The JLPT test sections explained
The JLPT tests five skills but scores them in two or three sections, depending on the level. Here is what each part asks, how it is scored and timed, and how to practise for it.
Learners usually talk about five JLPT skills: 文字 (kanji), 語彙 (vocabulary), 文法 (grammar), 読解 (reading) and 聴解 (listening). The test itself groups them into a few timed parts and scores them as two or three sections. Knowing how they map onto each other helps you plan your study time.
How the test is laid out
| Level | Test parts (time) | Scored sections |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | Language Knowledge (Vocabulary, Grammar) and Reading, 110 min · Listening, 55 min | Language Knowledge · Reading · Listening |
| N2 | Language Knowledge (Vocabulary, Grammar) and Reading, 105 min · Listening, 50 min | Language Knowledge · Reading · Listening |
| N3 | Vocabulary, 30 min · Grammar and Reading, 70 min · Listening, 40 min | Language Knowledge · Reading · Listening |
| N4 | Vocabulary, 25 min · Grammar and Reading, 55 min · Listening, 35 min | Language Knowledge and Reading · Listening |
| N5 | Vocabulary, 20 min · Grammar and Reading, 40 min · Listening, 30 min | Language Knowledge and Reading · Listening |
Times as listed on jlpt.jp in October 2026. N4 and N5 times changed from the December 2020 test and N1 Listening from December 2022, and Listening can run slightly long or short depending on the recordings. Check the current format before your test. You need the overall pass mark and the minimum in every scored section. The pass marks are in our JLPT study guide.
文字 Kanji
Tested inside the Vocabulary part of Language Knowledge.
Kanji questions ask you to read words written in kanji (漢字読み) and, at N5 to N2, to pick the right kanji for a word written in hiragana (表記). Both test whole words in sentences, not kanji in isolation. Learn each kanji's 音読み and 訓読み readings through real words, and practise recognising similar-looking characters.
語彙 Vocabulary
Language Knowledge, Vocabulary.
Vocabulary questions include choosing the word that fits a sentence (文脈規定), finding a word or phrase closest in meaning (言い換え類義), and from N4 up, picking the sentence where a word is used correctly (用法). N2 also tests word formation (語形成), such as prefixes and suffixes. Usage questions catch people who only learned English glosses, so study words in example sentences.
文法 Grammar
Language Knowledge, Grammar.
Grammar questions, at every level, ask you to choose the form that fits a sentence (文法形式の判断), to put four fragments in order and identify the one in a marked position (文の組み立て), and to fill gaps in a longer passage (文章の文法). Recognising a pattern is not enough. You need to know what it attaches to and how it changes the sentence.
読解 Reading
Scored on its own at N1 to N3, combined with Language Knowledge at N4 and N5.
Every level has short and mid-size passages for comprehension (内容理解) and information-retrieval tasks (情報検索) based on notices, timetables, flyers and forms. N3 and N1 add long passages, and N2 and N1 add comparing two texts (統合理解) and identifying the writer's argument in a long text (主張理解). Time is tight, so practise reading for the answer rather than translating everything.
聴解 Listening
Always scored on its own, with a section minimum of 19.
Every level tests task-based comprehension (課題理解: what will the speaker do next?), key points (ポイント理解: why, or what exactly?) and quick responses (即時応答). N3 to N1 add the general outline of a talk (概要理解), N5 to N3 test choosing the right thing to say (発話表現), and N2 and N1 add integrated comprehension (統合理解). You can't pause or rewind in the test, so listen for decisions and reasons.
Turning this into a plan
- Study the five skills together, not one after another. Each one supports the others.
- At N1 to N3, reading and listening are two-thirds of your score. Give them daily time.
- At N4 and N5, vocabulary, grammar and reading share one score, but listening stands alone. Don't leave it until last.
For a day-by-day routine built around this, see how to study for the JLPT.