The JLPT N5 requires recognizing approximately 100 fundamental Kanji characters. Rather than cramming an alphabetical list or tackling stroke orders blindly, this guide presents all 100 characters arranged into 20 five-kanji thematic lessons. Each entry includes core English meanings, on'yomi (Chinese-derived) and kun'yomi (native Japanese) readings, and a beginner-safe worked compound word.
Open the 100 N5 Kanji practice workspace
How to Study These Lessons
- Focus on the character shape and core meaning. Connect the visual radical (like 日 for sun/day or 木 for tree) to its meaning.
- Learn the example word. Kanji readings make the most sense when learned as part of real words rather than abstract lists of sounds.
- Notice on'yomi versus kun'yomi. Kun'yomi readings typically appear when a kanji stands alone as a native word (e.g. 水 = mizu), while on'yomi readings typically appear in multi-kanji compounds.
- Practice 5 kanji per session. Completing one 5-kanji lesson per sitting keeps recall strong without fatigue.
Lesson 1: Numbers one through five
Recognize the first five number kanji and one practical reading for each.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | one | いち | ひと | 一つ (ひとつ) — one thing |
| 二 | two | に | ふた | 二つ (ふたつ) — two things |
| 三 | three | さん | み | 三つ (みっつ) — three things |
| 四 | four | し | よ, よん | 四つ (よっつ) — four things |
| 五 | five | ご | いつ | 五つ (いつつ) — five things |
Lesson 2: Numbers six through ten
Complete the basic number sequence with six through ten.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 六 | six | ろく | む | 六つ (むっつ) — six things |
| 七 | seven | しち | なな | 七つ (ななつ) — seven things |
| 八 | eight | はち | や | 八つ (やっつ) — eight things |
| 九 | nine | きゅう | ここの | 九つ (ここのつ) — nine things |
| 十 | ten | じゅう | とお | 十 (とお) — ten things |
Lesson 3: Amounts, yen, and people
Read common amount building blocks, the yen symbol, and the character for a person.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 百 | hundred | ひゃく | — | 百円 (ひゃくえん) — one hundred yen |
| 千 | thousand | せん | — | 千円 (せんえん) — one thousand yen |
| 万 | ten thousand | まん | — | 一万円 (いちまんえん) — ten thousand yen |
| 円 | yen | えん | — | 百円 (ひゃくえん) — one hundred yen |
| 人 | person | じん, にん | ひと | 人 (ひと) — person |
Lesson 4: Days and familiar words
Meet five useful characters connected to days and already familiar beginner words.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 日 | day | にち, じつ | ひ, か | 日 (ひ) — day |
| 月 | month | げつ, がつ | つき | 一月 (いちがつ) — January |
| 火 | fire | か | ひ | 火 (ひ) — fire |
| 水 | water | すい | みず | 水 (みず) — water |
| 本 | book | ほん | — | 本 (ほん) — book |
Lesson 5: Calendar and time extensions
Complete the weekday elements and add the core characters for year and clock time.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 木 | tree | もく, ぼく | き | 木 (き) — tree |
| 金 | gold | きん, こん | かね | お金 (おかね) — money |
| 土 | soil | ど, と | つち | 土 (つち) — soil |
| 年 | year | ねん | とし | 一年 (いちねん) — one year |
| 時 | time | じ | とき | 一時 (いちじ) — one o'clock |
Lesson 6: People and family
Read the core characters for child, woman, man, father, and mother.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 子 | child | し, す | こ | 子ども (こども) — child |
| 女 | woman | じょ | おんな | 女の人 (おんなのひと) — woman |
| 男 | man | だん, なん | おとこ | 男の人 (おとこのひと) — man |
| 父 | father | ふ | ちち | 父 (ちち) — father |
| 母 | mother | ぼ | はは | 母 (はは) — mother |
Lesson 7: Places and directions
Recognize the five directional and position characters used on signs and maps.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 上 | up | じょう | うえ | 上 (うえ) — up |
| 下 | down | か, げ | した | 下 (した) — down |
| 中 | inside | ちゅう | なか | 中 (なか) — inside |
| 左 | left | さ | ひだり | 左 (ひだり) — left |
| 右 | right | う, ゆう | みぎ | 右 (みぎ) — right |
Lesson 8: Everyday verbs
Connect five essential action characters with their familiar okurigana endings.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 行 | go | こう, ぎょう | い | 行く (いく) — to go |
| 来 | come | らい | く | 来る (くる) — to come |
| 食 | eat | しょく | た | 食べる (たべる) — to eat |
| 見 | see | けん | み | 見る (みる) — to see |
| 聞 | hear | ぶん, もん | き | 聞く (きく) — to hear |
Lesson 9: Everyday adjectives
Read common descriptive characters for size, price, and newness.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 大 | big | だい, たい | おお | 大きい (おおきい) — big |
| 小 | small | しょう | ちい, こ | 小さい (ちいさい) — small |
| 高 | high | こう | たか | 高い (たかい) — high |
| 安 | cheap | あん | やす | 安い (やすい) — cheap |
| 新 | new | しん | あたら | 新しい (あたらしい) — new |
Lesson 10: Nature, weather, and places
Finish the first 50 N5 kanji with mountain, river, sky, rain, and country.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 山 | mountain | さん | やま | 山 (やま) — mountain |
| 川 | river | せん | かわ | 川 (かわ) — river |
| 空 | sky | くう | そら | 空 (そら) — sky |
| 雨 | rain | う | あめ | 雨 (あめ) — rain |
| 国 | country | こく | くに | 国 (くに) — country |
Lesson 11: Movement, reading, and writing
Read five core action characters for exiting, entering, reading, writing, and buying.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 出 | exit | しゅつ | で, だ | 出る (でる) — to exit |
| 入 | enter | にゅう | はい, い | 入る (はいる) — to enter |
| 読 | read | どく | よ | 読む (よむ) — to read |
| 書 | write | しょ | か | 書く (かく) — to write |
| 買 | buy | ばい | か | 買う (かう) — to buy |
Lesson 12: Speech, posture, and rest
Recognize the characters for saying, speaking, standing, resting, and waiting.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 言 | say | げん, ごん | い | 言う (いう) — to say |
| 話 | speak | わ | はな, はなし | 話す (はなす) — to speak |
| 立 | stand | りつ | た | 立つ (たつ) — to stand |
| 休 | rest | きゅう | やす | 休む (やすむ) — to rest |
| 待 | wait | たい | ま | 待つ (まつ) — to wait |
Lesson 13: Minutes, intervals, and weeks
Read time expressions for minutes, half hours, durations, weeks, and daily routines.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 分 | minute | ふん, ぶん | わ | 五分 (ごふん) — five minutes |
| 半 | half | はん | なか | 一時半 (いちじはん) — one thirty |
| 間 | interval | かん | あいだ | 一時間 (いちじかん) — one hour |
| 週 | week | しゅう | — | 一週間 (いっしゅうかん) — one week |
| 毎 | every | まい | — | 毎日 (まいにち) — every day |
Lesson 14: Before, now, after, and noon
Connect relative time and position characters used in schedules and directions.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 先 | ahead | せん | さき | 先生 (せんせい) — teacher |
| 今 | now | こん, きん | いま | 今 (いま) — now |
| 前 | before | ぜん | まえ | 前 (まえ) — front |
| 後 | after | ご, こう | あと, うし | 後ろ (うしろ) — behind |
| 午 | noon | ご | — | 午前 (ごぜん) — morning |
Lesson 15: School, friends, and names
Read the core characters behind student, teacher, school, friend, and name.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 学 | study | がく | まな | 学生 (がくせい) — student |
| 生 | life | せい, しょう | い, う | 先生 (せんせい) — teacher |
| 校 | school | こう | — | 学校 (がっこう) — school |
| 友 | friend | ゆう | とも | 友だち (ともだち) — friend |
| 名 | name | めい, みょう | な | 名前 (なまえ) — name |
Lesson 16: Writing, language, and questions
Recognize characters for sentence, character, language, what, and old.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 文 | sentence | ぶん, もん | ふみ | 文 (ぶん) — sentence |
| 字 | character | じ | あざ | 文字 (もじ) — letter |
| 語 | language | ご | かた | 日本語 (にほんご) — Japanese language |
| 何 | what | か | なに, なん | 何 (なに) — what |
| 古 | old | こ | ふる | 古い (ふるい) — old |
Lesson 17: Stations, transport, and shops
Read the characters seen on train signs, roads, and storefronts.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 駅 | station | えき | — | 駅 (えき) — station |
| 車 | car | しゃ | くるま | 車 (くるま) — car |
| 電 | electricity | でん | — | 電車 (でんしゃ) — train |
| 道 | road | どう | みち | 道 (みち) — road |
| 店 | shop | てん | みせ | 店 (みせ) — shop |
Lesson 18: Compass directions and outside
Recognize company, outside, and the cardinal directions north, south, and east.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 社 | company | しゃ | やしろ | 会社 (かいしゃ) — company |
| 外 | outside | がい | そと | 外 (そと) — outside |
| 北 | north | ほく | きた | 北 (きた) — north |
| 南 | south | なん | みなみ | 南 (みなみ) — south |
| 東 | east | とう | ひがし | 東 (ひがし) — east |
Lesson 19: West, weather, and body
Read west, weather words (天気, 元気), and the characters for hand and foot.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 西 | west | せい, さい | にし | 西 (にし) — west |
| 天 | heavens | てん | あめ | 天気 (てんき) — weather |
| 気 | spirit | き, け | — | 元気 (げんき) — healthy |
| 手 | hand | しゅ | て | 手 (て) — hand |
| 足 | foot | そく | あし, た | 足 (あし) — foot |
Lesson 20: Eyes, ears, mouth, and colors
Complete the 100 N5 kanji with eye, ear, mouth, white, and blue.
| Kanji | Meaning | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Example Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 目 | eye | もく | め | 目 (め) — eye |
| 耳 | ear | じ | みみ | 耳 (みみ) — ear |
| 口 | mouth | こう, く | くち | 口 (くち) — mouth |
| 白 | white | はく, びゃく | しろ | 白い (しろい) — white |
| 青 | blue | せい, しょう | あお | 青い (あおい) — blue |
Next Steps in Your Japanese Path
With all 100 N5 Kanji recognized, combine your characters with the 300 N5 vocabulary words and the 25 N5 sentence builder lessons. Ready for more? Explore the JLPT N4 Foundation Guide to preview the next 25 kanji.