JLPT Guide · N2 Upper Intermediate
JLPT N2 Requirements: How Many Kanji, Words & Grammar Points?
What N2 actually covers: the kanji, vocabulary and grammar you're expected to know, how long the test runs, and the score you need.
Quick answer
- Typical targets for N2: ≈1,000 kanji and ≈6,000 words (cumulative, including everything below N2).
- Our free N2 lists: 400 kanji, 1,778 words and 151 grammar points new at this level.
- Test length: 155 minutes · pass mark: 90 / 180.
What N2 certifies
You can handle everyday Japanese plus a range of wider situations: general newspapers, clear TV news, and near-natural-speed conversation.
How much you need to know
First, an honest note: the JLPT stopped publishing official content lists in 2010. The "typical target" column shows the widely-used estimates based on past tests; the other columns are this site's own free study lists, which you can start on right now.
| New at N2 | Cumulative (N5→N2) | Typical target | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanji | 400 | 1,025 | ≈1,000 |
| Vocabulary | 1,778 | 4,859 | ≈6,000 |
| Grammar points | 151 | 520 | – |
JLPT levels are cumulative: the N2 test freely uses everything from the levels below it. So "cumulative" is the real requirement: study the earlier levels' material too if it isn't solid.
The test on the day
N2 runs 155 minutes of testing (plus breaks between papers), in 2 papers:
| Paper | Time |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary, Grammar & Reading | 105 minutes |
| Listening | 50 minutes |
Everything is multiple choice, marked on an answer sheet. There is no speaking or writing at any level. To pass you need 90 out of 180 plus a minimum in every scored section; the details are on the N2 pass mark page.
To sit the whole thing on the same clock, take an N2 mock test: a full exam from past papers, section by section.
How long will it take?
From zero, reaching N2 typically takes around 1,600–2,800 study hours for learners with no prior kanji background. See the study-hours guide for what that means per week, and for the step from your current level.