JLPT N2 Kanji from Past Exams (2020–2025)

JLPT N2 – 12/2020

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	倒す	たおす	taosu	To knock down; to topple; to fell; to defeat
2	損害	そんがい	songai	Damage; loss
3	険しい	けわしい	kewashii	Steep; rugged; severe (look)
4	比較的	ひかくてき	hikakuteki	Relatively; comparatively
5	降下	こうか	kōka	Descent; to descend (used for aircraft)
6	鮮やか	あざやか	azayaka	Vivid; bright; brilliant (color, memory, skill, etc.)
7	帰省	きせい	kisei	Returning to one’s hometown
8	縮める	ちぢめる	chijimeru	To shorten; to reduce; to shrink
9	実践	じっせん	jissen	Practice; putting into practice; application
10	異色	いしょく	ishoku	Unique; distinctive; unconventional

JLPT N2 – 7/2021

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	拡充	かくじゅう	kakujū	Expansion; enhancement; strengthening
2	著しい	いちじるしい	ichijirushii	Remarkable; significant; striking
3	支援	しえん	shien	Support; assistance; backing
4	傾く	かたむく	katamuku	To lean; to tilt; to decline; (sun) to set
5	破片	はへん	hahen	Fragment; broken piece; shard
6	豊か	ゆたか	yutaka	Rich; abundant; plentiful
7	返品	へんぴん	henpin	Returning goods; returned merchandise
8	乱暴	らんぼう	ranbō	Violent; rough; rude
9	競う	きそう	kisou	To compete; to vie
10	弱点	じゃくてん	jakuten	Weak point; weakness

JLPT N2 – 12/2021

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	情景	じょうけい	jōkei	Scene; sight; spectacle
2	乏しい	とぼしい	toboshii	Scarce; poor; lacking (in knowledge, resources, etc.)
3	介護	かいご	kaigo	Nursing care; caregiving (for the elderly or sick)
4	焦る	あせる	aseru	To be hasty, impatient; to rush; to be in a hurry
5	賛否	さんぴ	sanpi	Approval or disapproval; pros and cons; for or against
6	任せる	まかせる	makaseru	To entrust; to leave to someone else
7	勧誘	かんゆう	kan’yū	Invitation; solicitation; recruitment (to join)
8	順調	じゅんちょう	junchō	Smooth; favorable; going well
9	積もる	つもる	tsumoru	To pile up; to accumulate (fallen leaves, snow, etc.)
10	永久	えいきゅう	eikyū	Eternal; permanent; forever

JLPT N2 – 7/2022

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	記憶	きおく	kioku	Memory; recollection
2	偉い	えらい	erai	Great; admirable; eminent; respectable
3	途端に	とたんに	totan ni	Just as; the moment that; as soon as
4	務める	つとめる	tsutomeru	To serve in (a role); to take on a duty
5	素材	そざい	sozai	Raw material; material (unprocessed)
6	昇る	のぼる	noboru	To rise; to ascend (sun, moon, etc.)
7	垂直	すいちょく	suichoku	Vertical; perpendicular
8	住居	じゅうきょ	jūkyo	Dwelling; residence; place to live
9	備える	そなえる	sonaeru	To prepare; to provide against; to equip
10	典型的	てんけいてき	tenkeiteki	Typical; representative; classic

JLPT N2 – 12/2022

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	警備	けいび	keibi	Security; guarding; defense
2	刺激	しげき	shigeki	Stimulation; stimulus; excitement
3	外れる	はずれる	hazureru	To come off; to slip off; to be disconnected
4	世間	せけん	seken	The world; society; the public
5	勇ましい	いさましい	isamashii	Brave; courageous; valiant
6	欲	よく	yoku	Desire; greed; ambition
7	俳優	はいゆう	haiyū	Actor; actress; performer
8	離れる	はなれる	hanareru	To be apart; to separate; to leave
9	診断	しんだん	shindan	Diagnosis
10	等しい	ひとしい	hitoshii	Equal; equivalent

JLPT N2 – 7/2023

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	運賃	うんちん	unchin	Fare; freight charge (bus, train, shipping, etc.)
2	乱れる	みだれる	midareru	To be disordered; to be disheveled (hair, order, feelings, etc.)
3	模範	もはん	mohan	Model; example; paragon
4	険しい	けわしい	kewashii	Steep; rugged; harsh (road, situation, etc.)
5	握手	あくしゅ	akushu	Handshake
6	布	ぬの	nuno	Cloth; fabric
7	福祉	ふくし	fukushi	Welfare; social welfare
8	捨てる	すてる	suteru	To throw away; to discard
9	機嫌	きげん	kigen	Mood; temper; humor
10	損失	そんしつ	sonshitsu	Loss (financial, of interests, etc.)

JLPT N2 – 12/2023

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	腕	うで	ude	Arm; skill, ability
2	善良	ぜんりょう	zenryō	Good-natured; virtuous; kind-hearted
3	幼い	おさない	osanai	Very young; childish; infantile
4	削除	さくじょ	sakujo	Deletion; removal (of data, text, etc.)
5	平等	びょうどう	byōdō	Equality; fairness
6	管理	かんり	kanri	Management; control (of finances, property, time, etc.)
7	研修	けんしゅう	kenshū	Training; in-service training
8	絶えず	たえず	taezu	Constantly; continuously; incessantly
9	投票	とうひょう	tōhyō	Voting; casting a ballot
10	抱える	かかえる	kakaeru	To hold in one’s arms; to carry; to have (a problem)

JLPT N2 – 7/2024

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	詳細	しょうさい	shōsai	Details; particulars
2	分析	ぶんせき	bunseki	Analysis (of data, information, problems, etc.)
3	絡まる	からまる	karamaru	To get entangled; to get tangled up (string, hair, etc.)
4	農薬	のうやく	nōyaku	Agricultural chemicals; pesticide
5	鮮やか	あざやか	azayaka	Vivid; bright; brilliant (color, memory, skill, etc.)
6	志望	しぼう	shibō	Aspiration; desire; wish (to enter a school or field)
7	短編	たんぺん	tanpen	Short story; short piece
8	散る	ちる	chiru	To scatter; to fall (petals, leaves); to disperse
9	柔らかい	やわらかい	yawarakai	Soft; tender; gentle (texture, feeling, etc.)
10	疲労	ひろう	hirō	Fatigue; exhaustion

JLPT N2 – 12/2024

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	優秀	ゆうしゅう	yūshū	Excellent; superior; outstanding
2	迷う	まよう	mayou	To be lost; to hesitate; to be unsure
3	背骨	せぼね	sebone	Spine; backbone
4	実践	じっせん	jissen	Practice; putting into practice
5	衣装	いしょう	ishō	Costume; clothing; outfit
6	警備	けいび	keibi	Security; guarding; protection
7	避難	ひなん	hinan	Evacuation; taking refuge
8	敬う	うやまう	uyamau	To respect; to revere
9	受講	じゅこう	jukō	Attending a course; taking lectures
10	厚かましい	あつかましい	atsukamashii	Shameless; impudent; brazen

JLPT N2 – 7/2025

No.	Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
1	才能	さいのう	sainō	Talent; ability; gift
2	辛い	からい	karai	Spicy; hot
3	刑事	けいじ	keiji	Detective; criminal investigator
4	起床	きしょう	kishō	Getting up; rising from bed
5	収まる	おさまる	osamaru	To subside; to calm down; to settle (wind, anger, etc.)
6	湿る	しめる	shimeru	To be damp; to become moist
7	傾向	けいこう	keikō	Tendency; trend
8	視察	しさつ	shisatsu	Inspection; observation visit; field survey
9	削る	けずる	kezuru	To shave; to sharpen; to cut down
10	施設	しせつ	shisetsu	Facility; institution; establishment

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