JLPT N3 Kanji: 350 Essential Characters You Must Know
N3 Kanji Overview
Preparing effectively for the JLPT requires understanding both the content and the test format. This guide covers the essential knowledge you need along with practical strategies for maximizing your score.
This section covers the fundamentals that every learner needs to understand. Take your time with these concepts — they form the foundation for everything that follows.
Key Categories
This is a critical area that many learners underestimate. Understanding these patterns and concepts will significantly accelerate your progress and help you avoid common plateaus.
Focus on recognizing these elements in real Japanese content — news articles, manga, conversations, and social media. Active recognition in context is far more effective than passive memorization.
Effective Study Method
This is a critical area that many learners underestimate. Understanding these patterns and concepts will significantly accelerate your progress and help you avoid common plateaus.
Focus on recognizing these elements in real Japanese content — news articles, manga, conversations, and social media. Active recognition in context is far more effective than passive memorization.
Common Compound Words
This is a critical area that many learners underestimate. Understanding these patterns and concepts will significantly accelerate your progress and help you avoid common plateaus.
Focus on recognizing these elements in real Japanese content — news articles, manga, conversations, and social media. Active recognition in context is far more effective than passive memorization.
Practice Strategy
The key to JLPT success is combining systematic study with regular practice using authentic materials. Past exam questions are your most valuable resource — work through at least 3-5 full practice tests before your exam date.
Beyond the exam, the skills you develop through JLPT preparation — reading comprehension, listening strategies, grammar analysis — transfer directly to real-world Japanese use. Practice with Kanji Lookup and JLPT Vocabulary to reinforce what you have learned.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many kanji do I need for N3? ▼
Approximately 350 kanji beyond the 250 from N5 and N4, for a total of about 600 characters.
Should I learn on'yomi or kun'yomi first? ▼
Learn both together in context. On'yomi appears in compound words while kun'yomi is used when the kanji stands alone.
What is the best way to study N3 kanji? ▼
Use radical decomposition to understand components, learn kanji in word pairs rather than isolation, and use spaced repetition for review.
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