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100+ Free Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese Practice Questions

Prepare for the Osaka Prefectural Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (大阪府公立高等学校入学者選抜学力検査 国語) exam with instant access — no signup required.

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Key Facts: Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese Exam

Practise for the Osaka Prefectural Public High School Entrance Exam in Japanese (国語) with 100 four-option questions covering 漢字・語彙, 文法, 説明文 and 文学 読解, and 古文, weighted to the official 50-minute, 90-point paper sat on 11 March 2026. The official paper contains constructed-response items (漢字書き取り/説明記述/要旨記述) and comes in three tiers (基礎的/標準的/発展的), so this English-language MCQ bank — which keeps integral Japanese terms — is a study aid, not a format simulation.

Sample Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which reading of the kanji 市 in 大阪市 (Osaka City) is correct?
A.し (shi)
B.まち (machi)
C.ぐ (gu)
D.ちょう (cho)
Explanation: In 大阪市 (Osaka-shi), 市 is read し (shi). The kun-yomi まち appears in words like 町 (town).
2Which kanji has the on-yomi キョウ (kyo)?
A.京 (as in 東京 Tokyo)
B.都 (as in 都会 to-kai)
C.府 (as in 大阪府 Osaka-fu)
D.県 (as in 県 ken)
Explanation: 京 has the on-yomi キョウ, seen in 東京 (とうきょう) and 京都 (きょうと). It also carries a second on-yomi ケイ, as in 京浜 (けいひん), and the kun-yomi みやこ, meaning 'capital'.
3How is the kanji 府 read in 大阪府 (Osaka Prefecture, an urban prefecture)?
A.ふ (fu)
B.と (to)
C.けん (ken)
D.どう (do)
Explanation: 府 reads フ (fu) in 大阪府 and 京都府. By contrast 東京 is 都 (to), 県 is けん (ken), and 北海道 is どう (do).
4Which is the correct okurigana for the verb 暑い 'hot' written with the kanji 暑?
A.暑い
B.
C.暑る
D.暑か
Explanation: 暑い (あつい, hot weather) takes the okurigana い. 熱 is a different kanji ('fever/heat'); 暑る/暑か are not valid forms.
5Japanese compounds (熟語) are classified by how their two kanji relate. What is the structure of 読書 (どくしょ, 'reading books')?
A.A verb followed by its object — 書を読む ('read books')
B.Two kanji with similar meanings placed together
C.Two kanji with opposite meanings placed together
D.A modifier followed by the word it modifies
Explanation: In 読書 the lower kanji 書 is the object of the upper kanji 読, so the compound unpacks as 書を読む ('to read books'). This 「下の字が上の字の目的語」 pattern also produces 登山 (山に登る) and 読解.
6Which is the correct reading of 運動 (exercise/sports)?
A.うんどう (undo)
B.えんどう (endo)
C.うんと (unto)
D.うどう (udo)
Explanation: 運動 is read うんどう (un-dou). The long う is part of the reading.
7Which yojijukugo (four-kanji idiom) means 'to learn something new by studying the past'?
A.温故知新 (おんこちしん)
B.四面楚歌 (しめんそか)
C.自給自足 (じきゅうじそく)
D.多種多様 (たしゅたよう)
Explanation: 温故知新 comes from the Analects of Confucius: 故きを温ねて新しきを知る — revisit what is old and you will understand what is new. It is one of the yojijukugo most often tested at junior-high level.
8Which word is a synonym for 勇敢 (ゆうかん, brave)?
A.勇ましい (いさましい)
B.臆病 (おくびょう)
C.静か (しずか)
D.弱い (よわい)
Explanation: 勇ましい means brave/gallant, close to 勇敢. 臆病 is cowardly (antonym), 静か is quiet, 弱い is weak.
9Which is an antonym of 拡大 (かくだい, to expand)?
A.縮小 (しゅくしょう, shrink)
B.増加 (ぞうか, increase)
C.発展 (はってん, develop)
D.改善 (かいぜん, improve)
Explanation: 縮小 (to shrink/reduce) is the antonym of 拡大 (to expand). The others are roughly positive changes, not opposites.
10Which is the correct kana for the compound 選挙 (election)?
A.せんきょ (senkyo)
B.せいきょ (seikyo)
C.せんご (sengo)
D.せんきょく (senkyoku)
Explanation: 選挙 is read せんきょ (senkyo), meaning election.

About the Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese Exam

The Osaka Prefectural Public High School Entrance Examination in Japanese (国語) tests lower-secondary graduates on kanji and vocabulary, grammar, modern-text reading (expository and literary), and classical Japanese (古文). In the 令和8年度 (2026) cycle the general academic test (一般入学者選抜 学力検査) covers five subjects (国語, 社会, 数学, 理科, 英語), each worth 90 points (total 450), all sat on a single day on 11 March 2026 (1st 国語, 2nd 数学, 3rd 英語 with リスニング, 4th 理科, 5th 社会), with 合格発表 on 19 March 2026. The paper is aligned to the MEXT junior-high Course of Study (平成29年 中学校学習指導要領 国語編) and tests 知識・技能 plus 思考力・判断力・表現力, with constructed-response items including 漢字の読み書き, 説明記述, and 要旨記述. For 国語・数学・英語 the board sets three problem tiers — 基礎的問題, 標準的問題, 発展的問題 — and each school selects one; 理科 and 社会 use a single common paper. All prefectural schools use the common board-set paper; no school sets a self-made 国語 paper. Selection combines 学力検査 450 + 調査書 450 (中3 ×6, 中1・中2 ×2) into a 900-point 総合点 using a school-chosen 倍率タイプ (I–V); the top 110% form (Ⅰ)群, the top 90% of those are admitted, and the (Ⅱ)群 ボーダーゾーン is decided against each school's アドミッションポリシー. Since FY2014 (平成26年度) all Osaka prefectural public high schools form a single prefecture-wide school district (全府一学区 / 府内全域). There is no single prefecture-wide pass line.

Assessment

50-minute paper worth 90 points, aligned to the MEXT 国語 Course of Study with constructed-response items including 漢字の読み書き, 条件付き漢字, 説明記述, and 要旨記述. It is sat in the 1st period on 11 March 2026. The five academic-test subjects (国語, 社会, 数学, 理科, 英語) each carry 90 points for a maximum of 450 points. The paper tests 知識・技能 plus 思考力・判断力・表現力. For 国語・数学・英語 the board provides three problem tiers (基礎的/標準的/発展的); each school chooses one tier; 理科 and 社会 use a single common paper.

Time Limit

50 minutes. The 国語 paper is sat in the 1st period on 11 March 2026; the full academic test is a single day — 1st 国語, 2nd 数学, 3rd 英語 (with リスニングテスト), 4th 理科, 5th 社会.

Passing Score

No fixed pass mark. Admission is decided by each school using a 総合点 out of 900: 学力検査 450 (5 subjects × 90) plus 調査書 450 (中3 評定 ×6, 中1・中2 評定 ×2), each multiplied by the school's chosen 倍率タイプ from types I–V (I: 1.4/0.6; II: 1.2/0.8; III: 1.0/1.0; IV: 0.8/1.2; V: 0.6/1.4). The top 110% of applicants form (Ⅰ)群; the top 90% of those are admitted; the remaining (Ⅱ)群 (ボーダーゾーン) is decided against the school's アドミッションポリシー using the 自己申告書 and 活動記録. There is no single prefecture-wide pass line.

Exam Fee

入学検定料 (entrance examination fee) for an Osaka prefectural public high school is ¥2,200 for the 全日制 (full-time) course, ¥950 for the 定時制 (part-time) course and ¥800 for the 通信制 (correspondence) course, paid via the online 出願システム. A separate 入学料 is ¥5,650 (全日制), ¥2,100 (定時制) or ¥500 (通信制). It is paid once for the whole five-subject 学力検査, not per subject paper. Source: 令和8年度 大阪府公立高等学校入学者選抜実施要項 第7 一般入学者選抜. (Osaka Prefectural Board of Education (大阪府教育委員会) — 教育庁教育振興室高等学校課学事グループ)

Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese Exam Content Outline

22%

Vocabulary & Kanji (語彙・漢字)

Kanji readings and writing, compound words, okurigana, homophones, synonyms/antonyms, katakana loanwords, idioms and word-in-context selection.

21%

Grammar (文法)

Verb and adjective 活用, particles, conditionals, passive/causative, keigo, modification and parts of speech.

22%

Expository Reading (説明文 読解)

Main idea, paragraph structure, logical connectives, examples/evidence, fact vs opinion, argument, premise-conclusion, restatement and summarising.

15%

Literary Reading (文学 読解)

Narrative, point of view, descriptive technique, figures of speech, flashback, character, conflict, setting, symbolism, plot and motivation.

20%

Classical Japanese (古文)

Kobun auxiliaries (き/けり/つ/ぬ/む/べし/ず), conjugation, parts of speech, 侍り, あはれ, poetry forms, passive-agent and orthography.

How to Pass the Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No fixed pass mark. Admission is decided by each school using a 総合点 out of 900: 学力検査 450 (5 subjects × 90) plus 調査書 450 (中3 評定 ×6, 中1・中2 評定 ×2), each multiplied by the school's chosen 倍率タイプ from types I–V (I: 1.4/0.6; II: 1.2/0.8; III: 1.0/1.0; IV: 0.8/1.2; V: 0.6/1.4). The top 110% of applicants form (Ⅰ)群; the top 90% of those are admitted; the remaining (Ⅱ)群 (ボーダーゾーン) is decided against the school's アドミッションポリシー using the 自己申告書 and 活動記録. There is no single prefecture-wide pass line.
  • Assessment: 50-minute paper worth 90 points, aligned to the MEXT 国語 Course of Study with constructed-response items including 漢字の読み書き, 条件付き漢字, 説明記述, and 要旨記述. It is sat in the 1st period on 11 March 2026. The five academic-test subjects (国語, 社会, 数学, 理科, 英語) each carry 90 points for a maximum of 450 points. The paper tests 知識・技能 plus 思考力・判断力・表現力. For 国語・数学・英語 the board provides three problem tiers (基礎的/標準的/発展的); each school chooses one tier; 理科 and 社会 use a single common paper.
  • Time limit: 50 minutes. The 国語 paper is sat in the 1st period on 11 March 2026; the full academic test is a single day — 1st 国語, 2nd 数学, 3rd 英語 (with リスニングテスト), 4th 理科, 5th 社会.
  • Exam fee: 入学検定料 (entrance examination fee) for an Osaka prefectural public high school is ¥2,200 for the 全日制 (full-time) course, ¥950 for the 定時制 (part-time) course and ¥800 for the 通信制 (correspondence) course, paid via the online 出願システム. A separate 入学料 is ¥5,650 (全日制), ¥2,100 (定時制) or ¥500 (通信制). It is paid once for the whole five-subject 学力検査, not per subject paper. Source: 令和8年度 大阪府公立高等学校入学者選抜実施要項 第7 一般入学者選抜.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Osaka Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese Study Tips from Top Performers

1Drill the MEXT Grade 7-9 kanji for both 読み (reading) and 書き (writing), including condition-governed (条件付き) kanji and 同訓異字 choices, since the short 漢字 section rewards fast accurate recall under the 50-minute limit.
2Memorise the classical-Japanese (古文) auxiliary verbs (助動詞) き・けり・つ・ぬ・む・べし・ず and their 活用, plus 侍り and the aesthetic あはれ — these recur every year and are quick marks once internalised.
3Practise expository (説明文) reading by mapping each paragraph to its role (主張, 根拠, 例示, 反論) and identifying the logical connectives (接続語) that signal them, before answering 説明記述 items.
4For literary (文学) passages, identify the 視点 (point of view), 描写手法 (descriptive technique) and the narrator's tone before answering character/motivation questions.
5Practise 要旨記述 (main-idea statement) items by writing a one-sentence summary that captures the author's main claim and its key qualifier, then compare against the model answer.
6Time your practice under the 50-minute limit and attempt the 漢字・語句 and 文法 knowledge items first to bank marks before the longer reading passages, since your school may sit the 基礎的, 標準的 or 発展的 tier paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this question bank the same as the real Osaka 国語 exam?

No. The official paper is written in Japanese with constructed-response items including 漢字の読み書き, 説明記述, and 要旨記述. This bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation that preserves integral Japanese terms (漢字 readings, 文法, 古文 auxiliaries) and cannot replace writing out your own 記述 answers.

How long is the Osaka 国語 paper and what is it worth?

It lasts 50 minutes and is scored out of 90 points, one of five subjects that together total 450 points (each subject 90 points). 国語 is sat in the 1st period on 11 March 2026.

How is the selection structured in 2026?

Osaka combines the academic test (学力検査, 450 points) with the report card (調査書, 450 points, 中3 ×6 and 中1・中2 ×2) into a 900-point 総合点 using a school-chosen 倍率タイプ from types I–V (I: 1.4/0.6, II: 1.2/0.8, III: 1.0/1.0, IV: 0.8/1.2, V: 0.6/1.4). The top 110% form (Ⅰ)群, the top 90% of those are admitted, and the (Ⅱ)群 ボーダーゾーン is decided against each school's アドミッションポリシー. There is no prefecture-wide pass line.

How much is the examination fee?

The 入学検定料 (entrance examination fee) for an Osaka prefectural public high school is ¥2,200 for the 全日制 (full-time) course, ¥950 for the 定時制 (part-time) course and ¥800 for the 通信制 (correspondence) course, paid via the online 出願システム. A separate 入学料 (¥5,650 full-time) is due after acceptance. It is paid once for the whole five-subject 学力検査, not per subject paper.

When was the 2026 paper sat and when were results announced?

The 令和8年度 学力検査 was held on a single day, 11 March 2026 (1st 国語, 2nd 数学, 3rd 英語 with リスニング, 4th 理科, 5th 社会), with 合格発表 on 19 March 2026 via the online 出願システム.

What content areas does the 国語 paper cover?

The paper follows the MEXT junior-high Course of Study (平成29年 中学校学習指導要領 国語編) and covers 漢字・語彙 (readings, writing, compounds, homophones), 文法 (活用, particles, keigo), 現代文 読解 (説明文 and 文学), and 古文 (kobun auxiliaries such as き・けり・つ・ぬ・む・べし・ず, 侍り, あはれ).