Introduction to Kanji
Kanji (漢字) are Chinese-derived logographic characters that form the backbone of written Japanese. This page introduces the kanji system and the top most common characters. For the complete kanji skills guide, see Kanji Skills . Quick Facts Joyo kanji (常用漢字): 2,136 characters — the official "standard use" list for adults Kyoiku kanji (教育漢字): 1,026 — taught in elementary school grades 1–6 JLPT requirement : N5=103, N4≈284, N3≈651, N2≈1,651, N1≈2,000+ Readings...