How to Conquer and Master JLPT N2 Kanji

How to Conquer and Master JLPT N2 Kanji

Learning kanji for JLPT N2 can feel like climbing a big mountain — but with the right plan, focus, and habits, you can reach the top confidently. The N2 level requires knowing around 1,000–1,100 kanji, including complex ones that often appear in newspapers, business documents, and novels.

Here’s how to master them step by step.

1. Understand What You Need to Learn

At N2, kanji are not just about meaning — you must also know readings, compounds (熟語 / jukugo), and usage.

For example:

感情 (kanjou) – emotion

状況 (joukyou) – situation

These words combine N3-level kanji in new and advanced ways, so focus on recognizing how meanings change in compounds.

2. Learn in Context, Not in Isolation

Don’t just memorize kanji one by one. Instead, study them in phrases or sentences.

For example:

Instead of only “感 (kan) = feeling,” learn it as 感情を表す (to express emotion).

This way, your brain connects the kanji to real usage and remembers it longer.

3. Use the “Kanji Ladder” Technique

Divide your kanji into levels:

Level 1: Recognize the shape and basic meaning.

Level 2: Learn On’yomi and Kun’yomi readings.

Level 3: Learn 3–4 words using that kanji.

Level 4: Write sentences using those words.

Repeat and move upward — that’s how you climb the “Kanji Ladder.”

4. Focus on Kanji Families and Radicals

Many N2 kanji share common radicals or parts. For example:

心 (heart) → 感 (feeling), 想 (think), 恋 (love), 忘 (forget)

If you group them by radicals, you’ll find patterns and meanings much easier to remember.

5. Use Smart Tools and Apps

Apps like Anki, Wanikani, or Kanji Study can help you review using spaced repetition (SRS). This method reminds you of each kanji right before you forget it — the most efficient way to memorize long-term.

6. Read Japanese Every Day

Try reading short news articles, manga, or blogs. Even 15–20 minutes daily helps your brain naturally recognize and recall kanji faster. When you see a familiar kanji in real text, it becomes part of your memory permanently.

7. Write by Hand Sometimes

Writing helps build strong muscle memory. You don’t need to write every kanji daily — just write new ones 3–5 times each while saying the reading aloud.

8. Don’t Panic About Forgetting

Kanji learning is about repetition, not perfection. You’ll forget some — that’s normal. The key is to review daily, little by little.

Final Tip

Combine reading, writing, and reviewing with consistent exposure to Japanese media. If you learn even 5 kanji per day, you’ll master over 1,000 in less than 7 months — enough to conquer JLPT N2 confidently