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
101 fu, bu

フ、 ブ

negative, non-, bad N4
102 rai, tai

ライ、 タイ

kuru, kitaru, ki, ko

く.る、 きた.る、 き、 こ

come, due, next, cause, become N5
103 saku, sa

サク、 サ

tsuku(ru)

つく(る)

make, production, prepare, build N4
104 sei, shou

セイ、 ショウ

sex, gender, nature N3
105 teki

テキ

mark, target, object, adjective ending N3
106 you

ヨウ

i(ru), kaname

い(る)、 かなめ

need, main point, essence, pivot N3
107 you

ヨウ

mochi(iru)

もち(いる)

utilize, business, service, use, employ N4
108 sei

セイ

system, law, rule N3
109 ji, chi

ジ、チ

nasa(meru), nao(ru)

おさ(める)、なお(る)

reign, cure, heal N3
110 do, taku

ド、 タク

tabi, ta(i)

たび、 た(い)

degrees, occurrence, time, counter for occurrences N4
111 mu

tsuto(meru)

つと(める)

task, duties N3
112 kyou, gou

キョウ、 ゴウ

tsuyo(i)

つよ(い)

strong N4
113 ki, ke

キ、 ケ

iki

いき

spirit, mind, air, atmosphere, mood N5
114 shou

ショウ

chii(sai), ko-, o-, sa-

ちい(さい)、 こ-、 お-、 さ-

little, small N5
115 shichi

シチ

nana(tsu), nano

なな(つ)、 なの

seven, 7 N5
116 sei, jou

セイ、 ジョウ

na(ru)

な(る)

turn into, become, get, grow, elapse N3
117 ki, go

キ、 ゴ

period, time, date, term N3
118 kou

コウ

public, prince, official, governmental N4
119 ji

mo(tsu)

も(つ)

hold, have N4
120 ya

no

plains, field, rustic, civilian life N4
121 kyou

キョウ

co-, cooperation N2
122 shu

シュ

to(ru)

と(る)

take, fetch N3
123 to, tsu

ト、ツ

miyako

みやこ

metropolis, capital N3
124 wa, o

ワ、オ

yawa(ragu), nago(mu)

やわ(らぐ)、なご(む)

harmony, Japanese style, peace N3
125 tou

トウ

su(beru)

す(べる)

ruling, governing N1
126 i

mo(tte)

もっ(て)

by means of, because, in view of, compared with N4
127 ki

hata

はた

machine, airplane, opportunity N3
128 hei, byou

ヘイ、ビョウ

tai(ra), hira

たい(ら)、ひら

even, flat, peace N3
129 sou

ソウ

sube(te), fusa

すべ(て)、 ふさ

general, whole, all N2
130 ka

kuwa(eru)

くわ(える)

add, addition, increase, join N3
131 san, sen

サン、 セン

yama

やま

mountain N5
132 shi

omo(u)

おも(う)

think N4
133 ka

ie, ya, uchi

いえ、 や、 うち

house, home, family, professional, expert N4
134 wa

hana(su), hanashi

はな(す)、 はなし

tale, talk N5
135 sei, se

セイ、 セ

yo

generation, world, society, public N4
136 ju

ジュ

u(keru)

う(ける)

accept, undergo, answer (phone), take N3
137 ku

ward, district N2
138 ryou

リョウ

eri

えり

jurisdiction, dominion N2
139 ta

oo(i)

おお(い)

many, frequent, much N4
140 ken

ケン

ka(keru)

か(ける)

prefecture N2
141 zoku

ゾク

tsuzuku

つづ(く)

continue, series, sequel N3
142 shin

シン

susu(mu)

すす(む)

advance, proceed N3
143 sei, shou

セイ、 ショウ

tada(shii), masa(ni)

ただ(しい)、 まさ(に)

correct, justice, righteous N4
144 an

アン

yasu(i)

やす(い)

safe, peaceful, cheap N4
145 setsu

セツ

mou(keru)

もう(ける)

establishment, provision N2
146 ho, hou

ホ、ホウ

tamo(tsu)

たも(つ)

protect, guarantee, keep N2
147 kai

カイ

arata(meru)

あらた(める)

reformation, change, modify N2
148 suu

スウ

kazu, kazo(eru)

かず、 かぞ(える)

number, strength, fate, law, figures N3
149 ki

shiru(su)

しる(す)

scribe, account, narrative N3
150 in

イン

institution, temple, mansion, school N4
151 jo

ジョ

onnna, me

おんな、 め

woman, female N5
152 sho

ショ

haji(me), hatsu

はじ(め)、はつ

first time, beginning N3
153 hoku

ホク

kita

きた

north N5
154 go

uma

うま

noon, sign of the horse N5
155 shi

yubi, sa(su)

ゆび、さ(す)

finger, point to, indicate N3
156 ken

ケン

authority, power, rights N3
157 shin

シン

kokoro

こころ

heart, mind, spirit N4
158 kai

カイ

world, boundary N4
159 shi

sasa(eru)

ささ(える)

branch, support, sustain N3
160 dai

ダイ

No., number N2
161 san

サン

u(mu), mu(su)

う(む)、 む(す)

products, bear, give birth N3
162 ketsu

ケツ

musu(bu), yu(u)

むす(ぶ)、ゆ(う)

tie, bind, contract N2
163 hyaku, byaku

ヒャク、 ビャク

momo

もも

hundred N5
164 ha

faction, group, party N2
165 ten

テン

tsu(keru)

つ(ける)

spot, point, mark N3
166 kyou

キョウ

oshi(eru), oso(waru)

おし(える)、 おそ(わる)

teach, faith, doctrine N4
167 hou

ホウ

mukku(iru)

むく(いる)

report, news, reward N3
168 sai, sei

サイ、セイ

su(mu)

す(む)

settle, relieve, finish N3
169 sho

ショ

kaku

か(く)

write N5
170 fu

borough, urban prefecture, govt office N2
171 katsu

カツ

living N3
172 gen

ゲン

hara

はら

original, primitive, field N3
173 sen

セン

saki, ma(zu)

さき、 ま(ず)

before, ahead, previous, future, precedence N5
174 kyou

キョウ

tomo

とも

together, both, neither N3
175 toku

トク

e(ru)

え(る)

gain, get, find, earn, acquire, can, may, able to, profit N3
176 kai, ge

カイ、ゲ

to(ku), hodo(ku)

と(く)、ほど(く)

unravel, explanation N3
177 mei, myou

メイ、 ミョウ

na

name, noted, distinguished, reputation N5
178 kou

コウ

maji(waru), ma(zeru), ka(wasu)

まじ(わる)、 ま(ぜる)、 か(わす)

mingle, mixing, association, coming & going N3
179 shi

assets, resources, capital, funds, data, be conducive to N3
180 yo, sha

ヨ、 シャ

arakaji(me)

あらかじ(め)

beforehand, previous, myself, I N3
181 sen

セン

kawa

かわ

river, stream N5
182 kou

コウ

mu(ku), muka(i)

む(く)、むか(い)

facing, beyond N3
183 sai

サイ

kiwa

きわ

occasion, time N3
184 sa

investigate N2
185 shou

ショウ

ka(tsu), masa(ru)

か(つ)、 まさ(る)

victory, win N3
186 men

メン

omo, omote, tsura

おも、おもて、つら

mask, face, features, surface N3
187 i

yuda(neru)

ゆだ(ねる)

committee, entrust to N2
188 koku

コク

tsu(geru)

つ(げる)

revelation, inform N3
189 gun

グン

ikusa

いくさ

army, force, troops N2
190 bun, mon

ブン、 モン

fumi

ふみ

sentence, literature, style, art N4
191 han

ハン

so(ru)

そ(る)

anti- N3
192 gen, gan

ゲン、 ガン

moto

もと

beginning, former time, origin N4
193 juu, chou

ジュウ、 チョウ

omo(i), kasa(neru)

おも(い)、 かさ(ねる)

heavy, important, esteem, respect N4
194 kin

キン

chika(i)

ちか(い)

near, early, akin, tantamount N4
195 sen

セン

chi

thousand N5
196 kou

コウ

kanga(eru)

かんが(える)

consider, think over N4
197 han

ハン

judgement, signature N3
198 nin

ニン

mito(meru), shitata(meru)

みと(める)、したた(める)

acknowledge, witness, recognize N3
199 ga, kaku

ガ、 カク

kaku(suru)

かく(する)

brush-stroke, picture N4
200 kai

カイ

umi

うみ

sea, ocean N4

Most Frequent Kanji List total: (1059)

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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.