Five levels, two sessions a year, one goal: to measure what you really understand in Japanese. Here’s how the exam works, and where to start.
5
levels, from N5 (beginner) to N1 (mastery)
2×
sessions a year, in July and December
1M+
candidates every year around the world
The JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, or 日本語能力試験) is the standard exam for assessing the Japanese of people who aren’t native speakers. It tests neither writing nor speaking: only your ability to understand Japanese, both in print and by ear.
Run since 1984, it’s now taken by more than a million people a year. A JLPT certificate never expires, and it serves just as well for a university application in Japan as for a work visa or, quite simply, as a personal marker along the way.
構成How the exam is structured
Each session is split into timed sections covering three broad skills: vocabulary and characters, grammar and reading, and listening comprehension. No section asks you to produce Japanese: everything rests on multiple-choice questions.
To pass, a good total isn’t enough: you also have to reach a minimum score in each section. So there’s no point in propping up a shaky ear with rock-solid vocabulary, the JLPT rewards balanced learning.
The JLPT doesn’t measure whether you speak Japanese. It measures whether you understand it, and that’s exactly where you begin.
五段階The five levels
The levels run from N5, the most accessible, to N1, the most demanding. Contrary to what the numbers suggest, difficulty goes up as the figure goes down. Here’s what each step looks like.
N5
Everyday basics
True beginner · ~150 h of study
You understand simple sentences, introduce yourself, read hiragana and katakana, and recognise around a hundred common kanji. It’s the level most beginners aim for in their first year.
~800 words~100 kanjiKana mastered
N4
Day-to-day life
Beginner · ~300 h of study
You follow slow conversations on familiar topics and read short everyday texts. The basic grammar is in place: you start linking ideas together rather than just stacking words.
~1,500 words~300 kanjiLinked sentences
N3
The bridge to independence
Intermediate · ~450 h of study
Often felt as the steepest step. You understand everyday Japanese at close to natural speed and read concrete articles. This is where many people move from “I’m studying” to “I’m living” the language.
~3,700 words~650 kanjiFluent reading
N2
Professional Japanese
Advanced · ~700 h of study
The level most in demand from employers in Japan. You read newspapers and argued texts, follow the news and debates. Vocabulary turns nuanced, and registers start to separate.
~6,000 words~1,000 kanjiRegisters
N1
Mastery
Expert · ~900 h+ of study
You understand just about everything: abstract texts, literature, lectures, cultural undertones. N1 doesn’t mean “bilingual”, but it opens the doors to higher education and the most demanding roles.
~10,000 words~2,000 kanjiNuance & abstraction
どこからWhere to start?
If you’re just starting out, aim for N5: it lays clean foundations that everything else builds on. The classic mistake is skipping levels to go faster: you end up moving forward on sand. A solid N5 beats a shaky N3.
Hibi sorts all of its vocabulary and grammar by JLPT level, in a carefully thought-out learning order. You always know where you stand, and when a level is finished, you know it really is. To go further, take a look at the Blog or the Help Center.
はじめましょう
Start with a solid N5.
Build your foundations one word at a time, sorted by exam level.