East Asian Journal / A reader’s orientation
What does it mean
to know a kanji?
Recognise it. Read it in a word. Write it from memory.
Kanken asks you to go deeper at each step.
Kanken, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Test (日本漢字能力検定), examines knowledge and use of Japanese kanji. Its twelve levels run from 10 to 1, with Pre-2 and Pre-1 between the numbered levels. Smaller numbers mean a broader, more demanding scope. About Kanken ↗
Start where you are
Your age is not your level.
School labels describe a reference point for the material. Adults and non-Japanese learners can choose any examination level; passing the earlier ones is not a prerequisite. Official eligibility guidance ↗
Begin with sound.
Learn hiragana and katakana, then explore Grade 1 words and characters.
Open hiragana ↗02 / Already reading some JapaneseFind your gaps.
Browse a familiar collection. Try recall in both directions, then practise useful words in context.
Browse the collections ↗03 / Working toward an examTry an actual paper.
Use official questions to choose a target. Check writing and vocabulary as well as recognition.
Official sample questions ↗The examination map
Twelve levels. Cumulative scope.
Each total includes earlier characters. “240” means the whole scope at Level 9, not 240 additions after Level 10.
| Kanken level | Total kanji | Scope benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| 10級10 | 80 | Elementary Grade 1 |
| 9級9 | 240 | Elementary Grade 2 |
| 8級8 | 440 | Elementary Grade 3 |
| 7級7 | 642 | Elementary Grade 4 |
| 6級6 | 835 | Elementary Grade 5 |
| 5級5 | 1,026 | Elementary Grade 6 |
| 4級4 | 1,339 | During junior high |
| 3級3 | 1,623 | Junior-high completion |
| 準2級Pre-2 | 1,951 | During high school |
| 2級2 | 2,136 | High-school completion / university / general |
| 準1級Pre-1 | ≈3,000 | University / general |
| 1級1 | ≈6,000 | University / general |
Source: Kanken’s 2026 handbook. English benchmarks are translations. “University / general” is the official label for both Pre-1 and Level 1; it does not mean every university graduate has mastered them.
How do these levels fit EAJ’s collections?
Our boards count new written forms. Grades 1–6 follow the elementary allocation. Our selected Grades 7–9 complete the 2,136 jōyō inventory; Grade 9 includes an EAJ 80-character completion set. That is our study sequence, not a national per-grade allocation or a Kanken-level mapping.
Pre-1 adds 849 distinct forms across Parts A–C. Level 1 adds 2,651 across Parts A–I. The library totals 2,985 after Pre-1 and 5,636 after Level 1. These audited, non-repeating head-entry counts use different counting rules from the examination’s approximate scope. Parts A–I are EAJ divisions.
After Grade 9, Levels 4 through 2 can still require new readings, words and writing skills even when their character shapes are already in your collection. Completing the boards is not an exam pass. Inventory method and sources ↗
Beyond a character count
Depth matters as much as breadth.
Recognising a character on a card is one task. Choosing the right spelling or producing it without a model is another. Kanken also tests vocabulary, compounds and idioms; the upper levels extend into classical texts and alternative written forms. That makes advanced study a substantial literacy project. Official examination scope ↗
How demanding are the upper exams?
One real cohort gives useful perspective. In the 2026 examination year, Round 1, the Foundation reported:
| Level | Sat exam | Passed | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 27,969 | 8,337 | 29.8% |
| Pre-1 | 4,143 | 983 | 23.7% |
| 1 | 863 | 77 | 8.9% |
These are pass rates among the people who took that examination, across ages and preparation backgrounds. They do not tell us what proportion of Japanese adults could pass, how rare a qualification is in the population, or your personal chance of success. Rates vary between rounds.
Official results · Finalised Sep 2, 2026; published Oct 1, 2026. We do not estimate population percentiles.
Is Kanken the same as the JLPT?
The JLPT assesses Japanese language knowledge, reading and listening for non-native speakers, from N5 to N1. Kanken concentrates on kanji knowledge and use, including writing. The different tasks mean that one result should not be converted into an equivalent level on the other test. Choose the test that matches your goal.