JLPT N3 kanji list
A curated core of 123high-frequency JLPT N3 kanji, grouped by theme, each with its on'yomi and kun'yomi readings and meaning — studied with real spaced repetition. Free, no signup.
The N3 kanji count climbs sharply, but you don't need every reading at once. EverFlip groups the highest-yield N3 kanji by theme— everyday life, actions, abstract ideas, people & society — with readings verified against the level. It's the optional reading track: useful for the test, skippable if you only want to speak.
Kanji: actions
Study these 40 →- 決ketsu / ki(meru), ki(maru)decide, determine, settle
- 配hai / kuba(ru)distribute, hand out, deliver
- 整sei / totono(eru), totono(u)arrange, put in order, adjust
- 続zoku / tsuzu(ku), tsuzu(keru)continue, go on, last
- 増zou / fu(eru), fu(yasu), ma(su)increase, grow, add
- 減gen / he(ru), he(rasu)decrease, reduce, lessen
- 過ka / su(giru), su(gosu)pass, exceed, elapse
- 比hi / kura(beru)compare, contrast
- 認nin / mito(meru)recognize, acknowledge, approve
- 守shu · su / mamo(ru)protect, defend, keep (a promise)
- 求kyuu / moto(meru)seek, request, demand
- 防bou / fuse(gu)prevent, defend against, guard
- 押ou / o(su), o(saeru)push, press, hold down
- 引in / hi(ku), hi(keru)pull, draw, subtract
- 戻rei / modo(ru), modo(su)return, go back, give back
- 探tan / saga(su), sagu(ru)search for, look for, grope for
- 移i / utsuru · utsusushift, move, transfer, change
- 招shou / manekuinvite, beckon, summon, bring about
- 払futsu / haraupay, clear away, sweep off
- 投tou / nageruthrow, cast, give up, invest
- 折setsu / oru · orerufold, break, bend, snap
- 努do / tsutomerustrive, make an effort, endeavor
- 訪hou / otozureru · tazuneruvisit, call on, inquire
- 迎gei / mukaeruwelcome, greet, meet, receive
- 得toku / eru · urugain, obtain, acquire, profit
- 渡to / wataru · watasucross over, hand over, transfer
- 預yo / azukeru · azukarudeposit, entrust, keep in custody
- 戦sen / tatakau · ikusafight, war, battle, compete
- 閉hei / shimeru · shimaru · tojiruclose, shut
- 追tsui / ouchase, pursue, drive away, follow
- 申shin / mou(su)to say (humble), report
- 商shou / akina(u)commerce, trade, merchant
- 残zan / noko(ru) · noko(su)remain, leave behind, leftover
- 直choku · jiki / nao(su) · nao(ru) · tada(chi ni)fix, direct, straight, immediate
- 借shaku / ka(riru)to borrow
- 返hen / kae(su) · kae(ru)return, give back
- 重juu · chou / omo(i) · kasa(neru) · eheavy, important, pile up
- 選sen / era(bu)to choose, select
- 別betsu / waka(reru)separate, another, different
- 頼rai / tano(mu) · tayo(ru)request, rely on, trust
Kanji: people & society
Study these 30 →- 員inmember, employee, staff
- 民min / tamipeople, citizens, the public
- 客kyaku · kakuguest, customer, visitor
- 様you / samaMr./Ms. (polite suffix); manner, appearance
- 個koindividual; counter for small objects
- 性sei · shounature, quality, sex/gender
- 格kaku · koustatus, rank, standard
- 結ketsu / musu(bu), yu(u)tie, bind, conclude, form
- 関kan / seki, kaka(waru)relation, connection; be involved
- 係kei / kakari, kaka(ru)connection; person in charge, duty
- 政sei · shoupolitics, government, administration
- 議gideliberation, discussion, consultation
- 際sai / kiwaoccasion, time; edge, verge
- 共kyou / tomotogether, jointly, in common
- 規kistandard, rule, regulation
- 制seisystem, control, regulation
- 夫fu · fuu / ottohusband, man
- 妻sai / tsumawife
- 婦fuwoman, wife, lady
- 娘/ musumedaughter, girl
- 祖soancestor, grandparent, origin
- 孫son / magograndchild, descendant
- 君kun / kimiyou (familiar), monarch, Mr. (suffix)
- 師shimaster, teacher, expert
- 官kangovernment official, bureaucrat, organ
- 課kasection, department, lesson, levy
- 局kyokubureau, office, situation
- 党toupolitical party, faction
- 職shokuemployment, occupation, post, duty
- 婚konmarriage, wedding
Kanji: ideas & abstractions
Study these 28 →- 由yu · yuu · yui / yoshireason, cause, significance
- 因in / yo(ru)cause, factor, be based on
- 果ka / ha(tasu), ha(teru)result, fruit, carry out, end
- 的teki / matotarget, mark; -like (suffix)
- 例rei / tato(eru)example, instance, precedent
- 状joucondition, state, shape; letter/document
- 態taistate, condition, attitude, appearance
- 容youcontain, form, appearance, allow
- 種shu / tanekind, type, species, seed
- 感kanfeeling, sense, emotion, impression
- 情jou · sei / nasa(ke)emotion, feeling, compassion, circumstances
- 象shou · zouphenomenon, symbol, shape; elephant
- 印in / shirushimark, sign, seal, stamp
- 信shintrust, faith, belief, message
- 価ka / ataivalue, price, worth
- 観kanview, outlook, appearance, observe
- 念nenthought, idea, sense, attention
- 想sou · soidea, conception, thought
- 識shikiawareness, consciousness, knowledge
- 論ronargument, theory, discourse
- 義gijustice, righteousness, meaning
- 案anplan, proposal, idea, draft
- 賛sanapproval, agreement, support, praise
- 否hi / inanegate, deny, no, refuse
- 判han · banjudgment, distinguish, stamp, seal
- 評hyouevaluation, criticism, comment
- 質shitsu · shichiquality, substance, nature
- 望bou · mou / nozomuhope, desire, ambition, expectation
Kanji: everyday life
Study these 25 →- 駅eki(train) station
- 鉄tetsu / kuroganeiron; railway
- 運un / hako(bu)carry, transport; luck, fortune
- 転ten / koro(bu), koro(garu), koro(gasu)revolve, roll over, tumble; turn
- 速soku / haya(i), haya(meru), sumi(yaka)fast, quick; speed
- 遅chi / oso(i), oku(reru), oku(rasu)slow, late; be late, fall behind
- 階kaifloor, storey; rank, grade
- 横ou / yokoside, sideways, horizontal
- 通tsuu · tsu / kayo(u), too(ru), too(su)pass through; commute; traffic
- 曲kyoku / ma(garu), ma(geru)bend, curve, turn; tune, melody
- 港kou / minatoharbor, port
- 乗jou / no(ru), no(seru)ride, board, get on
- 降kou / o(riru), o(rosu), fu(ru)get off, descend; fall (rain/snow)
- 庭tei / niwagarden, yard, courtyard
- 窓sou / madowindow
- 畑/ hatake · hatafield (dry crops), cultivated field
- 湖ko / mizuumilake
- 島tou / shimaisland
- 岸gan / kishishore, bank, coast
- 境kyou · kei / sakaiboundary, border, frontier
- 波ha / namiwave
- 湯tou / yuhot water, hot spring
- 池chi / ikepond, pool
- 庫kostorehouse, warehouse
- 机ki / tsukuedesk
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A curated core of the highest-yield N3 items — not the full N3 list (the JLPT hasn't published an official one since 2010). Every card is checked against the N3 level before it counts.