Kanji kentei

The kanji kentei (漢字検定, short for Nihon kanji nōryoku kentei shiken　日本漢字能力検定試験) is a test of Chinese character ability. The full Japanese name means "Japanese kanji Aptitude Test."

Developed for native speakers of Japanese, the test has become increasingly popular with foreign students of the language.

There are 10 levels (levels 8 through 3, pre-2, 2, pre-1 and 1) with level 8 being the lowest and level 1 the highest. The test examines ability to read and write kanji, to understand their meanings and use them correctly in sentences, and to identify correct stroke order.

Test levels and skills

Level 8

• Tests the 440 kanji learned up to the third grade of elementary school, including on readings and kun readings, stroke order, writing ability, ability to use in sentences, and the names of radicals.

Level 7

• Tests the 640 kanji learned up to the fourth grade of elementary school, including on readings and kun readings, stroke order, writing ability, ability to use in sentences, and the names of radicals.
• Tests knowledge of opposite words
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests idiomatic phrases and kanji compound words

Level 6

• Tests the 825 kanji learned up to the fifth grade of elementary school, including on readings and kun readings, stroke order, writing ability, ability to use in sentences, and the names of radicals.
• Tests knowledge of opposite words
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests idiomatic phrases and three-kanji compound words

Level 5

• Tests the 1006 kanji learned up to the sixth grade of elementary school, including on readings and kun readings, stroke order, writing ability, ability to use in sentences, and the names of radicals.
• Tests knowledge of opposite words
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests idiomatic phrases and four-kanji compound words

Level 4

• Tests the kanji learned up to the sixth grade of elementary school, plus an additional 300 daily use kanji (常用漢字 jouyou kanji)
• Tests on readings and kun readings, stroke order, ability to use kanji in sentences
• Requires the ability to read about 1300 characters, and write about 900
• Tests knowledge of opposites and synonyms
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests idiomatic phrases and four-kanji compound words
• Tests knowledge of radicals required to use a kanji dictionary
  • Levels 4 and 5 correspond roughly to the kanji ability needed to pass level 1 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

Level 3

• Tests the kanji learned up to the sixth grade of elementary school, plus an additional 600 daily use kanji
• Tests on readings and kun readings, stroke order, ability to use kanji in sentences
• Requires the ability to read about 1600 characters
• Tests special or unusual kanji readings
• Tests "ateji" (当て字), phonetic readings of characters
• Tests knowledge of opposites and synonyms
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests idiomatic phrases and four-kanji compound words
• Tests knowledge of radicals required to use a kanji dictionary

Level pre-2

• Tests the kanji learned up to the third grade of junior high school (equivalent to the 9th grade)
• Tests on readings and kun readings, stroke order, ability to use kanji in sentences
• Requires the ability to read all of the daily use kanji (1945 characters)
• Tests special or unusual kanji readings
• Tests "ateji"
• Tests knowledge of opposites and synonyms
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests special compound words
• Tests complex radicals

Level 2

• Tests the kanji learned through high school
• Tests on readings and kun readings, stroke order, ability to use kanji in sentences
• Requires the ability to read and write all of the daily use kanji (1945 characters)
• Tests special or unusual kanji readings
• Tests "ateji"
• Tests knowledge of opposites and synonyms
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests special compound words
• Tests complex radicals and composition of kanji
• Tests knowledge of the kanji used in names (jinmei-you kanji 人名用漢字)

Level pre-1

• Tests the ability to read and write approximately 3000 kanji, with their on readings and kun readings and stroke order
• Requires the ability to use the kanji in sentences, and to choose the most appropriate kanji for a given context
• Tests special or unusual kanji readings
• Tests "ateji"
• Tests knowledge of opposites and synonyms
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests special compound words
• Tests complex radicals
• Tests kanji unique to the Japanese language
• Tests classical Japanese proverbs idiomatic expressions

Level 1

• Tests the ability to read and write approximately 6000 kanji, with their on readings and kun readings and stroke order
• Requires the ability to use the kanji in sentences, and to choose the most appropriate kanji for a given context
• Tests special or unusual kanji readings
• Tests "ateji"
• Tests knowledge of opposites and synonyms
• Tests ability to differentiate between homonyms
• Tests special compound words
• Tests complex radicals
• Tests kanji unique to the Japanese language
• Tests classical Japanese proverbs idiomatic expressions
• Tests place and country names
• Tests the ability to recognize the relationship between modern and ancient or old character forms

Related topics

• Chinese characters
• Japanese Language Proficiency Test
• Japanese