Levels
How We Choose Levels
We sequence the kanji and vocabulary you'll learn in each level to build on what you already know.
Kanji Leveling
How Does Kanjimori Level Kanji?
To ensure we're teaching you kanji in roughly the same order children in Japan learn them, we crafted our kanji levels in reference to the kanji list for the Japan Kanji Aptitude Test (日本漢字能力検定), or Kanken (漢検) for short. If you're used to the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (日本語能力試験) or JLPT instead, don't worry! As you level up, we'll automatically track your progress in both the Kanken and JLPT testing systems so you always know what exam you're prepared for.*
Some kanji will appear earlier in our kanji levels than they might in Kanken order. This happens when they're needed to understand the composition of other kanji in that level. By fast-tracking these characters, we can guarantee that every new character you learn is made from components you already know. For you, that means faster kanji learning, better retention, and more moments thinking to yourself, "Wow, that makes sense! I've got this!"
In addition to a core set of kanji you'll likely encounter when reading Japanese, we dedicate a section of each lesson to teaching you reusable kanji components that the core kanji are built from. These reusable components are the secret strategy anyone who says "kanji are actually easy for me" already knows but isn't telling you! By teaching them to you early, you'll start building a strong understanding of how kanji work from day 1.
Category Breakdown of Kanji Learned
by Each Kanjimori Level
* Progress tracking for the JLPT is approximate because there is no offical JLPT kanji list.
Vocabulary Leveling
How Does Kanjimori Level Vocabulary?
Each word we introduce to you is sequenced by kanji level and vocabulary difficulty so that it's introduced at the right moment for maximum retention. Vocabulary difficulty is graded according to the following rubric:
| Difficulty | Key Characteristics | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 0 |
Simple everyday objects, occurences, and actions Simple modifiers |
水, 入る, 今日, 青い |
| 1 |
Everyday objects, occurences, and actions Everyday modifiers Simple abstract ideas and relationships |
大雨, 森林, 先日, 力強い |
| 2 |
Moderate frequency objects, occurences, and actions Moderate frequency modifiers Everyday abstract ideas and relationships |
汽船, 言い換える, 最中, 基本的 |
| 3 |
Simple context-specific objects, occurences, and actions Ideas and relationships that expand the context of language use Modifiers that enhance language expression |
工芸品, 心得る, 最早, 細やか |
| 4 |
Specialized objects, occurences, and actions from general knowledge Context-specific abstract ideas and relationships Modifiers that are specialized but generally recognized |
紫外線, 草臥れる, 金輪際, 思慮深い |
| 5 |
Objects, occurences, and actions from a native-level context Complex abstract ideas and relationships Modifiers that build literary expression or technical precision |
八千草, 化す, 明朝, 丁々発止 |
Number of Vocabulary Words Learned
by Each Kanjimori Level
Average Vocabulary Word Difficulty
for Each Kanjimori Level