Kanji List Ordered by Frequency Of Use

This is a list of the most frequently used Japanese kanji characters (about 2,500 characters).

  • Page 1 covers the top 100 most commonly used kanji.
  • Page 2 covers 100~200 most common kanji.
  • and so on…

Click on any of the kanji in the list to see a full lesson for that character, including onyomi/kunyomi readings, the meaning, example sentences, related JLPT vocabulary / grammar, and more.

Kanji by JLPT level

#KanjiOnyomiKunyomiKanji MeaningJLPT
1101 kou

コウ

kata(i)

かた(い)

stiff; hard N2
1102 da

gentle, peace, satisfactory, appropriate N1
1103 i

odo(su)

おど(す)

intimidate, dignity, majesty, menace, threaten N1
1104 gou

ゴウ

era(i)

えら(い)

overpowering, great, powerful, excelling, Australia N1
1105 yuu

ユウ

kuma

くま

bear N1
1106 shi

ha

tooth, cog N3
1107 tai, tei

タイ、 テイ

todokoo(ru)

とどこお(る)

stagnate, be delayed, overdue, arrears N1
1108 bi

kasu(ka)

かす(か)

delicate, minuteness, insignificance N1
1109 ryuu

リュウ

hump, high, noble, prosperity N1
1110 mai

マイ

u(meru)

う(める)

bury; be filled up; embedded N2
1111 shou

ショウ

symptoms, illness N1
1112 zan

ザン

shibara(ku)

しばら(く)

temporarily, a while, moment, long time N1
1113 chuu

チュウ

loyalty, fidelity, faithfulness N1
1114 sou

ソウ

kura

くら

godown, warehouse, storehouse, cellar, treasury N1
1115 chuu

チュウ

hiru

ひる

daytime, noon N4
1116 cha, sa

チャ、 サ

tea N4
1117 gen

ゲン

hiko

ひこ

lad, boy (ancient) N1
1118 kan

カン

kimo

きも

liver, pluck, nerve, chutzpah N1
1119 chuu

チュウ

hashira

はしら

pillar; post; cylinder; support N2
1120 kan

カン

wame(ku)

わめ(く)

yell, cry, call, scream, summon N1
1121 en

エン

so(u), -zo(i)

そ(う)、 -ぞ(い)

run alongside, follow along, run along, lie along N1
1122 myou, byou

ミョウ、 ビョウ

tae

たえ

exquisite, strange, queer, mystery, miracle, excellent, delicate, charming N1
1123 shou

ショウ

tona(eru)

とな(える)

chant, recite, call upon, yell N1
1124 sai

サイ

matsuri

まつり

ritual; offer prayers; celebrate N2
1125 tai

タイ

fukuro

ふくろ

sack; bag; pouch N2
1126 a, o

ア、 オ

omone(ru), kuma

おもね(る)、 くま

Africa, flatter, fawn upon, corner, nook, recess N1
1127 saku

サク

cord, rope, searching, inquiring N1
1128 sei

セイ

makoto

まこと

sincerity, admonish, warn, prohibit, truth, fidelity N1
1129 bou

ボウ

wasu(reru)

わす(れる)

forget N3
1130 shuu

シュウ

oso(u), kasa(ne)

おそ(う)、 かさ(ね)

attack, advance on, succeed to, pile, heap N1
1131 setsu

セツ

yuki

ゆき

snow N3
1132 hitsu

ヒツ

fude

ふで

writing brush; writing; painting brush; handwriting N2
1133 sui

スイ

fu(ku)

ふ(く)

blow, breathe, puff N3
1134 kun

クン

yo(mu), kun(zuru)

よ(む)、くん(ずる)

instruction, explanation, read N2
1135 kon

コン

nengo(ro)

ねんご(ろ)

sociable, kind, courteous, hospitable, cordial N1
1136 yoku

ヨク

a(biru)

あ(びる)

bathe; be favored with; bask in N2
1137 hai

ハイ

haiku, actor N1
1138 dou

ドウ

warabe

わらべ

juvenile; child N2
1139 hou

ホウ

takara

たから

treasure; wealth; valuables N2
1140 hei

ヘイ

gara, e, tsuka

がら、 え、 つか

design, pattern, build, nature, character, handle, crank, grip, knob, shaft N1
1141 kyou

キョウ

odoro(ku)

おどろ(く)

wonder, be surprised, frightened, amazed N1
1142 ma, maa

マ、 マア

asa

あさ

hemp, flax, numb N1
1143 fuu, hou

フウ、 ホウ

seal; closing N2
1144 kyou

キョウ

mune

むね

bosom; breast; chest; heart; feelings N2
1145 jou

ジョウ

musume, ko

むすめ、こ

daughter, girl N3
1146 sa, sha

サ、 シャ

suna

すな

sand N2
1147 ri

sumomo

すもも

plum N1
1148 en

エン

shio

しお

salt N2
1149 kou

コウ

ooki(i), hiro(i)

おおき(い)、 ひろ(い)

wide expanse, abundance, vigorous N1
1150 go

ayama(ru)

あやま(る)

mistake N3
1151 zai, sui, sei

ザイ、 スイ、 セイ

karu, kezu(ru)

かる、 けず(る)

dose, medicine, drug N1
1152 rai

ライ

se

rapids, current, torrent, shallows, shoal N1
1153 shu

シュ

omomuki, omomu(ku)

おもむき、 おもむ(く)

purport, gist, elegance, interest, proceed to, tend, become N1
1154 kan

カン

ochii(ru), otoshii(reru)

おちい(る)、 おとしい(れる)

collapse, fall into, cave in, fall (castle), slide into N1
1155 sai

サイ

toki, tsutsushi(mu), monoimi, i(mu), iwa(u), itsu(ku)

とき、 つつし(む)、 ものいみ、 い(む)、 いわ(う)、 いつ(く)

purification, Buddhist food, room, worship, avoid, alike N1
1156 kan

カン

tsuranu(ku), nu(ku), nuki

つらぬ(く)、 ぬ(く)、 ぬき

pierce, 8 1/3lbs, penetrate, brace N1
1157 sen, sento

セン、 セント

hermit, wizard, cent N1
1158 i

nagusa(meru)

なぐさ(める)

consolation, amusement, seduce, cheer, make sport of, comfort, console N1
1159 ken

ケン

kashiko(i)

かしこ(い)

intelligent; wise; wisdom; cleverness N2
1160 jo

ジョ

tsui(de), tsuide

つい(で)、 ついで

preface, beginning, order, precedence, occasion, chance, incidentally N1
1161 tei, dai, de

テイ、 ダイ、 デ

otouto

おとうと

younger brother N4
1162 jun, shun

ジュン、 シュン

decameron, ten-day period, season (for specific products) N1
1163 wan

ワン

ude

うで

arm; ability; talent N2
1164 ken

ケン

ka(neru), -ka(neru)

か(ねる)、 -か(ねる)

concurrently, and, beforehand, in advance N1
1165 sei, shou

セイ、 ショウ

hijiri

ひじり

holy, saint, sage, master, priest N1
1166 shi

mune, uma(i)

むね、 うま(い)

delicious, relish, show a liking for, purport, will, clever, expert N1
1167 soku

ソク

tsu(ku), sunawa(chi)

つ(く)、 すなわ(ち)

instant, namely, as is, conform, agree, adapt N1
1168 sen

セン

ara(u)

あら(う)

wash N3
1169 ryuu

リュウ

yanagi

やなぎ

willow N1
1170 sha, seki

シャ、 セキ

yado(ru)

やど(る)

cottage, inn, hut, house, mansion N1
1171 gi, ka

ギ、 カ

itsuwa(ru), nise

いつわ(る)、 にせ

falsehood, lie, deceive, pretend, counterfeit, forgery N1
1172 kaku, kou

カク、 コウ

kura(beru)

くら(べる)

contrast, compare N1
1173 ha, haku

ハ、 ハク

hatagashira

はたがしら

hegemony, supremacy, leadership, champion N1
1174 chou

チョウ

kiza(su)

きざ(す)

trillion; sign; omen; symptoms N2
1175 shou

ショウ

toko, yuka

とこ、 ゆか

bed; counter for beds; floor; padding; tatami N2
1176

hata, hatake, -batake

はた、 はたけ、 -ばたけ

farm, field, garden, one's specialty, (kokuji) N1
1177 kan

カン

na(reru)

な(れる)

accustomed, get used to N3
1178 shou

ショウ

kuwa(shii), tsumabi(raka)

くわ(しい)、 つまび(らか)

detailed, full, minute, accurate, well-informed N1
1179 mou

モウ

ke

fur; hair; feather N2
1180 ryoku, roku

リョク、 ロク

midori

みどり

green N2
1181 son

ソン

touto(i)

とうと(い)

revered; valuable; precious; noble N2
1182 tei

テイ

resist, reach, touch N1
1183 kyou

キョウ

obiya(kasu), odo(su)

おびや(かす)、 おど(す)

threaten, coerce N1
1184 shuku

シュク

iwa(u)

いわ(う)

celebrate; congratulate N2
1185 rei, rai

レイ、ライ

salute, bow, ceremony, thanks N3
1186 sou

ソウ

mado

まど

window, pane N3
1187 juu, nyuu

ジュウ、 ニュウ

yawa(rakai)

やわ(らかい)

tender; weakness; gentleness; softness N2
1188 mo

shige(ru)

しげ(る)

overgrown, grow thick, be luxuriant N1
1189 gi, ki

ギ、 キ

ikenie

いけにえ

sacrifice N1
1190 ki

hata

はた

national flag, banner, standard N1
1191 kyo

キョ

heda(taru), kedzume

へだ(たる)、 けづめ

long-distance, spur, fetlock N1
1192 ga

miya(bi)

みや(び)

gracious, elegant, graceful, refined N1
1193 shoku

ショク

kaza(ru)

かざ(る)

decorate, ornament, adorn, embellish N1
1194 mou

モウ

ami

あみ

netting, network N1
1195 ryuu, ryou, rou

リュウ、 リョウ、 ロウ

tatsu, ise

たつ、 いせ

dragon, imperial N1
1196 shi

uta

うた

poem, poetry N1
1197 seki, shaku

セキ、シャク

mukashi

むかし

once upon a time, old times N3
1198 han

ハン

shige(ku)

しげ(く)

luxuriant, thick, overgrown, frequency, complexity, trouble N1
1199 den

デン

tono, dono

との、 どの

Mr.; hall; mansion; palace; temple; lord N2
1200 nou

ノウ

ko(i)

こ(い)

concentrated; thick; dark; undiluted N2

Most Frequent Kanji List total: (2497)

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*NOTE* Officially, there are no kanji, vocabulary, or grammar lists for the JLPT. As a result, it is not possible to be certain which kanji, words, or grammar will or will not appear in a given test. Our study lists are based on prior test data and comparisons with other available lists of JLPT kanji, vocabulary, grammar, etc.