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The Japan Kanji Aptitude Test (日本漢字能力検定, Nihon Kanji Nōryoku Kentei) evaluates one's knowledge of kanji. The test is more commonly known as the Kanji Kentei (漢字検定), or the shorter Kanken (漢検). The test is administered by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation (日本漢字能力検定協会, Nihon Kanji Nōryoku Kentei Kyōkai).[1]
There are 12 levels (levels 10 through 3, pre-2, 2, pre-1 and 1) with level 10 being the easiest and level 1 the most difficult. The test examines not only one's ability to read and write kanji, but also one's ability to understand their meanings, to use them correctly in sentences, and to identify their correct stroke order.
Native speakers pass levels 10 through 7 at better than an 80% rate, whereas level 1 is so difficult that fewer than two thousand people take it each time it is offered, and fewer than 20% of those pass.
For levels 10 through 8, the test is 40 minutes long; for levels 7 through 1, it is 60 minutes long. A minimal score of 70% is required to pass levels 7 through pre-2, and a score of 80% is required for levels 10 through 8, 2, pre-1, and 1.
Levels 10 through 4 are primarily taken by kindergarten to elementary school age (up to 12 years old) children. Levels 3 and above are typically taken by high-school students and adults.
Level 2 is as high as many Japanese, even those with higher education degrees, tend to go. Passing level 2 can be used as leverage when applying for jobs, etc. Passing levels pre-1 and 1 is especially rare even among native speakers.
Tests the 440 kanji learned up to the third grade of elementary school (age 9), including writing ability and the ability to use in sentences.
Specifically:
Tests knowledge of proper readings of kanji in context
Tests knowledge of proper character stroke order and stroke count
Tests ability to correctly identify and write kanji, given character reading and context. This includes knowledge of antonyms, the ability to differentiate between homonyms: different kanji with the same reading, and the ability to correctly write characters when given the character radical
Tests the 642 kanji learned up to the fourth grade of elementary school (age 10), including writing ability and the ability to use in sentences.
Specifically:
Tests knowledge of proper readings of kanji in context. This includes knowledge of different readings of the same kanji
Tests knowledge of proper character stroke order and stroke count
Tests ability to distinguish between on and kun readings of characters
Tests ability to correctly identify and write kanji, given character reading and context. This includes knowledge of antonyms, the ability to differentiate between homonyms: different kanji with the same reading, and the ability to correctly write characters when given the character radical
Tests knowledge of okurigana
Tests knowledge of two-character compound words[6]
Tests the 835 kanji learned up to the fifth grade of elementary school (age 11), including writing ability and the ability to use in sentences.
Specifically:
Tests knowledge of proper readings of kanji in context
Tests knowledge of okurigana
Tests knowledge of character radicals and radical names
Tests knowledge of proper character stroke order and stroke count
Tests knowledge of two-character compound words, including the various methods by which compound words have been formed
Tests ability to correctly identify and write kanji, given character reading and context. This includes knowledge of three-character compound words, knowledge of two-character compound antonyms and synonyms, and the ability to differentiate between homonyms: different kanji with the same reading
Tests ability to distinguish between on and kun readings of characters in compound words (with the compound reading provided)[7]
Tests the 1026 kanji learned up to the sixth grade of elementary school (age 12) (i.e.,the kyōiku kanji), including writing ability and the ability to use in sentences.
Specifically:
Tests knowledge of proper readings of kanji in context
Tests knowledge of character radicals and radical names
Tests knowledge of proper character stroke order and stroke count
Tests knowledge of okurigana
Tests ability to distinguish between on and kun readings of characters in compound words
Tests knowledge of two-character compound words, including the various methods by which compound words have been formed, and the ability to identify compound words based on the word definition
Tests ability to correctly identify and write kanji, given character reading and context. This includes knowledge of four-character compound words, knowledge of two-character compound antonyms and synonyms, and the ability to differentiate between homonyms: different kanji with the same reading [8]
Tests the ability to read and write all kanji that have their dedicated entries in the Kanken Kanji Jiten (6350), with their on readings and kun readings
Requires the ability to use the kanji in sentences and to choose the most appropriate kanji for a given context
[edit]Certificate for the level 1 testCertificate for achieving a perfect score on a given level
Certificates of passing are awarded for each level of the test, and contain such information as the test taker's name, level, year, as well as the sequential number of the test (a single digit designator for regular paper tests held 3 times a year, or two digits for computer-based tests (CBT) held with higher frequency at more than 150 testing sites across Japan[11]).
A serial number for a paper based Kanji Kentei test consists of 11 digits, while the one for a CBT test - of 12, written in kanji characters:
2 digits for the year (taken from the last two digits of the current year according to the Gregorian calendar, i.e. 2022 -> 二二), 1 or 2 digits for the sequential number of the test, 2 digits for the level, 6 digits for the individual number).
Kanji Kentei results are accepted by some educational institutions giving applicants / students additional bonus points for admission / credits.[12]
