Japanese reading practice by JLPT level
Short Japanese texts for every level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, from N5 to N1. Pick a level to see what reading there looks like, with sample texts, furigana, translations and grammar notes.
Choose a level
- JLPT N5 reading practice Beginner
Short, polite sentences in hiragana and katakana, with a handful of basic kanji.
そちらの天気はどうですか。ここはとても寒いです。私は雨より雪のほうが好きですから、毎日楽しいです。
Kanji: about 100 · Texts: 20 to 50 characters
- JLPT N4 reading practice Elementary
Everyday topics in longer, connected sentences, with around 300 kanji.
今朝のニュースで、駅前のパン屋が紹介されていました。人気のパンはすぐに売り切れるそうなので、明日は早く起きて買いに行こうと思います。
Kanji: about 300 · Texts: 35 to 60 characters
- JLPT N3 reading practice Intermediate
Opinions, requests and explanations in everyday written Japanese.
家で仕事をしていると、自宅で働いているというより、職場に住んでいるような気分になってストレスがたまります。誰か、オンとオフを切り替えるいい方法を教えてくれませんか。
Kanji: about 650 · Texts: 45 to 80 characters
- JLPT N2 reading practice Advanced
Clearly written articles, interviews and commentary on a wide range of topics.
ローカル線は、高齢者や学生にとって不可欠な足である一方で、利用者の減少により赤字が続き、廃止の危機に直面している路線も少なくない。車窓から見える美しい風景を楽しむだけでなく、私たちがどうやってこの路線を守るのかが問われている。
Kanji: about 1,000 · Texts: 50 to 100 characters
- JLPT N1 reading practice Expert
Abstract, logically complex writing such as editorials, essays and critiques.
インターネットの普及により、知識の非対称性が解消され、誰もが平等に学ぶことができるユートピアが到来したかと思いきや、事態はそう単純ではない。膨大な情報の海の中で、人々はかえって新たな権威やアルゴリズムの提示する「正解」に盲従するようになっているのだ。
Kanji: about 2,000 · Texts: 55 to 105 characters
How Nichiyomu matches texts to you
JLPT levels are a useful map, but each one is wide: early N4 and late N4 read very differently. Nichiyomu places every text on a finer difficulty scale based on how readers actually rate it, and estimates your reading level the same way.
You pick a starting level when you sign up. After each text you rate it Easy, Medium or Hard, and the next text is chosen to sit at your level: challenging enough to grow, easy enough to finish.
Frequently asked questions
Which JLPT level should you practice reading at?
The level where you understand most of each text without help. If almost every sentence sends you to a dictionary, the text is too hard to read fluently, so go one level down. On Nichiyomu you only pick a starting level; after that the texts move up or down with every rating.
Do you need to know kanji to start reading Japanese?
No, but you do need hiragana and katakana, and we provide a kana chart on the reading page for easy lookup. Furigana show the reading above each kanji, so you can read N5 texts while you learn your first kanji, and switch furigana off as you learn more.
Are these official JLPT reading texts?
No. The levels are the JLPT's, but the texts are not exam questions. Each Nichiyomu text is assigned a JLPT level and then placed on a finer difficulty scale based on how readers actually rate it.
Start reading today
Free to start. Pick your level when you sign up and the texts adapt from there.