JLPT N2 Exam Flashcards

Q: What is JLPT N2 and who administers it?

JLPT N2 (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test Level N2) is an upper-intermediate certification administered jointly by the Japan Foundation (JF) and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES). It is offered twice a year, in July and December, at sites across Japan and in approximately 80 countries worldwide.

Q: What is the passing score for JLPT N2?

The total score ranges 0-180, split equally into Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar), Reading, and Listening (each 0-60). You need at least 90 overall AND at least 19 in each section. Failing any one section fails the entire exam even if your total exceeds 90.

Q: How many questions and how long is the JLPT N2?

The exam has approximately 100-115 four-option multiple-choice items and lasts 155 minutes: 105 minutes for the combined Language Knowledge and Reading section, then 50 minutes for Listening. There is no speaking or writing component.

Q: What vocabulary, kanji, and grammar knowledge does N2 require?

N2 expects roughly 6,000 vocabulary items, the ability to read about 1,000 kanji (the Joyo kanji through middle-school grade), and about 200 grammar patterns including formal patterns used in business writing and news.

Q: When is JLPT N2 offered in 2026?

In 2026 the JLPT is held on Sunday 5 July 2026 and Sunday 6 December 2026. Some overseas cities offer only one of the two dates; check the official JLPT site (jlpt.jp) for your city's schedule and registration window.

Q: What CEFR level does JLPT N2 correspond to?

JLPT N2 corresponds to CEFR B1-B2. A score of 90-111 aligns with B1, while 112-180 aligns with B2. This correspondence has been printed on JLPT score reports since the December 2025 administration.

Question 1

かたわら (katawara)

Accepted Answer

Means doing X as a main activity while also doing Y on the side (e.g., 仕事のかたわら子育てする). Implies a sustained parallel pattern, distinct from ながら (simple simultaneous) and うちに (during a temporary state).

Question 2

ものの (mono no)

Accepted Answer

Acknowledges a fact then signals a contradicting reality: 'but still...' (e.g., 買ったものの使っていない = bought it but haven't used it). Softer and more reflective than にもかかわらず (despite) and less blunt than しかし.

Question 3

ついでに (tsuide ni)

Accepted Answer

Taking the opportunity: doing B while doing A because A makes B convenient (e.g., 買い物のついでに郵便局に寄る). One-time and opportunistic, unlike かたわら which implies a long-term parallel habit.

Question 4

わりに (wari ni)

Accepted Answer

'For a...' - compares an actual quality or quantity to a baseline expectation (e.g., 若いわりにしっかりしている = solid for someone young). Can be positive or negative; distinct from だけあって, which confirms rather than contrasts.

Question 5

ばかりに (bakari ni)

Accepted Answer

'Just because...' - introduces a single cause that produced a (usually negative) result (e.g., 油断したばかりに負けた = lost solely because I let my guard down). Carries regret; not the neutral limitation of だけ.

Question 6

どころか (dokoro ka)

Accepted Answer

'Far from...' - the actual outcome is the OPPOSITE of what was expected (e.g., 休むどころか忙しくなった = far from resting, I got busier). Stronger than だけでなく (not only), which carries no contrastive reversal.

Question 7

にすぎない (ni suginai)

Accepted Answer

'Nothing more than/merely' - belittles the significance of what precedes it (e.g., これは始まりにすぎない = this is merely the beginning). More dismissive than だけ, which is a neutral 'only'.

Question 8

にちがいない (ni chigai nai)

Accepted Answer

'Must be/certainly' - strong conviction based on evidence (e.g., 彼が書いたにちがいない = it must be him who wrote it). Differs from はずだ, which rests on logical expectation from rules; ちがいない reflects the speaker's personal judgment.

Question 9

〜かぎり (~kagiri)

Accepted Answer

'As long as...' - the consequence holds while the condition remains true (e.g., 元気なかぎり働く = work as long as I'm healthy). Distinct from 〜なら (general conditional) because かぎり frames the condition as a limit or boundary.

Question 10

〜おそれがある (osore ga aru)

Accepted Answer

'There is a risk that...' - warns of a possible negative outcome (e.g., 洪水のおそれがある = there is a risk of flooding). Reserved for undesirable possibilities; do not use for positive predictions, which use はず/だろう.

Question 11

にもかかわらず (ni mo kakawarazu)

Accepted Answer

'Despite/in spite of' - the result contradicts what the premise would normally imply (e.g., 雨にもかかわらず試合が行われた = despite the rain the match was held). Stronger and more formal than のに; common in news and essay writing.

Question 12

ものを (mono o)

Accepted Answer

'Should have but didn't' - regretful counterfactual, more literary than ば〜のに (e.g., 言えばよいものを黙っていた = should have said it, but stayed silent). Carries a tone of blame or self-reproach.

Question 13

ながらも (nagara mo)

Accepted Answer

'Even while/even though' - ながら plus も adds contrastive emphasis, signaling the result is surprising given the constraint (e.g., 狭いながらも快適に暮らしている = small though it is, living comfortably).

Question 14

くせに (kuse ni)

Accepted Answer

'Even though' (with reproach) - expresses blame or annoyance, not neutral like のに (e.g., 知っているくせに教えない = he knows but won't tell me). Avoid with superiors; it sounds critical and is considered rude.

Question 15

とはいえ (to wa ie)

Accepted Answer

'That said/even so' - a concessive transition that admits a fact but limits its force (e.g., 簡単とはいえ油断できない = simple though it may be, I can't let my guard down). Useful for bridging paragraphs in opinion writing.

Question 16

にしては (ni shite wa)

Accepted Answer

'For a...' - the actual behavior is unexpected for the stated category (e.g., 初心者にしては上手だ = good for a beginner). Compares against a category standard; distinct from わりに (specific baseline) and だけあって (confirms expectation).

Question 17

も (surprising-quantity particle)

Accepted Answer

In '30分も経たないうちに', も marks the brief span as surprisingly short ('even 30 minutes hadn't passed'). Without も the sentence is flat; with も it conveys astonishment at the speed or quantity.

Question 18

しか〜ない (shika~nai)

Accepted Answer

'Only' with negative polarity - exclusive and often regretful (e.g., 残りはこれしかない = only this is left). Differs from だけ (neutral, positive polarity): しか frames the limitation as undesirable.

Question 19

さえ〜ば (sae~ba)

Accepted Answer

'If only...' - the minimum sufficient condition for the result (e.g., 水さえあれば生きていける = if only there's water, I can survive). Slightly stronger than だけで because さえ emphasizes 'even just this one thing'.

Question 20

すら (sura)

Accepted Answer

'Even' - more literary and slightly stronger than も (e.g., 親すら信じない = even parents won't believe it). Used for surprising inclusions or exclusions in formal writing.

Question 21

くらい / ぐらい (gurai)

Accepted Answer

'About / at the level of' - degree or extent, often 'at least' (e.g., それくらい分かる = I at least understand that). With negation it can belittle: '〜くらいしか〜ない' = only about.

Question 22

なんて (nante)

Accepted Answer

Belittling or surprising quotation marker: 'such a thing' (e.g., 失敗するなんて思わなかった = I never thought I'd fail). Stronger than など; conveys astonishment or dismissal.

Question 23

把握 (はあく)

Accepted Answer

Means 'grasp/comprehend' (e.g., 状況を把握する). Both kanji use on'yomi: 把=は、握=あく. The kun'yomi 握る (にぎる) does NOT appear in this compound - a common N2 reading trap.

Question 24

許可 (きょか) vs 強化 (きょうか)

Accepted Answer

許可 (permission) has the short vowel ki-yo-ka, while 強化 (strengthen) and 教科 (subject) have the long vowel kyō. Context tells them apart: '許可を得る' = obtain permission; '強化する' = strengthen.

Question 25

実施 (じっし) vs 実質 (じっしつ)

Accepted Answer

実施 (implementation, e.g., 法律を実施する) has a small っ and short final vowel. 実質 (substance, e.g., 実質的な責任) ends in the long しつ. Misreading flips the meaning entirely.

Question 26

検討 (けんとう)

Accepted Answer

'Examine/consider toward a decision' (e.g., 検討する = study the options). NOT the same as 'discuss' (議論する) - 検討 implies investigating before choosing. Common in business keigo.

Question 27

承知 (しょうち)

Accepted Answer

'Understood/acknowledged' - business keigo used to confirm a request (e.g., 承知いたしました = I understand). More formal than 分かった; the 承 has the long vowel shō.

Question 28

状況 (じょうきょう)

Accepted Answer

'Situation/circumstances.' Both kanji use long ō vowels: じょう + きょう. Distinguish from 受領 (じゅりょう, 'receipt') which has a different middle vowel (ju vs jō).

Question 29

やむを得ない (yamu o enai)

Accepted Answer

'Unavoidable' = しかたがない (it can't be helped). Usually precedes a decision to proceed despite difficulty (e.g., やむを得ない事情で延期する). NOT the same as うまくいかない (going poorly).

Question 30

とりあえず (toriaezu)

Accepted Answer

'For now / for the time being' - an immediate minimal action pending more thought (e.g., とりあえずこれでお願いします). NOT 'first' in a sequence; it implies a tentative, stopgap choice.

Question 31

まぎれもなく (magire mo naku)

Accepted Answer

'Without a doubt / unmistakably' (e.g., まぎれもない事実 = indisputable fact). Used when asserting identity or quality with full confidence; stronger than 確かに, which only states certainty.

Question 32

なおさら (naosara)

Accepted Answer

'Even more so' - given an existing circumstance, the degree increases (e.g., 雨ならなおさら行きたくない = if it rains, I even more don't want to go). Differs from さらに (just 'more'), which has no prior baseline.

Question 33

案外 (あんがい)

Accepted Answer

'Unexpectedly' - adverb expressing surprise at an outcome against expectation (e.g., 案外難しかった = it was unexpectedly hard). Synonymous with 思いがけなく; softer than 予想外.

Question 34

とっさに (tossa ni)

Accepted Answer

'In a flash / instinctively' - reflex action without deliberation (e.g., とっさに手を出して支えた = instinctively put out a hand to brace). Refers to split-second reflexes, not deliberate speed (急いで / 素早く).

Question 35

見合わせる (miawaseru)

Accepted Answer

'Suspend or postpone pending review' (e.g., 計画を見合わせる = put the plan on hold). Distinct from あきらめる (give up entirely): 見合わせる keeps the option to resume once conditions improve.

Question 36

〜出す (~dasu, compound verb suffix)

Accepted Answer

'Begin to / suddenly start' - attaches to a verb stem to mark spontaneous onset (e.g., 泣き出す = burst into tears, 雨が降り出す = it starts raining). Indicates abrupt, often unplanned, beginning.

Question 37

〜直す (~naosu, compound verb suffix)

Accepted Answer

'Redo / re-do' - attaches to a verb stem to mean doing it again to correct a prior attempt (e.g., やり直す = do over, 書き直す = rewrite). Implies the first attempt was unsatisfactory.

Question 38

〜込む (~komu, compound verb suffix)

Accepted Answer

'Deeply / into' - attaches to verb stems to signal thoroughness or a packed-in state (e.g., 考え込む = think deeply, 信じ込む = believe fully, 詰め込む = cram in). Indicates depth or saturation.

Question 39

〜上げる (~ageru, compound verb suffix)

Accepted Answer

'Complete upward / finish with effort' - signals bringing an action to completion with a sense of accomplishment (e.g., 書き上げる = finish writing, 作り上げる = build to completion). Differs from 終わる (neutral finish) by implying effort.

Question 40

ご〜くださる (go~kudasaru)

Accepted Answer

Respectful 'kindly do for me' - combines the honorific prefix ご/お with くださる (humble-respectful くれる). E.g., ご説明くださる = kindly explain. Different from お〜になる, which elevates the actor's action; くださる frames it as a favor to the listener.

Question 41

お/ご〜になる (sonkeigo)

Accepted Answer

Respectful form for a superior's action - elevates the actor (e.g., 社長がご覧になる = the president looks). Used to show respect to the subject of the verb; the verb itself becomes respectful via the お〜になる pattern.

Question 42

お/ご〜する (kenjougo)

Accepted Answer

Humble form for one's own action - lowers the speaker to elevate the listener (e.g., ご案内します = I will humbly guide you). Used when the speaker's action affects a superior; different from sonkeigo, which elevates the other's action.

Question 43

申し上げる (moushiageru)

Accepted Answer

Humble 'say/tell' - kenjougo of 言う, more formal than 申す (e.g., お礼申し上げます = I humbly express thanks). Used in business letters and formal speech; do not use for in-group members.

Question 44

指示語 (しじご, shijigo)

Accepted Answer

Deictic/anaphoric words like これ/それ/あれ/この. In N2 long passages この often points FORWARD to what follows, while それ typically refers BACK to the immediately prior noun phrase. Misreading the reference flips comprehension.

Question 45

筆者の意図 (hisha no ito)

Accepted Answer

Author's intent. When an N2 reading question asks 'なぜ〜と述べたのか' (why did the writer say X), the answer is almost always in the sentence BEFORE or AFTER the cited phrase, not the cited phrase itself - locate the writer's stated reason.

Question 46

要するに / つまり (summary markers)

Accepted Answer

Markers that signal the author's conclusion. When a question asks '筆者の主張は何か' (what is the claim?), the sentence following these markers usually contains the answer - it is the writer's own restatement.

Question 47

パラフレーズ (paraphrase)

Accepted Answer

Same-meaning rewording. N2 vocabulary questions ask which option matches the underlined expression. Eliminate options that change nuance, register, or scope; the correct choice preserves all three.

Question 48

語尾のニュアンス (gobi no nyuansu)

Accepted Answer

Sentence-final nuance. '〜でしょうか' and '〜ませんか' soften proposals/requests; blunt '〜だ' or '〜する' is direct and can sound abrupt. N2 listening often traps you with the polite-vs-blunt distinction.

Question 49

「次の行動」設問 (next-action listening items)

Accepted Answer

Task-comprehension questions ask what the speaker will do next. The answer is in the FINAL verb phrase of the speaker (する / しない / もう一度〜); ignore earlier hedges, complaints, or rejected options that distract.

Question 50

数字・固有名詞のメモ (jikkou/hannou capture)

Accepted Answer

N2 listening often hinges on dates, prices, and proper nouns. Jot them down the moment you hear them - the four options usually differ by one digit or one kana, and you cannot replay the audio.

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