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JLPT N4
What N4 certifies
The ability to understand basic Japanese.
- Reading: read and understand passages on familiar daily topics written in basic vocabulary and kanji.
- Listening: comprehend conversations encountered in daily life and generally follow their contents, provided they are spoken slowly.
N4 measures basic Japanese "mainly learned in class".
Test structure
| Test section | Time |
|---|---|
| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary) | 25 min |
| Language Knowledge (Grammar)・Reading | 55 min |
| Listening | 35 min |
| Total | 115 min |
Scoring and pass mark
- Scoring sections: Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading (0–120) + Listening (0–60) = 0–180 total.
- Pass: total ≥ 90 points AND Language Knowledge・Reading ≥ 38 AND Listening ≥ 19.
Item types at this level
- Vocabulary (5 types): Kanji reading; Orthography (kanji for hiragana words); Contextually-defined expressions; Paraphrases; Usage (present at N4 but not N5).
- Grammar (3 types): Sentential grammar 1; Sentential grammar 2; Text grammar.
- Reading (3 types): Short passages (≈100–200 characters); Mid-size passages (≈450 characters); Information retrieval (≈400 characters, e.g. notices).
- Listening (4 types): Task-based comprehension; Comprehension of key points; Verbal expressions (with illustrations); Quick response. (No general-outline or integrated comprehension at this level.)
Question counts (approximate, official composition)
Counts are the official guideline per sitting (小問数); the actual number varies slightly. The 2018 Official Practice Workbook confirms Vocabulary = 35 (Kanji reading 9).
- Vocabulary (35): Kanji reading 9; Orthography 6; Contextually-defined expressions 10; Paraphrases 5; Usage 5.
- Grammar (25): Sentential grammar 1 — 15; Sentential grammar 2 — 5; Text grammar — 5.
- Reading (14): Short passages 4; Mid-size passages 6; Information retrieval 4.
- Listening (28): Task-based comprehension 8; Comprehension of key points 7; Verbal expressions 5; Quick response 8.
Practical notes
- Time changes: Vocabulary and Grammar・Reading times were shortened from the December 2020 test (previously 30/60 min).
- Prep: official sample questions and the Official Practice Workbook (Vol.1/Vol.2) cover this level.