JLPT N5 and N4 Essentials

99 flashcards by MentisLibrary

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test from the inside: level structure, sectional minimums and how the score is built, every question type in vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening, and the N5 and N4 grammar those questions are made of.

What does JLPT stand for, and who runs it?
The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, 日本語能力試験 (Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken). It is run by the Japan Foundation overseas and by Japan Educational Exchanges and Services inside Japan.
How many JLPT levels are there, and which is the hardest?
Five, from N5 for beginners up to N1, the hardest. N1 is the top level and N5 the entry point; there is nothing above N1.
When was the five level system introduced, and what came before it?
In 2010. The earlier test had four levels, numbered 1 to 4, and N3 was added as a bridge between the old level 3 and the old level 2, which was a wide jump.
How often is the JLPT held?
Twice a year, in July and December. Not every location offers both sittings, and many overseas cities hold the December test only.
Does the JLPT test speaking or writing?
No. Every question is multiple choice and answered on a mark sense sheet. There is no essay, no interview and no handwriting of kanji.
How many test sections does N5 sit through on the day?
Three timed sittings: Language Knowledge covering script and vocabulary, then Language Knowledge covering grammar together with Reading, then Listening. N4 has the same three sittings with more time in each.
How does the sitting structure differ at the higher levels?
N1 and N2 combine Language Knowledge and Reading into a single long sitting followed by Listening, so there are two sittings rather than three. N3, N4 and N5 keep vocabulary separate.
How many scoring sections does N5 have?
Two. Language Knowledge and Reading are combined into one score out of 120, and Listening is scored out of 60, for a total of 180. N4 is scored the same way.
How many scoring sections do N3, N2 and N1 have?
Three, each out of 60 for a total of 180: Language Knowledge covering vocabulary and grammar, Reading, and Listening.
What is the total score at every JLPT level?
180 points, however many scoring sections that level has. The split differs by level but the total does not.
What overall score is needed to pass N5 and N4?
80 out of 180 at N5 and 90 out of 180 at N4. The overall mark alone is not enough; the sectional minimum must also be met.
What overall score is needed to pass N3, N2 and N1?
95 out of 180 at N3, 90 at N2 and 100 at N1. N3 asks for more than N2 in raw points because its scoring sections are weighted differently.
What is the sectional minimum, and why does it matter?
Every scoring section has a floor that must be cleared independently. A 60 point section requires 19, and the 120 point section at N4 and N5 requires 38. Fall below one floor and you fail regardless of the total.
Why is the JLPT score called a scaled score?
Because raw marks are converted through an equating procedure so that the same scaled score means the same ability across different sittings. This is why the number of questions you answered correctly is never reported.
Is there a penalty for a wrong answer?
No. Marks are added for correct answers and nothing is subtracted, so every question should be answered even when time is short.
Does the JLPT publish an official vocabulary and kanji list?
Not since 2010. The old lists were withdrawn when the five level system began, and the test now describes competences rather than fixed word lists. Widely used level lists are unofficial reconstructions.
Roughly how much vocabulary and kanji do N5 and N4 assume?
Unofficial estimates put N5 near one hundred kanji and around eight hundred words, and N4 near three hundred kanji and around fifteen hundred words. These are community figures, not published requirements.
What are the Can-do statements the JLPT publishes?
Self assessment descriptions of what test takers at each level report being able to do, such as understanding slow conversation about familiar topics. They describe practical ability rather than defining the test content.
What do you need to bring on JLPT test day?
The test voucher, a photo identity document, an HB or number two pencil, an eraser, and a silent watch. Mechanical pencils are usually allowed but the answer sheet is read optically, so a soft pencil marks best.
Does a JLPT certificate expire?
The certificate itself carries no expiry date, but universities, employers and immigration authorities often ask for a result from within the last one or two years.
What is the kanji reading question in the vocabulary section?
A sentence with one word written in kanji, underlined, and four hiragana options for how it is read. It tests reading, not writing.
What is the orthography question in the vocabulary section?
The reverse of the reading question: a word is given in hiragana and you choose the kanji that writes it. Distractors are kanji that look similar or share a component.
What is the contextually defined expression question?
A sentence with a gap and four vocabulary options, only one of which fits the meaning and the collocation. It tests whether you know how a word is actually used.
What is the paraphrase question in the vocabulary section?
A sentence is given, and you choose the option that means most nearly the same thing. It rewards knowing synonyms and simple restatements rather than exact word matching.
What is the usage question in the vocabulary section?
One word is given and four sentences follow; you pick the sentence in which the word is used correctly. The wrong sentences are often grammatical but semantically odd.
What is the difference between on'yomi and kun'yomi?
On'yomi is the reading borrowed from Chinese, usually used when a kanji sits in a compound with other kanji. Kun'yomi is the native Japanese reading, usually used when the kanji stands alone or carries hiragana endings.
What is okurigana?
The hiragana written after a kanji to show the inflected part of a word. It distinguishes readings and shows the verb or adjective ending.
What is rendaku?
The voicing of the first consonant of the second element in a compound word, turning k into g, s into z, t into d and h into b or p.
Why do long vowels and small tsu matter in the vocabulary section?
Because they change the word. Options in a reading question frequently differ only by a long vowel or a doubled consonant, so hearing and spelling them precisely is the whole point of the item.
What are the two counters that beginners must separate?
The native series ひとつ, ふたつ, みっつ for general objects, and the Sino-Japanese series いち, に, さん used with specific counters such as 人 for people, 枚 for flat things and 本 for long things.