Kanji kentei

Kanji kentei

The Kanji kentei (漢字検定, short for Nihon kanji nouryoku 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.

There are 10 levels (levels 8-3, 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.

Table of contents

1 Test levels and skills

1.1 Level 8
1.2 Level 7
1.3 Level 6
1.4 Level 5
1.5 Level 4
1.6 Level 3
1.7 Level pre-2
1.8 Level 2
1.9 Level pre-1
1.10 Level 1

2 Related topics
3 External links

Test levels and skills

Level 8

Tests the kanji learned up to the 3rd grade of elementary school (440 kanji), including on readings and kun readings, stroke order, writing ability, ability to use in sentences, and the names of radicalss.

Level 7

Tests the kanji learned up to the 4th grade of elementary school (640 kanji), 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 kanji learned up to the 5th grade of elementary school (825 kanji), 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 3-kanji compound words

Level 5

Tests the kanji learned up to the 6th grade of elementary school (1006 kanji), 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 4-kanji compound words

Level 4

Tests the kanji learned up to the 6th 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 4-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 6th 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 4-kanji compound words
Tests knowledge of radicals required to use a kanji dictionary

Level pre-2

Tests the kanji learned up to the 3rd 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

External links

財団法人日本漢字能力検定協会 (official page of the kanji kentei)(Japanese only)
- http://www.kanken.or.jp/