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
201 san

サン

mai(ru)

まい(る)

going, coming, participate N3
202 bai

バイ

u(ru)

う(る)

sell N4
203 ri

ki(ku)

き(く)

profit, advantage, benefit N3
204 so

ku(mu), kumi

く(む)、くみ

association, assemble, unite N3
205 chi

shi(ru)

し(る)

know, wisdom N4
206 an

アン

tsukue

つくえ

plan, suggestion, draft N2
207 dou

ドウ

michi

みち

road-way, street, district, journey, course N4
208 shin

シン

faith, truth, trust N3
209 saku

サク

scheme, plan, policy N2
210 shuu

シュウ

atsu(meru)

あつ(める)

gather, meet N4
211 zai

ザイ

a(ru)

あ(る)

exist, outskirts N3
212 ken

ケン

kudan

くだん

affair, case, matter N3
213 dan, ton

ダン、トン

katamari, maru(i)

かたまり、 まる(い)

group, association N2
214 betsu

ベツ

waka(reru), wa(keru)

わか(れる)、 わ(ける)

separate, branch off, diverge N4
215 butsu, motsu

ブツ、 モツ

mono

もの

thing, object, matter N4
216 soku

ソク

gawa, soba

がわ、そば

side, lean, oppose N3
217 nin

ニン

maka(seru)

まか(せる)

responsibility, duty N3
218 in

イン

hi(ku)

ひ(く)

pull, tug, jerk N3
219 shi

tsuka(u)

つか(う)

use, order, messenger, ambassador N4
220 kyuu

キュウ

moto(meru)

もと(める)

request, want, demand N3
221 sho

ショ

tokoro

ところ

place, extent N3
222 ji, shi

ジ、シ

tsu(gu), tsugi

つ(ぐ)、つぎ

next, order N3
223 sui

スイ

mizu

みず

water N5
224 han

ハン

naka(ba)

なか(ば)

half, middle, odd number, semi- N5
225 hin

ヒン

shina

しな

goods, refinement, dignity, article N4
226 saku

サク

yesterday, previous N3
227 ron

ロン

agetsura(u)

あげつら(う)

argument, discourse N3
228 kei

ケイ

haka(ru)

はか(る)

plot, plan, scheme, measure N4
229 shi

shi(nu)

し(ぬ)

death, die N4
230 kan

カン

bureaucrat, the government, organ N3
231 zou

ゾウ

ma(su), fu(eru)

ま(す)、 ふ(える)

increase, add N3
232 kei

ケイ

kaka(ru), kakari

かか(る)、かかり

person in charge, connection N3
233 kan

カン

emotion, feeling, sensation N3
234 toku

トク

special N4
235 jou, sei

ジョウ、セイ

nasa(ke)

なさ(け)

feelings, emotion, passion N3
236 tou

トウ

na(geru)

な(げる)

throw, discard N3
237 ji, shi

ジ、シ

shime(su)

しめ(す)

show, indicate, display N3
238 hen

ヘン

ka(waru)

か(わる)

unusual, change, strange N3
239 da

u(tsu), bu(tsu)

う(つ)、ぶ(つ)

strike, hit, knock N3
240 dan, nan

ダン、 ナン

otoko, o

おとこ、 お

male; man N5
241 ki

moto, motoi

もと、 もとい

fundamentals, counter for machines, foundation N1
242 shi

watakushi, watashi

わたくし、 わたし

private, I, me N4
243 kaku

カク

onoono

おのおの

each; every; either N2
244 shi

haji(meru)

はじ(める)

commence, begin N4
245 tou

トウ

shima

しま

island N2
246 choku, jiki

チョク、 ジキ

tada(chini), su(gu)

ただ(ちに)、 す(ぐ)

straightaway, honesty, frankness, fix, repair N3
247 ryou

リョウ

both N3
248 chou

チョウ

asa

あさ

morning N4
249 kaku

カク

kawa

かわ

leather; skin; reform; become serious N2
250 ka

atai

あたい

value, price N1
251 shiki

シキ

style, ceremony N3
252 kaku

カク

tashi(ka)

たし(か)

assurance, firm, confirm N3
253 son

ソン

mura

むら

village; town N2
254 tei

テイ

sa(geru)

さ(げる)

propose, take along, carry in hand N1
255 un

ウン

hako(bu)

はこ(ぶ)

carry, luck, destiny, fate, transport N4
256 shuu

シュウ

o(waru)

お(わる)

end, finish N4
257 kyo

キョ

a(geru), kozo(ru)

あ(げる)、 こぞ(る)

raise, plan, project, behavior, actions N1
258 ka

ha(tasu)

は(たす)

fruit, reward, carry out, achieve, complete N3
259 sei, sai

セイ、 サイ

nishi

にし

west N5
260 sei

セイ

ikio(i)

いきお(い)

forces; energy; military strength N2
261 gen

ゲン

he(ru)

へ(る)

dwindle; decrease; reduce N2
262 dai, tai

ダイ、 タイ

utena

うてな

pedestal, a stand, counter for machines and vehicles N4
263 kou

コウ

hiro(i)

ひろ(い)

wide, broad, spacious N4
264 you

ヨウ

contain, form N3
265 hitsu

ヒツ

kanara(zu)

かなら(ず)

invariably, certain, inevitable N3
266 ou

オウ

kota(eru)

こた(える)

apply, answer, yes, OK, reply, accept N1
267 en

エン

performance, act, play, render, stage N3
268 den

デン

electricity; electric powered N5
269 sai, sei

サイ、セイ

age, year-end N3
270 juu, chuu

ジュウ、 チュウ

su(mu)

す(む)

dwell, reside, live, inhabit N4
271 sou

ソウ

araso(u)

あらそ(う)

contend, dispute, argue N3
272 dan

ダン

discuss, talk N3
273 nou

ノウ

ata(u)

あた(う)

ability, talent, skill, capacity N3
274 mu, bu

ム、 ブ

na(i)

な(い)

nothingness, none, ain't, nothing, nil, not N4
275 sai, sa

サイ、 サ

futata(bi)

ふたた(び)

again, twice, second time N2
276 i

kurai, gurai

くらい、 ぐらい

rank, grade, about N3
277 chi

o(ku)

お(く)

placement, put, set, deposit, leave behind N3
278 ki

kuwada(teru), takura(mu)

くわだ(てる)、 たくら(む)

undertake, scheme, design, attempt, plan N1
279 shin

シン

ma, makoto

ま、 まこと

true, reality, Buddhist sect N4
280 ryuu, ru

リュウ、ル

naga(reru)

なが(れる)

current, flow N3
281 kaku, kou, kyaku

カク、コウ、キャク

status, rank, capacity N3
282 yuu, u

ユウ、 ウ

a(ru)

あ(る)

possess, have, exist, happen N4
283 gi

utaga(u)

うたが(う)

doubt, distrust N3
284 kou

コウ

kuchi

くち

mouth N4
285 ka

su(giru), yogi(ru)

す(ぎる)、よぎ(る)

overdo, exceed, go beyond N3
286 kyoku

キョク

bureau, board, office N3
287 shou

ショウ

suku(nai), suko(shi)

すく(ない)、 すこ(し)

few, little N4
288 hou

ホウ

hana(su), hou(ru)

はな(す)、ほう(る)

set free, release N3
289 zei

ゼイ

tax; duty N2
290 ken

ケン

shira(beru)

しら(べる)

examination, investigate N1
291 tou

トウ

fuji

ふじ

wisteria N1
292 chou

チョウ

machi

まち

town, village, block, street N4
293 jou

ジョウ

tsune

つね

usual, ordinary, normal N3
294 kou

コウ

school, exam N5
295 ryou

リョウ

fee, materials N4
296 taku

タク

sawa

さわ

swamp, marsh, brilliance, grace N1
297 sai

サイ

ta(tsu), saba(ku)

た(つ)、 さば(く)

tailor, judge, decision, cut out (pattern) N1
298 jou

ジョウ

conditions, form, appearance N3
299 kou, ku, gu

コウ、 ク、 グ

craft, construction N4
300 ken, kon

ケン、 コン

ta(teru)

た(てる)

build N4

Most Frequent Kanji List total: (2404)

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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.