.
The JLPT N4 exam requires knowing roughly 300 kanji in total — the ~100 foundational characters from N5 plus approximately 200 new characters covering daily transportation, shopping, work, health, and elementary abstract concepts. Because the JLPT no longer issues official syllabus lists, this reconstructed guide organizes the core N4 characters into thematic tables with high-frequency compound words (jukugo), explains why furigana begins disappearing on exam papers, and provides a structured six-week study plan to master them.
The N4 kanji milestone
At N5, kanji are largely pictographic representations of numbers, nature, and concrete objects (一, 二, 山, 川, 人). At N4, kanji shifts toward action verbs, physical states, spatial navigation, and two-kanji compounds:
| Category | Total Count (Cumulative) | New Characters at this Level | Furigana Status on Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| N5 | ~100 | ~100 | Furigana on almost all non-N5 characters |
| N4 | ~300 | ~200 | Furigana removed from N5 kanji; N4 kanji tested directly |
| N3 | ~650 | ~350 | Furigana removed from standard everyday vocabulary |
The single biggest shift on the N4 test is that N5 kanji no longer have furigana. If you meet words like 「先生」 (sensei), 「毎日」 (mainichi), or 「時間」 (jikan) in reading passages, they will appear without pronunciation hints.
For a broader perspective on how character volume scales across all levels, review our how many kanji for each JLPT level reference.
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1. Directions, travel, and transportation
Navigating train stations, reading bus announcements, and following map instructions are staples of N4 reading and listening passages:
| Kanji | Meaning | Example Word | Reading | Meaning of Compound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 駅 | station | 駅前 | えきまえ (ekimae) | in front of the station |
| 道 | street, way | 歩道 | ほどう (hodō) | sidewalk |
| 通 | pass, commute | 通る | とおる (tōru) | to pass through |
| 旅 | travel | 旅行 | りょこう (ryokō) | trip, travel |
| 急 | hurry, urgent | 特急 | とっきゅう (tokkyū) | limited express train |
| 止 | stop | 止まる | とまる (tomaru) | to stop |
| 乗 | ride, board | 乗り物 | のりもの (norimono) | vehicle |
| 降 | alight, descend | 降りる | おりる (oriru) | to get off |
| 地 | ground, earth | 地図 | ちず (chizu) | map |
| 図 | diagram, plan | 図書館 | としょかん (toshokan) | library |
| 館 | building, hall | 映画館 | えいがかん (eigakan) | movie theater |
2. Daily living, shopping, and commerce
Transactional language appears throughout N4 Task 1 and Task 2 listening problems:
| Kanji | Meaning | Example Word | Reading | Meaning of Compound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 店 | shop, store | 店員 | てんいん (ten'in) | store clerk |
| 買 | buy | 買い物 | かいもの (kaimono) | shopping |
| 売 | sell | 売り場 | うりば (uriba) | sales counter / section |
| 物 | thing, object | 荷物 | にもつ (nimotsu) | luggage, baggage |
| 品 | goods, refinement | 食料品 | しょくりょうひん (shokuryōhin) | groceries, foodstuffs |
| 借 | borrow, rent | 借金 | しゃっきん (shakkin) | debt, loan |
| 貸 | lend | 貸し出す | かしだす (kashidasu) | to lend out |
| 払 | pay, brush off | 支払う | しはらう (shiharau) | to pay |
| 料 | fee, materials | 料金 | りょうきん (ryōkin) | fee, charge |
| 飯 | meal, cooked rice | 朝ご飯 | あさごはん (asagohan) | breakfast |
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3. Work, study, and social relationships
Sentences describing office communication, school schedules, and relationships between coworkers test giving/receiving verbs and basic honorifics:
| Kanji | Meaning | Example Word | Reading | Meaning of Compound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 会 | meet, society | 会社 | かいしゃ (kaisha) | company |
| 社 | company, shrine | 社長 | しゃちょう (shachō) | company president |
| 員 | member | 銀行員 | ぎんこういん (ginkōin) | bank employee |
| 仕 | serve, attend | 仕事 | しごと (shigoto) | job, work |
| 事 | matter, thing | 用事 | ようじ (yōji) | errand, business |
| 研 | polish, study | 研究 | けんきゅう (kenkyū) | research |
| 究 | research, master | 研究者 | けんきゅうしゃ (kenkyūsha) | researcher |
| 質 | quality, nature | 質問 | しつもん (shitsumon) | question |
| 題 | topic, problem | 問題 | もんだい (mondai) | problem, question |
| 答 | answer | 答え | こたえ (kotae) | answer |
4. Nature, weather, and physical states
N4 listening and reading texts frequently incorporate weather forecasts, seasonal descriptions, and health conditions:
| Kanji | Meaning | Example Word | Reading | Meaning of Compound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 空 | sky, empty | 空気 | くうき (kūki) | air, atmosphere |
| 海 | sea, ocean | 海外 | かいがい (kaigai) | overseas |
| 風 | wind | 台風 | たいふう (taifū) | typhoon |
| 雨 | rain | 大雨 | おおあめ (ōame) | heavy rain |
| 雪 | snow | 大雪 | おおゆき (ōyuki) | heavy snowfall |
| 病 | illness | 病院 | びょういん (byōin) | hospital |
| 院 | institution | 入院 | にゅういん (nyūin) | hospitalization |
| 医 | doctor, medical | 医者 | いしゃ (isha) | medical doctor |
| 体 | body | 体重 | たいじゅう (taijū) | body weight |
| 心 | heart, mind | 安心 | あんしん (anshin) | peace of mind, relief |
5. Movement, actions, and change
Verbs in N4 often appear in compound forms (e.g., 〜始める, 〜出す):
| Kanji | Meaning | Example Word | Reading | Meaning of Compound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 動 | move | 運動 | うんどう (undō) | exercise, sports |
| 運 | carry, fortune | 運転 | うんてん (unten) | driving a vehicle |
| 転 | revolve, roll | 自転車 | じてんしゃ (jitensha) | bicycle |
| 始 | begin | 開始 | かいし (kaishi) | start, commencement |
| 終 | end, finish | 終わり | おわり (owari) | the end |
| 開 | open | 開店 | かいてん (kaiten) | shop opening |
| 閉 | close | 閉館 | へいかん (heikan) | building closing |
| 送 | send | 見送る | みおくる (miokuru) | to see someone off |
| 切 | cut | 切手 | きって (kitte) | postage stamp |
| 集 | gather | 集める | あつめる (atsumeru) | to collect, gather |
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How to learn N4 kanji: the 6-week schedule
Trying to memorize 200 characters in isolation is inefficient. Because the JLPT tests readings in context, you should learn kanji as vocabulary items in a spaced repetition system (SRS):
- Pace: 5 new kanji per day, 5 days per week = 25 new kanji/week.
- Weekly reviews: 2 days reserved strictly for review and reading practice.
- Total timeframe: 8 weeks (6 weeks of acquisition, 2 weeks of consolidation).
| Week | Focus Themes | Target Characters | Weekly Review Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Travel, transit, and directions (駅, 道, 通, 旅, 急, 止, 乗, 降, 地, 図) | 25 kanji | Read train schedules and simple map directions |
| Week 2 | Commerce, shopping, and dining (店, 買, 売, 物, 品, 借, 貸, 払, 料, 飯) | 25 kanji | Recognize store fliers and receipt terminology |
| Week 3 | Work, school, and communication (会, 社, 員, 仕, 事, 研, 究, 質, 題, 答) | 25 kanji | Solve N4 Task 1 grammar questions without glosses |
| Week 4 | Weather, nature, and body (空, 海, 風, 雨, 雪, 病, 院, 医, 体, 心) | 25 kanji | Comprehend simulated weather forecast listening clips |
| Week 5 | Movement, change, and actions (動, 運, 転, 始, 終, 開, 閉, 送, 切, 集) | 25 kanji | Read short diary entries and email notes |
| Week 6 | Adjectives and abstract states (重, 軽, 広, 狭, 暗, 明, 近, 遠, 早, 遅) | 25 kanji | Complete full-length vocabulary mock section |
Combine your daily flashcard sessions with full exam practice by taking a timed mock exam to verify that your recognition speed holds up under official time limits.
FAQ
Are N5 kanji tested on the N4 exam? Yes. The JLPT is strictly cumulative. All ~100 N5 kanji appear on the N4 test, and unlike N5, they will frequently appear without furigana.
Do I have to know all on'yomi and kun'yomi for each character? No. Memorizing lists of isolated readings without words is a recipe for burnout. Learn one high-frequency compound for the on'yomi (e.g., 病院, byōin, for 病) and the primary verb/adjective for the kun'yomi (e.g., 病む, yamu).
How is kanji scored on the N4 test? Kanji is tested within the Language Knowledge (Vocabulary) section, which lasts 25 minutes. Questions ask you to select the correct hiragana reading for an underlined kanji, or select the correct kanji for an underlined hiragana word.
Can I pass N4 if I struggle with kanji? It is very difficult. Even if you guess correctly on isolated vocabulary items, the Reading section (55 minutes shared with Grammar) requires reading ~300 kanji fluently. Slow kanji recognition causes candidates to run out of time on reading passages.
Keep studying
- How many kanji for each JLPT level: N5 to N1 breakdown
- JLPT N5 vs N4: what actually changes between levels
- The JLPT N5 kanji list: core beginner characters
- JLPT vocabulary spaced-repetition plan
- How the JLPT is scored: scaled scoring and pass thresholds
Taking the JLPT soon?
Don't wait until exam day to discover your weak sections. Run an authentic timed mock simulation with instant score breakdown.
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Official sources checked
- JLPT composition of test sections and test times — official test structure and item types for N4.
- JLPT sample questions and test guide — official sample items for Language Knowledge (Vocabulary).
Vocabulary and kanji totals are study estimates, not official JLPT syllabus counts.
