JLPT N5 Kanji List: Meanings, Readings, and Examples

JLPT N5 is the entry level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test — the first milestone for most beginners. There are 80 kanji on the N5 list, and mastering them gives you the foundation to read simple sentences, everyday signs, and basic menus in Japanese.

This page groups all 80 N5 kanji by topic so you can study them in a logical order. Each entry shows the meaning, common readings, and an example word to help you remember it in context.

How to Use This List

  • Browse by category — pick a topic that interests you. Numbers and Time are good first choices.
  • Check the readings — each kanji has two types:
    On’yomi (音読み) is the Chinese-derived pronunciation, shown in KATAKANA.
    Kun’yomi (訓読み) is the native Japanese reading, shown in hiragana.
  • Study the example word — seeing a kanji inside a real word is more memorable than drilling it alone.
  • Open each lesson page — tap a large kanji character to see its individual meaning, readings, and usage page.
Note on readings: Many kanji have more than one reading. This list shows the most common ones. Full details are on each kanji’s lesson page.

JLPT N5 Kanji by Category

Numbers (数)

one
On: ichi / itsu (イチ・イツ)
Kun: hito- (ひと-)
一日 (いちにち) — one day
two
On: ni (ニ)
Kun: futa- (ふた-)
二月 (にがつ) — February
three
On: san (サン)
Kun: mittsu (みっ-つ)
三角 (さんかく) — triangle
four
On: shi (シ)
Kun: yottsu (よっ-つ)
四月 (しがつ) — April
five
On: go (ゴ)
Kun: itsutsu (いつ-つ)
五月 (ごがつ) — May
six
On: roku (ロク)
Kun: muttsu (むっ-つ)
六月 (ろくがつ) — June
seven
On: shichi (シチ)
Kun: nana (なな)
七月 (しちがつ) — July
eight
On: hachi (ハチ)
Kun: yattsu (やっ-つ)
八月 (はちがつ) — August
nine
On: kyuu / ku (キュウ・ク)
Kun: kokonotsu (ここの-つ)
九月 (くがつ) — September
ten
On: juu (ジュウ)
Kun: too (とお)
十月 (じゅうがつ) — October
hundred
On: hyaku (ヒャク)
Kun: — (—)
百円 (ひゃくえん) — 100 yen
thousand
On: sen (セン)
Kun: — (—)
千円 (せんえん) — 1,000 yen

Time (時間)

sun / day
On: nichi / jitsu (ニチ・ジツ)
Kun: hi / -ka (ひ・-か)
毎日 (まいにち) — every day
moon / month
On: getsu / gatsu (ゲツ・ガツ)
Kun: tsuki (つき)
月曜日 (げつようび) — Monday
year
On: nen (ネン)
Kun: toshi (とし)
今年 (ことし) — this year
evening
On: seki (セキ)
Kun: yuu (ゆう)
夕方 (ゆうがた) — evening time
early / fast
On: sou (ソウ)
Kun: hayai (はや-い)
早起き (はやおき) — early rising

People and Body (人・体)

person
On: jin / nin (ジン・ニン)
Kun: hito (ひと)
日本人 (にほんじん) — Japanese person
woman
On: jo / nyo (ジョ・ニョ)
Kun: onna (おんな)
女の子 (おんなのこ) — girl
man
On: dan / nan (ダン・ナン)
Kun: otoko (おとこ)
男の子 (おとこのこ) — boy
child
On: shi / su (シ・ス)
Kun: ko (こ)
子供 (こども) — child
king
On: ou (オウ)
Kun: — (—)
王様 (おうさま) — king
mouth
On: kou / ku (コウ・ク)
Kun: kuchi (くち)
入口 (いりぐち) — entrance
hand
On: shu (シュ)
Kun: te (て)
手紙 (てがみ) — letter
foot / leg
On: soku (ソク)
Kun: ashi (あし)
足音 (あしおと) — footstep
eye
On: moku / boku (モク・ボク)
Kun: me (め)
目標 (もくひょう) — goal
ear
On: ji (ジ)
Kun: mimi (みみ)
耳鼻科 (じびか) — ENT clinic

Nature (自然)

rain
On: u (ウ)
Kun: ame (あめ)
大雨 (おおあめ) — heavy rain
fire
On: ka (カ)
Kun: hi (ひ)
火山 (かざん) — volcano
flower
On: ka (カ)
Kun: hana (はな)
花火 (はなび) — fireworks
sky / empty
On: kuu (クウ)
Kun: sora / kara (そら・から)
青空 (あおぞら) — blue sky
mountain
On: san (サン)
Kun: yama (やま)
富士山 (ふじさん) — Mt. Fuji
water
On: sui (スイ)
Kun: mizu (みず)
水曜日 (すいようび) — Wednesday
stone
On: seki / shaku (セキ・シャク)
Kun: ishi (いし)
石橋 (いしばし) — stone bridge
river
On: sen (セン)
Kun: kawa (かわ)
川口 (かわぐち) — river mouth
grass
On: sou (ソウ)
Kun: kusa (くさ)
草原 (そうげん) — meadow
bamboo
On: chiku (チク)
Kun: take (たけ)
竹林 (ちくりん) — bamboo grove
tree / wood
On: moku / boku (モク・ボク)
Kun: ki (き)
木曜日 (もくようび) — Thursday
grove
On: rin (リン)
Kun: hayashi (はやし)
林道 (りんどう) — forest road
forest
On: shin (シン)
Kun: mori (もり)
森林 (しんりん) — woodland
earth / soil
On: do / to (ド・ト)
Kun: tsuchi (つち)
土曜日 (どようび) — Saturday
rice field
On: den (デン)
Kun: ta (た)
田んぼ (たんぼ) — rice paddy
heaven / sky
On: ten (テン)
Kun: ame (あめ)
天気 (てんき) — weather
dog
On: ken (ケン)
Kun: inu (いぬ)
子犬 (こいぬ) — puppy
insect
On: chuu (チュウ)
Kun: mushi (むし)
虫歯 (むしば) — cavity
shell
On: — (—)
Kun: kai (かい)
貝殻 (かいがら) — seashell

Directions and Position (方向・位置)

above / up
On: jou / shou (ジョウ・ショウ)
Kun: ue / noboru (うえ・のぼ-る)
上手 (じょうず) — skillful
below / down
On: ka / ge (カ・ゲ)
Kun: shita / kudaru (した・くだ-る)
地下 (ちか) — underground
left
On: sa (サ)
Kun: hidari (ひだり)
左手 (ひだりて) — left hand
right
On: u / yuu (ウ・ユウ)
Kun: migi (みぎ)
右手 (みぎて) — right hand
middle / inside
On: chuu (チュウ)
Kun: naka (なか)
中学校 (ちゅうがっこう) — middle school

School and Study (学校・勉強)

study / learning
On: gaku (ガク)
Kun: manabu (まな-ぶ)
学校 (がっこう) — school
school
On: kou (コウ)
Kun: — (—)
学校 (がっこう) — school
life / birth
On: sei / shou (セイ・ショウ)
Kun: ikiru / nama (い-きる・なま)
先生 (せんせい) — teacher
ahead / previous
On: sen (セン)
Kun: saki (さき)
先生 (せんせい) — teacher
character / letter
On: ji (ジ)
Kun: — (—)
文字 (もじ) — written character
writing / sentence
On: bun / mon (ブン・モン)
Kun: fumi (ふみ)
文字 (もじ) — written character
book / origin
On: hon (ホン)
Kun: moto (もと)
本屋 (ほんや) — bookstore

Everyday Words and Concepts (日常)

yen / circle
On: en (エン)
Kun: marui (まる-い)
百円 (ひゃくえん) — 100 yen
sound / noise
On: on / in (オン・イン)
Kun: oto / ne (おと・ね)
音楽 (おんがく) — music
spirit / mood / air
On: ki / ke (キ・ケ)
Kun: — (—)
天気 (てんき) — weather
rest / holiday
On: kyuu (キュウ)
Kun: yasumu (やす-む)
休日 (きゅうじつ) — holiday
ball / jewel
On: gyoku (ギョク)
Kun: tama (たま)
玉ねぎ (たまねぎ) — onion
gold / money
On: kin / kon (キン・コン)
Kun: kane (かね)
金曜日 (きんようび) — Friday
see / look
On: ken (ケン)
Kun: miru (み-る)
見学 (けんがく) — study visit
thread / string
On: shi (シ)
Kun: ito (いと)
糸口 (いとぐち) — starting point
correct / right
On: sei / shou (セイ・ショウ)
Kun: tadashii (ただ-しい)
正月 (しょうがつ) — New Year
blue / green
On: sei / shou (セイ・ショウ)
Kun: aoi (あお-い)
青空 (あおぞら) — blue sky
red
On: seki / shaku (セキ・シャク)
Kun: akai (あか-い)
赤ちゃん (あかちゃん) — baby
white
On: haku / byaku (ハク・ビャク)
Kun: shiroi (しろ-い)
白黒 (しろくろ) — black & white
small
On: shou (ショウ)
Kun: chiisai (ちい-さい)
小学校 (しょうがっこう) — elementary school
big / large
On: dai / tai (ダイ・タイ)
Kun: ookii (おお-きい)
大学 (だいがく) — university
enter / insert
On: nyuu (ニュウ)
Kun: iru / hairu (い-る・はい-る)
入口 (いりぐち) — entrance
exit / come out
On: shutsu / sui (シュツ・スイ)
Kun: deru / dasu (で-る・だ-す)
出口 (でぐち) — exit
stand / rise
On: ritsu / ryuu (リツ・リュウ)
Kun: tatsu (た-つ)
国立 (こくりつ) — national
power / strength
On: ryoku / riki (リョク・リキ)
Kun: chikara (ちから)
力士 (りきし) — sumo wrestler
name / fame
On: mei / myou (メイ・ミョウ)
Kun: na (な)
名前 (なまえ) — name
car / vehicle
On: sha (シャ)
Kun: kuruma (くるま)
電車 (でんしゃ) — train
village
On: son (ソン)
Kun: mura (むら)
村人 (むらびと) — villager
town
On: chou (チョウ)
Kun: machi (まち)
町中 (まちなか) — downtown

Study Tips for Beginners

  1. Start with Numbers and Time. These appear on signs, menus, and timetables immediately.
  2. Prioritise kun’yomi for standalone words. Words like 山 (やま) and 川 (かわ) use the native Japanese reading. Learn on’yomi when you see the kanji paired with another in a compound word.
  3. Anchor each kanji to one example word. Rather than memorising 火 alone, remember 花火 (はなび, fireworks). Context is a better hook than raw repetition.
  4. Write by hand, even a few times. The stroke order for each kanji is shown on its lesson page.
  5. Review in small daily sets. Ten kanji per session, reviewed the next morning, builds retention faster than cramming all 80 at once.