JLPT levels

Five levels, from N5 to N1

One plain line most sites get backwards: JLPT levels run from N5 (beginner) up to N1 (advanced) — the number goes down as difficulty goes up.

This is the opposite direction to CEFR letters (A1 easiest → C2 hardest). There is no official one-to-one JLPT↔CEFR equivalence, so we never present one as fact — only honest, level-appropriate practice.

N1 · pass 100/180

Command of complex, abstract Japanese: dense texts and highly articulate speech.

N2 · pass 90/180

Most often referenced by universities and employers: broader reading, essays, natural-speed discussion.

N3 · pass 95/180

The bridge level: everyday Japanese at near-natural speed. Its pass mark (95) is higher than N2's.

N4 · pass 90/180

Everyday basics: standard daily conversations and slow-paced descriptive text.

N5 · pass 80/180

Basic Japanese foundation: essential grammar, hiragana, katakana, and foundational kanji.

See how scoring works for the dual pass rule and the full pass-mark table.

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