JLPT N4 Study Guide: Kanji and Orthography Section
Understanding the N4 Kanji Section
Whether you are preparing for the December JLPT N4 for your student visa or aiming for the JFT-Basic in Kathmandu for your Specified Skilled Worker visa, the Kanji and Orthography section is vital. It is part of the 'Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading' module. N4 assumes knowledge of approximately 300 kanji and 1500 vocabulary words. Since Nepali and Japanese both follow an SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) structure and use postpositions (particles), you will find that Japanese grammar feels more intuitive than English. Success here is not about rote memorization, but about recognizing how these characters function within sentences.
Question Types
There are two primary question types for Kanji in the N4 exam:
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Reading Questions: You are given a sentence with a specific kanji highlighted, and you must select the correct hiragana reading. Example: 「来週、新しい本を買います。」 (Next week, I will buy a new book.) Here, the test asks for the reading of '来週' (らいしゅう). The trap is often similar-looking kanji or mistaken readings like on-yomi versus kun-yomi confusion.
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Orthography Questions: You are given a sentence with a hiragana word highlighted, and you must select the correct kanji form. Example: 「みずを のみます。」 (I drink water.) You must choose the correct kanji from options like 水, 氷, or 永. The trap here is choosing a kanji that sounds the same but has a different meaning or is used in a different context.
Common Traps
- Homophones: Words that sound identical but use different kanji.
- Compound Readings: N4 testing often focuses on 'jukugo' (compound words). If you only memorize the reading of a single kanji in isolation, you will struggle when it combines with another to form a different sound.
- Small Kana: Forgetting the existence of the small 'tsu' (っ) or small 'ya', 'yu', 'yo' (ゃ, ゅ, ょ) in the options.
A Concrete Study Routine
Consistency is key. Dedicate 30 minutes daily to the following routine:
- Flashcard Review (10 minutes): Use a spaced repetition system (SRS) to review your 300 kanji. Focus on words, not individual characters.
- Active Writing (10 minutes): Write five sentences using the kanji you struggled with that day. Do not just write the character; write the full sentence to reinforce context.
- Reading Practice (10 minutes): Read a short paragraph—even a simple one—and highlight every kanji you encounter. Try to mentally state its reading. If you hesitate, look it up immediately.
By focusing on the integration of kanji into sentences rather than lists, you prepare yourself for the exam's format, where kanji never appear in isolation.