Practice JLPTJLPT Guide · N3 Intermediate
JLPT N3 Requirements: How Many Kanji, Words & Grammar Points?
What N3 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 N3: ≈650 kanji and ≈3,700 words (cumulative, including everything below N3).
- Our free N3 lists: 341 kanji, 1,749 words and 159 grammar points new at this level.
- Test length: 140 minutes · pass mark: 95 / 180.
What N3 certifies
You can understand everyday Japanese to a good degree: newspaper headlines, everyday writing, and normal-speed conversation with some effort.
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 N3 | Cumulative (N5→N3) | Typical target | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanji | 341 | 625 | ≈650 |
| Vocabulary | 1,749 | 3,045 | ≈3,700 |
| Grammar points | 159 | 369 | — |
JLPT levels are cumulative: the N3 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
N3 runs 140 minutes of testing (plus breaks between papers), in 3 papers:
| Paper | Time |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary | 30 minutes |
| Grammar · Reading | 70 minutes |
| Listening | 40 minutes |
Everything is multiple choice, marked on an answer sheet — there is no speaking or writing at any level. To pass you need 95 out of 180 plus a minimum in every scored section; the details are on the N3 pass mark page.
How long will it take?
From zero, reaching N3 typically takes around 950–1,700 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.