JLPT N1 kanji list
132high-frequency JLPT N1 kanji, grouped by theme with on'yomi/kun'yomi readings and meaning, studied with real spaced repetition. Free, no signup, works in your browser.
N1 kanji reach into the formal, written and literary register — the characters of editorials, law and academic prose, including many low-frequency and compound-only readings. Each card shows the kanji with its readings and meaning, none repeated from the N2 set. Tap any group to study it with the forgetting-curve scheduling that times each review to memory.
Kanji: N1 abstract
Study these 20 →- 該gaithe said, the relevant, applicable (as in 該当)
- 緻chifine, minute, detailed (as in 緻密)
- 牽ken / hi(ku)pull, draw, lead (as in 牽引)
- 如jo, nyo / goto(shi)likeness, as if, such as (as in 如実)
- 顕ken / arawa(reru)manifest, evident, conspicuous (as in 顕著)
- 酌shaku / ku(mu)consider, take into account; pour (sake)
- 矜kyou, kinpride, dignity (as in 矜持)
- 覇hasupremacy, hegemony, championship (as in 覇権)
- 勃botsusudden, outbreak, rise (as in 勃発, 勃興)
- 畏i / oso(reru), kashiko(maru)awe, fear, revere (as in 畏敬)
- 凝gyou / ko(ru), ko(rasu)congeal, be absorbed in, elaborate (as in 凝視)
- 錯sakuconfusion, mixing, error (as in 錯覚, 錯誤)
- 酬shuu / muku(iru)reward, repay, retort (as in 報酬, 応酬)
- 唆sa / sosonoka(su)instigate, tempt, abet (as in 示唆)
- 弊heiabuse, evil, vice; (humble) our (as in 弊害)
- 顧ko / kaeri(miru)look back, reflect, regard (as in 顧慮, 回顧)
- 謬byuu / ayama(ru)error, fallacy (as in 誤謬)
- 漠bakuvague, obscure, desert (as in 漠然)
- 曖aivague, ambiguous, unclear (as in 曖昧)
- 昧maidark, obscure, ignorant (as in 曖昧)
Kanji: N1 formal & written
Study these 20 →- 措soset aside, measures, dispose (as in 措置)
- 遵junobey, comply with, abide by (as in 遵守)
- 賠baicompensation, indemnity (as in 賠償)
- 醸jou / kamo(su)brew, bring about, cause (as in 醸成)
- 廃hai / suta(reru), suta(ru)abolish, abolition, discontinue (as in 廃止)
- 賜shi / tamawa(ru), tama(u)grant, bestow (by a superior) (as in 恩賜)
- 款kanarticle, clause, goodwill (as in 約款, 借款)
- 璽jiimperial seal (as in 国璽, 御璽)
- 勅chokuimperial edict, decree (as in 勅令)
- 詔shou / mikotonoriimperial rescript, edict (as in 詔書)
- 謁etsuaudience (with a superior) (as in 謁見)
- 勘kanintuition, consider, investigate (as in 勘案)
- 酷kokucruel, severe, harsh (as in 酷使, 残酷)
- 斡atsumediation, rotate (as in 斡旋)
- 旋senrotation, turning around (as in 旋回, 斡旋)
- 璧hekiround flat jade; flawless (as in 完璧)
- 逝sei / yu(ku), i(ku)pass away, die (formal) (as in 逝去)
- 罷hiquit, dismiss, recall (as in 罷免)
- 嘱shokuentrust, request, commission (as in 嘱託, 委嘱)
- 謹kin / tsutsushi(mu)respectfully, humbly, discreet (as in 謹啓, 謹呈)
Kanji: N1 nature & society
Study these 20 →- 潟katalagoon, tidal flat (as in 干潟, 新潟)
- 峡kyougorge, ravine, strait (as in 海峡, 峡谷)
- 礁shoureef, hidden rock (as in 暗礁, 珊瑚礁)
- 渓keimountain stream, valley (as in 渓谷, 渓流)
- 沼shou / numamarsh, swamp, pond (as in 沼地, 湖沼)
- 畔han / kuro, hotorishore, edge, ridge between fields (as in 湖畔)
- 嵐ran / arashistorm, tempest (as in 砂嵐)
- 霜sou / shimofrost (as in 霜柱, 晩霜)
- 虹kou / nijirainbow
- 藻sou / moseaweed, algae (as in 海藻, 藻類)
- 繭ken / mayucocoon (as in 繭糸)
- 蚊kamosquito (as in 蚊帳)
- 畜chikulivestock, domestic animals (as in 家畜, 畜産)
- 閥batsuclique, faction, clan (as in 派閥, 財閥)
- 藩hanfeudal domain, clan (as in 藩主, 廃藩置県)
- 妃hiprincess, empress, consort (as in 王妃, 妃殿下)
- 嫡chakulegitimate child, heir (as in 嫡子, 嫡出)
- 弔chou / tomura(u)condolence, mourn, funeral (as in 弔問, 弔辞)
- 墳funtomb, burial mound (as in 古墳, 墳墓)
- 賓hinguest, visitor (of honor) (as in 来賓, 国賓)
Kanji: N1 abstract II
Study these 18 →- 概gai / oomu(ne)outline, general, approximately (as in 概念, 概要)
- 傾kei / katamu(ku), katamu(keru)lean, incline, tendency (as in 傾向)
- 随zui / shitaga(u)follow, accompany, comply (as in 随時, 随筆)
- 促soku / unaga(su)urge, prompt, stimulate (as in 促進)
- 貫kan / tsuranu(ku)pierce, penetrate, carry through (as in 貫徹, 一貫)
- 矛mu / hokohalberd, spear (as in 矛盾)
- 盾jun / tateshield (as in 矛盾, 後ろ盾)
- 礎so / ishizuefoundation stone, cornerstone (as in 礎石, 基礎)
- 嫌ken, gen / kira(u), iyadislike, suspicion (as in 嫌悪, 機嫌)
- 尚shou / naoesteem, furthermore, still (as in 尚早, 高尚)
- 妥dacompromise, peace, gentle (as in 妥協, 妥当)
- 把hagrasp, bundle, handle (as in 把握)
- 緩kan / yuru(i), yuru(yaka), yuru(mu), yuru(meru)loose, slacken, gentle (as in 緩和, 緩慢)
- 誇ko / hoko(ru)boast, be proud, exaggerate (as in 誇張, 誇示)
- 陥kan / ochii(ru), otoshii(reru)fall into, collapse, defect (as in 陥落, 欠陥)
- 覆fuku / oo(u), kutsugae(su), kutsugae(ru)cover, overturn, reverse (as in 覆面, 転覆)
- 懸ken, ke / ka(keru), ka(karu)hang, suspend, be concerned (as in 懸念, 懸案)
- 慨gaideplore, lament, indignation (as in 憤慨, 感慨)
Kanji: N1 formal & written II
Study these 18 →- 但tada(shi)however, provided that (as in 但し書き)
- 偽gi / itsuwa(ru), nisefalse, counterfeit, deceive (as in 偽造, 虚偽)
- 尋jin / tazu(neru)inquire, ask, fathom (as in 尋問, 尋常)
- 託takuentrust, consign, pretext (as in 委託, 信託)
- 譲jou / yuzu(ru)yield, concede, transfer (as in 譲渡, 譲歩)
- 賄wai / makana(u)bribe, provide, cater (as in 賄賂, 収賄)
- 賂robribe (as in 賄賂)
- 拘kou / kakawa(ru)detain, adhere to, be particular (as in 拘束, 拘留)
- 棄kiabandon, discard, abdicate (as in 放棄, 棄権)
- 訴so / utta(eru)sue, appeal, complain (as in 訴訟, 起訴)
- 仰gyou, kou / ao(gu), oo(se)look up, revere, state (an order) (as in 仰天, 信仰)
- 諾dakuconsent, assent, agree (as in 承諾, 受諾)
- 弁benspeech, dialect, valve, distinguish (as in 弁護, 答弁)
- 庶shocommoner, the masses, various (as in 庶民, 庶務)
- 殊shu / kotoparticularly, especially, distinction (as in 殊勝, 特殊)
- 漸zen / youya(ku)gradually, by degrees (as in 漸次, 漸進)
- 又mataagain, also, moreover (as in 又貸し)
- 且sho / ka(tsu)moreover, and, besides (as in 且つ)
Kanji: N1 nature & society II
Study these 18 →- 峰hou / minepeak, summit, ridge (as in 連峰, 高峰)
- 麓roku / fumotofoot of a mountain (as in 山麓)
- 洞dou / horacave, grotto, hollow (as in 洞窟, 洞察)
- 岬misakicape, promontory, headland
- 堤tei / tsutsumiembankment, dike, bank (as in 堤防, 防波堤)
- 湾wanbay, gulf, inlet (as in 湾岸, 港湾)
- 滝rou / takiwaterfall, rapids (as in 滝壺)
- 岳gaku / takemountain peak, high mountain (as in 山岳)
- 渦ka / uzuwhirlpool, vortex, eddy (as in 渦中)
- 潮chou / shiotide, current, seawater (as in 潮流, 風潮)
- 砕sai / kuda(ku), kuda(keru)smash, crush, break (as in 粉砕, 砕石)
- 漂hyou / tadayo(u)drift, float, wander (as in 漂流, 漂白)
- 漏rou / mo(ru), mo(reru), mo(rasu)leak, escape, omit (as in 漏電, 遺漏)
- 沸futsu / wa(ku), wa(kasu)boil, seethe (as in 沸騰, 煮沸)
- 婚konmarriage, wedding (as in 婚姻, 婚約)
- 葬sou / houmu(ru)bury, entomb, funeral (as in 葬儀, 埋葬)
- 隷reislave, servant, subordinate (as in 奴隷, 隷属)
- 奴do / yatsufellow, guy, slave (derogatory) (as in 奴隷, 売国奴)
Kanji: N1 body, mind & action
Study these 18 →- 肝kan / kimoliver; pluck, courage; vital point (as in 肝臓, 肝心)
- 胆tangall bladder; courage, boldness (as in 大胆, 胆力)
- 髄zuimarrow, pith, essence (as in 骨髄, 真髄)
- 顎gaku / agojaw, chin (as in 顎関節)
- 脇wakiside, flank, armpit (as in 脇腹, 脇役)
- 膝shitsu / hizaknee, lap (as in 膝下)
- 唇shin / kuchibirulips (as in 唇)
- 喉kou / nodothroat (as in 咽喉, 喉元)
- 瞳dou / hitomipupil (of the eye) (as in 瞳孔)
- 瞬shun / matata(ku)blink, twinkle, instant (as in 瞬間, 一瞬)
- 慌kou / awa(teru), awata(dashii)be flustered, panic, hurried (as in 恐慌)
- 怠tai / okota(ru), nama(keru)neglect, be idle, lazy (as in 怠慢, 怠惰)
- 憂yuu / ure(eru), ure(i), u(i)grief, anxiety, melancholy (as in 憂鬱, 憂慮)
- 慕bo / shita(u)yearn for, adore, long for (as in 思慕, 慕情)
- 慰i / nagusa(meru), nagusa(mu)console, comfort, soothe (as in 慰安, 慰労)
- 怨en, on / ura(mu)grudge, resentment, malice (as in 怨恨, 怨念)
- 嫉shitsu / sone(mu), neta(mu)envy, be jealous (as in 嫉妬)
- 妬to / neta(mu)be jealous, envy (as in 嫉妬)
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A curated core of the highest-yield N1 items — not the full N1 list (the JLPT hasn't published an official one since 2010). Every card is checked against the N1 level, and against our N2 set so nothing is repeated from the level below.