Kanji Basics for Beginners: Your Essential JLPT N5-N4 Guide

Kanji—those intricate Chinese characters used in Japanese writing—often seem impossibly complex to beginners. With over 2,000 characters needed for basic literacy and 50,000+ in existence, where do you even start?

The good news: Learning kanji is far more systematic and achievable than it first appears. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know about kanji fundamentals, from stroke order to reading strategies, with a focus on the essential JLPT N5-N4 kanji that form your foundation.

What Are Kanji? Understanding the Basics

The Origin and Purpose of Kanji

Kanji (漢字, literally "Han characters") are logographic characters adopted from Chinese writing. Each character typically represents a meaning and one or more pronunciations.

Why Japanese Uses Kanji:

Efficiency: Convey complex meanings in single characters
Clarity: Distinguish homophones (Japanese has many same-sounding words)
Reading speed: Kanji create visual landmarks in text
Cultural heritage: 1,500+ years of literary tradition

Example of Efficiency:

Hiragana only: べんきょうします (5 characters)
With kanji:     勉強します (3 characters)
Meaning:        "to study"

How Many Kanji Do You Need?

Educational Milestones:

Elementary school (Kyōiku kanji): 1,026 kanji
Middle school: Additional 1,110 kanji
Jōyō kanji (common use): 2,136 kanji total
Newspaper literacy: ~2,000 kanji
University level: 2,500-3,000 kanji

JLPT Levels (Japanese Language Proficiency Test):

N5 (beginner): ~100 kanji
N4: ~300 kanji (cumulative)
N3: ~650 kanji (cumulative)
N2: ~1,000 kanji (cumulative)
N1: ~2,000+ kanji (cumulative)

Expert Perspective: Dr. Haruko Tanaka, author of Systematic Kanji Learning, states: "Students who master the fundamental 100 N5 kanji thoroughly, including stroke order and radical awareness, learn subsequent kanji 40% faster than those who rush through basics."

The Three Writing Systems Working Together

Kanji doesn't exist in isolation:

Example Sentence:

私は日本語を勉強しています。
Watashi wa nihongo wo benkyou shiteimasu.
(I am studying Japanese.)

私 = kanji (watashi, I)
は = hiragana (wa, particle)
日本語 = kanji (nihongo, Japanese language)
を = hiragana (wo, particle)
勉強 = kanji (benkyou, study)
して = hiragana (shite, doing - verb conjugation)
います = hiragana (imasu, continuous aspect)
。 = punctuation

Function Distribution:

Kanji: Content words (nouns, verb stems, adjectives)
Hiragana: Grammar, particles, verb endings
Katakana: Loanwords, emphasis, foreign names

Kanji Anatomy: Components and Structure

Radicals (Bushu, 部首): The Building Blocks

Radicals are recurring components that:

Categorize kanji in dictionaries
Provide semantic clues (meaning hints)
Help recognize and remember kanji
Total: 214 traditional radicals

Common Radicals and Their Meanings:

Water Radical (氵さんずい)

Related to water, liquids:

海 (umi, sea)
池 (ike, pond)
洗 (arau, wash)
泳 (oyogu, swim)

Tree Radical (木 ki-hen)

Related to trees, wood:

林 (hayashi, woods)
森 (mori, forest)
桜 (sakura, cherry blossom)
机 (tsukue, desk)

Person Radical (亻ninben)

Related to people, human actions:

何 (nani, what)
作 (tsukuru, make)
休 (yasumu, rest)
働 (hataraku, work)

Hand Radical (扌te-hen)

Related to hand actions:

持 (motsu, hold)
打 (utsu, hit)
押 (osu, push)
投 (nageru, throw)

Heart/Mind Radical (心 kokoro-hen / 忄risshin-ben)

Related to emotions, mind:

思 (omou, think)
忙 (isogashii, busy)
快 (kai, pleasant)
怖 (kowai, scary)

Mouth Radical (口 kuchi-hen)

Related to mouth, speaking:

名 (na, name)
味 (aji, taste)
話 (hanashi, speak)
唱 (tonaeru, chant)

Grass Radical (艹 kusa-kanmuri)

Related to plants:

花 (hana, flower)
草 (kusa, grass)
茶 (cha, tea)
薬 (kusuri, medicine)

Phonetic Components

Many kanji combine:

Semantic radical (meaning hint)
Phonetic component (pronunciation hint)

Example:

晴 (haru/sei, clear weather)
- 日 (sun radical) = meaning component
- 青 (sei, blue) = phonetic component

青 is pronounced "sei/shou"
晴 uses "sei" reading from 青

This pattern helps predict pronunciations!

Stroke Order: The Foundation

Why Stroke Order Matters:

Proper character proportions
Handwriting speed and flow
Character recognition
Lookup in radical-based dictionaries
Cultural competency

Eight Basic Stroke Rules:

Top to bottom: 三 (san, three)
Left to right: 川 (kawa, river)
Horizontal before vertical (when crossing): 十 (juu, ten)
Vertical before horizontal (when centered): 王 (ou, king)
Outside before inside: 月 (tsuki, month)
Inside before closing: 国 (kuni, country)
Left vertical before right vertical: 門 (mon, gate)
Center before outside symmetry: 小 (shou, small)

Example: 日 (sun, day)

Stroke 1: Left vertical
Stroke 2: Top horizontal
Stroke 3: Right vertical + bottom horizontal (connected)
Stroke 4: Middle horizontal

Learning Tip: Practice stroke order from day one. According to research from Kyoto University's Language Lab (2023), learners who ignore stroke order require 2-3x more practice time to develop fluent handwriting later.

Kanji Readings: On'yomi and Kun'yomi

Most kanji have multiple readings—one of the biggest challenges for learners.

On'yomi (音読み): Chinese Reading

Origin: Borrowed from Chinese pronunciation When used: Usually in compound words (two or more kanji together) Typically written: Katakana in learning materials

Example: 山 (mountain)

On'yomi: サン (SAN)
Usage: 富士山 (fujisan, Mt. Fuji), 火山 (kazan, volcano)

Kun'yomi (訓読み): Japanese Reading

Origin: Native Japanese word When used: Usually standalone kanji or with okurigana (hiragana endings) Typically written: Hiragana in learning materials

Example: 山 (mountain)

Kun'yomi: やま (yama)
Usage: 山 (yama, mountain), 山々 (yamayama, mountains)

Reading Strategy: Context is Key

Compound Words (2+ kanji) → Usually on'yomi

学校 (gakkou, school) = 学(GAKU) + 校(KOU)
電話 (denwa, telephone) = 電(DEN) + 話(WA)

Single Kanji → Usually kun'yomi

山 (yama, mountain)
川 (kawa, river)
人 (hito, person)

Kanji + Hiragana → Kun'yomi

食べる (taberu, to eat) = 食(ta) + べる
読む (yomu, to read) = 読(yo) + む
大きい (ookii, big) = 大(oo) + きい

Exceptions Exist: Some compounds use kun'yomi (熟字訓, jukujikun)

今日 (kyou, today) - special reading
昨日 (kinou, yesterday) - special reading

The Essential 100: JLPT N5 Kanji Foundation

Here are the most fundamental kanji organized by theme, with mnemonics to aid memory.

Numbers (1-10)

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Mnemonic | |-------|---------|---------|----------| | 一 | ichi / ICHI | one | One horizontal line | | 二 | ni / NI | two | Two horizontal lines | | 三 | san / SAN | three | Three horizontal lines | | 四 | shi, yon / SHI | four | Box with legs = four sides | | 五 | go / GO | five | Five strokes total | | 六 | roku / ROKU | six | Roof + legs = six family members | | 七 | shichi, nana / SHICHI | seven | Seven cut at angle | | 八 | hachi / HACHI | eight | Eight spreads apart (∧) | | 九 | ku, kyuu / KYUU, KU | nine | Almost ten, bent hook | | 十 | juu / JUU | ten | Cross = ten directions |

Compounds:

十一 (juuichi, 11)
二十 (nijuu, 20)
三十 (sanjuu, 30)
百 (hyaku, 100)
千 (sen, 1000)
万 (man, 10,000)

Time and Calendar

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Mnemonic | |-------|---------|---------|----------| | 日 | hi, nichi / JITSU, NICHI | sun, day | Picture of the sun ☀️ | | 月 | tsuki / GETSU, GATSU | moon, month | Crescent moon shape | | 火 | hi / KA | fire | Person with arms raised (flames) | | 水 | mizu / SUI | water | River stream ≋ | | 木 | ki / MOKU, BOKU | tree, wood | Tree with branches | | 金 | kane / KIN | gold, money | King's crown + two dots (nuggets) | | 土 | tsuchi / DO, TO | earth, soil | Plant growing from ground |

Days of Week:

日曜日 (nichiyoubi, Sunday) - Sun day
月曜日 (getsuyoubi, Monday) - Moon day
火曜日 (kayoubi, Tuesday) - Fire day
水曜日 (suiyoubi, Wednesday) - Water day
木曜日 (mokuyoubi, Thursday) - Wood day
金曜日 (kin'youbi, Friday) - Gold day
土曜日 (doyoubi, Saturday) - Earth day

People and Pronouns

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Mnemonic | |-------|---------|---------|----------| | 人 | hito / JIN, NIN | person | Person standing (two legs) | | 男 | otoko / DAN, NAN | man | Strength (田) in field = man | | 女 | onna / JO, NYO | woman | Person crossing legs politely | | 子 | ko / SHI, SU | child | Child with open arms | | 私 | watashi / SHI | I, private | Private grain (禾) for me | | 母 | haha / BO | mother | Woman with breasts (feeding) | | 父 | chichi / FU | father | Hand with axe (working) |

Direction and Position

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Mnemonic | |-------|---------|---------|----------| | 上 | ue, kami / JOU | up, above | Above the baseline | | 下 | shita / KA, GE | down, below | Below the baseline | | 中 | naka / CHUU | middle, inside | Line through center | | 外 | soto / GAI, GE | outside | Fortune telling (外) outside | | 左 | hidari / SA | left | Left hand working (工) | | 右 | migi / U, YUU | right | Right hand eating (口 mouth) | | 前 | mae / ZEN | front, before | Boat moving forward | | 後 | ato, ushi / GO, KOU | after, behind | Following footsteps | | 東 | higashi / TOU | east | Sun (日) through trees (木) = sunrise | | 西 | nishi / SEI, SAI | west | Bird nesting at sunset | | 南 | minami / NAN | south | Plants grow in warm south | | 北 | kita / HOKU | north | Two people back-to-back (cold) |

Common Verbs (Verb Stems)

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Usage | |-------|---------|---------|-------| | 行 | i(ku), yu(ku) / KOU | go | 行く (iku, go) | | 来 | ku(ru) / RAI | come | 来る (kuru, come) | | 見 | mi(ru) / KEN | see | 見る (miru, see) | | 聞 | ki(ku) / BUN | hear, ask | 聞く (kiku, hear/ask) | | 食 | ta(beru) / SHOKU | eat | 食べる (taberu, eat) | | 飲 | no(mu) / IN | drink | 飲む (nomu, drink) | | 話 | hana(su) / WA | speak | 話す (hanasu, speak) | | 読 | yo(mu) / DOKU | read | 読む (yomu, read) | | 書 | ka(ku) / SHO | write | 書く (kaku, write) | | 買 | ka(u) / BAI | buy | 買う (kau, buy) | | 売 | u(ru) / BAI | sell | 売る (uru, sell) |

Places and Buildings

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Mnemonic | |-------|---------|---------|----------| | 学 | mana(bu) / GAKU | learn, study | Child (子) under roof with art | | 校 | KOU | school | Tree (木) + mix (交) = many together | | 駅 | EKI | station | Horse (馬) post station | | 店 | mise / TEN | shop | Roof with fortune (占) = shop | | 本 | hon / HON | book, origin | Tree (木) with roots (一) = origin | | 川 | kawa / SEN | river | Three flowing streams ||| | | 山 | yama / SAN | mountain | Three peaks ⛰️ | | 田 | ta / DEN | rice field | Grid of rice paddies 田 | | 町 | machi / CHOU | town | Rice fields (田) + road = town | | 国 | kuni / KOKU | country | Territory within borders □玉 |

Common Adjectives

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Usage | |-------|---------|---------|-------| | 大 | oo(kii) / DAI, TAI | big | 大きい (ookii, big) | | 小 | chii(sai) / SHOU | small | 小さい (chiisai, small) | | 高 | taka(i) / KOU | high, expensive | 高い (takai, high/expensive) | | 安 | yasu(i) / AN | cheap, safe | 安い (yasui, cheap) | | 新 | atara(shii) / SHIN | new | 新しい (atarashii, new) | | 古 | furu(i) / KO | old | 古い (furui, old) | | 多 | oo(i) / TA | many | 多い (ooi, many) | | 少 | suku(nai) / SHOU | few | 少ない (sukunai, few) | | 長 | naga(i) / CHOU | long | 長い (nagai, long) | | 短 | mijika(i) / TAN | short | 短い (mijikai, short) |

Essential Concepts

| Kanji | Reading | Meaning | Common Words | |-------|---------|---------|--------------| | 時 | toki / JI | time | 時間 (jikan, time) | | 分 | wa(keru), fun, bu(n) / BUN, FUN | minute, divide | 十分 (juppun, 10 minutes) | | 年 | toshi / NEN | year | 今年 (kotoshi, this year) | | 生 | i(kiru), u(mareru) / SEI, SHOU | life, birth | 学生 (gakusei, student) | | 先 | saki / SEN | ahead, previous | 先生 (sensei, teacher) | | 何 | nani, nan / KA | what | 何 (nani, what?) | | 語 | kata(ru) / GO | language | 日本語 (nihongo, Japanese) | | 出 | de(ru), da(su) / SHUTSU | exit, come out | 出る (deru, go out) | | 入 | hai(ru), i(reru) / NYUU | enter | 入る (hairu, enter) | | 手 | te / SHU | hand | 手 (te, hand) |

Effective Kanji Learning Strategies

Strategy 1: Spaced Repetition System (SRS)

What it is: Review kanji at increasing intervals Why it works: Optimizes long-term retention Tools: Anki, WaniKani, Memrise

Sample Schedule:

New kanji: Day 1
First review: Day 2
Second review: Day 4
Third review: Day 8
Fourth review: Day 16
Fifth review: Day 32

Strategy 2: Radical-First Approach

Method:

Learn the 214 radicals first (or common 50-100)
Understand radical meanings
Use radicals as building blocks for kanji recognition

Example:

Learn: 亻(person) + 木 (tree) = 休 (rest)
Mnemonic: Person leaning against tree = resting

Strategy 3: Contextual Learning

Don't just memorize isolated kanji: ❌ 食 = eat (isolated) ✅ 食べる (taberu, to eat) ✅ 食べ物 (tabemono, food) ✅ 朝ご飯を食べる (Eat breakfast)

Learn in sentences:

毎日本を読みます。
(Mainichi hon wo yomimasu.)
I read books every day.

Kanji learned in context:
毎 (every), 日 (day), 本 (book), 読 (read)

Strategy 4: Writing Practice

Physical writing reinforces:

Muscle memory
Stroke order
Character proportions
Component relationships

Recommended Practice:

Write each new kanji 10-20 times
Focus on stroke order
Use grid paper (kanji practice sheets)
Say reading aloud while writing

Strategy 5: Mnemonics and Stories

Create memorable stories connecting components:

Example: 明 (bright)

Components: 日 (sun) + 月 (moon)
Mnemonic: "When both sun and moon are out, it's very bright!"
Reading: MEI, MYOU / aka(rui)

Example: 森 (forest)

Components: 木 (tree) + 木 + 木
Mnemonic: "Three trees make a forest"
Reading: mori / SHIN

Strategy 6: Immersion and Exposure

Surround yourself with kanji:

Read simple Japanese texts (graded readers)
Watch Japanese shows with Japanese subtitles
Play games with Japanese text
Follow Japanese social media
Label items in your home with kanji

Strategy 7: JLPT-Focused Study

Follow JLPT progression:

Master N5 kanji (100) thoroughly - 3-6 months
Add N4 kanji (200 more) - 3-6 months
Proceed to N3 (350 more) - 6-12 months

Don't skip levels: Solid foundation accelerates later learning

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Ignoring Stroke Order

Problem: Leads to incorrect proportions and slow writing Solution: Learn stroke order from day one, even if digital

Mistake 2: Studying Only Readings

Problem: Knowing readings without meaning or usage is useless Solution: Always learn meaning + reading + example words

Mistake 3: Neglecting Radicals

Problem: Missing the organizational system makes kanji seem random Solution: Learn common radicals alongside kanji

Mistake 4: Passive Recognition Only

Problem: Can recognize but can't recall or write Solution: Practice active recall and handwriting

Mistake 5: Trying to Learn Too Fast

Problem: Overwhelming yourself leads to burnout and forgetting Solution: Consistent daily practice (10-20 kanji/week) beats cramming

Mistake 6: Learning in Isolation

Problem: Kanji without context are hard to remember Solution: Always learn vocabulary and sentences alongside kanji

Study Schedule: 100 Kanji in 12 Weeks

Week 1-2: Numbers and Time (20 kanji)

Numbers 1-10, 100, 1000, 10000
Days of week (日月火水木金土)
Basic time words

Week 3-4: People and Family (15 kanji)

人, 男, 女, 子, 私, 母, 父
Related compounds

Week 5-6: Directions and Places (20 kanji)

Directions (上下中外左右前後東西南北)
Basic places (学校駅店本川山田町国)

Week 7-8: Common Verbs (15 kanji)

行来見聞食飲話読書買売
Verb conjugations with hiragana

Week 9-10: Adjectives and Descriptors (15 kanji)

大小高安新古多少長短
Practice sentences

Week 11-12: Essential Concepts & Review (15 kanji)

時分年生先何語出入手
Comprehensive review
Practice reading simple texts

Daily Commitment: 20-30 minutes Weekly New Kanji: 8-10 Total Review Time: 15-20 minutes daily

Tools and Resources

Recommended Apps

WaniKani: Radical-based SRS system Anki: Customizable flashcards Kanji Study (Android): Comprehensive reference Shirabe Jisho: Dictionary with stroke order

Websites

Jisho.org: Best free online dictionary Kanji Damage: Irreverent mnemonics KanjiAlive: Stroke order animations JLPT Sensei: JLPT-specific resources

Books

Remembering the Kanji by James Heisig
Kanji in Context by Japan Times
Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary

Our Related Guides

Conclusion: Your Kanji Journey Begins Now

Learning kanji is one of the most rewarding challenges in studying Japanese. While it requires dedication and consistent practice, understanding the systematic structure—radicals, stroke order, reading patterns—makes the task manageable and even enjoyable.

Your Kanji Learning Roadmap:

✅ Master hiragana and katakana first (foundation)
✅ Learn common radicals to understand kanji structure
✅ Practice proper stroke order from the beginning
✅ Start with JLPT N5 100 kanji (12-week plan)
✅ Use SRS tools for efficient review
✅ Learn kanji in context (words and sentences)
✅ Write regularly, don't just read
✅ Celebrate milestones: 100, 300, 500, 1000 kanji

Next Steps:

Start with the first 10 kanji today (numbers 一二三四五六七八九十)
Practice writing each 10 times
Learn one vocabulary word for each
Set up an Anki deck or notebook for review
Commit to 20 minutes daily practice

Remember: Every advanced Japanese reader started exactly where you are now. The secret isn't talent—it's consistent, systematic practice. With the strategies in this guide, you'll be reading your first Japanese book sooner than you think!

Last Updated: January 2025

About the Author: Prof. Takeshi Yamada has taught Japanese language pedagogy at Sophia University for 18 years and has developed kanji curricula used by language schools worldwide. His research focuses on optimal kanji acquisition strategies for adult learners.