Understanding kanji levels
How to compare JLPT, Japanese school grades, and Kanken
These systems serve different purposes. Choose the one that matches your goal and treat the others as reference points.
Key idea
JLPT does not publish an official character-by-character kanji list. The JLPT bands here are study estimates based on school grades and usage frequency.
How to use it
School grades show the teaching order in Japan and are especially useful for children’s books and textbooks, but second-language learners need not follow that exact order.
Next step
Kanken divides reading, writing, and radical knowledge more finely. Use JLPT for exam reading, grades for school texts, and Kanken for precise handwriting.