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JLPT · A2 on the CEFR

JLPT N4

Basic Japanese across familiar daily topics — and the JLPT level accepted for the Specified Skilled Worker visa.

Pass mark
90 / 180
Exam length
1 h 55 min
Kanji (est.)
~300
Vocabulary (est.)
~1,500
Study time (est.)
300–450 hours

Last reviewed

Take the free N4 practice testCompare all levels

What N4 means you can do

Paraphrased from the official JLPT level guidelines. If most of these already describe you, this is your level.

  • Read passages on familiar everyday topics written in basic vocabulary and kanji.
  • Follow conversations encountered in daily life when spoken slowly and clearly.
  • Describe your routine, past events and simple plans in connected sentences.

The N4 exam, section by section

3 separate timed sittings with breaks between them.1 h 55 min of testing in total.

SectionJapaneseTimeWhat it contains
Language Knowledge (Vocabulary)25 minKanji readings, orthography, context and paraphrase questions.
Language Knowledge (Grammar) · Reading55 minGrammar forms, sentence building, plus short and mid-length passages.
Listening35 minTask, point and verbal-expression comprehension at natural-but-clear speed.
Timings follow the current JLPT structure. Confirm on your test voucher, which is authoritative for your sitting.

Preparation

How to prepare for N4

N4 is decided by a specific set of grammar families, and they are predictable: transitive and intransitive pairs (開く / 開ける), the four conditionals, giving and receiving (あげる・くれる・もらう plus their polite forms), and the potential, passive and causative. Expect every one of them.

Kanji moves from recognition to reading. Around 300 characters is the usual estimate, and the exam tests readings in compounds rather than isolated meanings. Learn 会 through 会議, 会社 and 会う, not as "meet".

If N4 is for a Specified Skilled Worker visa, weight your practice towards workplace situations and consider whether JFT-Basic suits you better — it runs many times a year rather than twice.

Free practice

JLPT N4 Practice Test 1

Twenty N4-level questions built around the grammar that actually decides this paper: transitive and intransitive pairs, conditionals, giving and receiving, potential and passive forms, and the causative. The real N4 runs 115 minutes; treat this as a 25-minute diagnostic of where your gaps are.

Start the N4 testAll mock tests
Questions
20
Time limit
25 min
Explanations
Every one
Cost
Free

FAQ

JLPT N4 — frequently asked questions

What is the JLPT N4 pass mark?
You need 90 points out of 180 to pass N4. You must also meet the sectional minimum: 38 / 120 in Language Knowledge · Reading and 19 / 60 in Listening. Missing any one sectional minimum means failing the whole paper regardless of your total.
How many kanji do I need for JLPT N4?
Community estimates put N4 at around ~300 kanji and ~1,500 vocabulary items. These are not official figures — the JLPT has not published a content specification since the 2010 revision — so treat them as planning guides.
How long does JLPT N4 take?
1 h 55 min of testing time, split across 3 sittings. With registration, instructions and breaks, expect the day itself to run considerably longer.
How long should I study for N4?
Widely-cited estimates suggest 300–450 hours for a learner without prior kanji knowledge. Learners who already read Chinese characters typically progress faster, particularly through the reading sections.
Should I take N4 or N3?
If you are genuinely torn, take N4 — a pass is a credential and a fail is nothing. The exception is a hard external deadline that only N3 satisfies, in which case prepare harder rather than aiming lower. The reliable way to decide is a timed mock test at both levels, sat cold.

Neighbouring levels

One level easier

JLPT N5

The entry point. Hiragana, katakana, basic kanji and everyday classroom Japanese.

One level harder

JLPT N3

The bridge level. Everyday Japanese at near-natural speed, and the hardest jump for most learners.

Verify before you registerDates, fees and registration deadlines are set locally and change. Confirm atjlpt.jp. Kanji, vocabulary and study-hour figures on this page are community estimates, not official specifications.