日本語検定 sample questions (5/31 Update)

I think the 日本語検定 is the bomb and is something I hope every one gives a shot, so here are some sample questions, if you wanna challenge yourself a little. The levels are 7 through 1, 1 being the highest, but for now I will only post questions from level 7.

I may consider expanding to Level 6 and 5, but by that point it might be better for you to just buy the practice books yourself :joy: Sample questions can also be found on the official website for the test. This is a test for native speakers, so the level 7 is roughly what a 2nd grader could do.

On the level 7 test, many of the kanji have furigana (which I haven’t written except in the last question for three words), so if you feel like you can’t read it, looking up the reading is totally fine for solving the problem.

I also apologize if there are typos. Only human :slight_smile:

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Level 7

Question Set 1

文と同じような意味を表してるのは、1〜3のどの文でしょうか。番号で答えてください

来月、田川さんの妹が、この書道教室に入ってくるそうです。

  1. 来月、田川さんの妹が、この書道教室に入ってくることに決まりました。
  2. 来月、田川さんの妹が、この書道教室に入ってくるといいと思います。
  3. 来月、田川さんの妹が、この書道教室に入ってくるということです。

この前の日曜日は、家族で公園に行ったりデパートに行ったりしました。

  1. この前の日曜日は、家族で公園やデパートに行くことにしました。
  2. この前の日曜日は、家族で公園かデパートに行きました。
  3. この前の日曜日は、家族で公園にもデパートにも行きました。

Answers: 3 3

Question Set 2

( . . . ) の中に入る、いちばんよく合う言葉はどれでしょうか。番号で答えてください。

おやつに、おせんべいを三( . . . ) 食べました。
つぶ 2 まい 3 本 ]

おじいさんの家では、牛を十( . . . )かっています。
2 ひき 3 羽 ]

Answer: 2 1

Question Set 3

( . . . ) の中に入る、いちばんよく合う言葉はどれでしょうか。番号で答えてください。

一時間以上歩いたのに、( . . . )ちょう上につきません。
1 とうとう 2 もともと 3 なかなか ]

兄は、中学校に入ってから、( . . . )とせがのびました。
1 ばたばた 2 すらすら 3 ぐんぐん ]

マンガを読んでいたら、( . . . )ねなければいけない時間になっていました。
1 もっと 2 もう 3 だんだん ]

Answers:
3 3 2

Question Set 4

ア〜クの文には、いろいろな植物のことが書いてあります。それぞれの(. . . )の当てはまる言葉をリストからえらんで、番号で答えてください。一つの言葉は、一回しか使えません。

  • あたたかくなって、サクラの( . . . )がふくらんできました。
  • 強い風で、サクラの花が( . . . )しまいました。
  • 梅雨【つゆ】のころ、田んぼにイネの( . . . )を植えます。
  • エンドウマメの( . . . )をむいて、豆を取り出します。
  • 八月になると、イネは( . . . )を出しはじめました。
  • 朝さいたアサガオの花が( . . . )しまいました。
  • たくさんのもみをつけて、イネがよく( . . . )います。
  • 庭でとれた柿【かき】の実はよく( . . . )いて、とてもあまいです。

Answers: 2 8 3 1 4 6 5 7

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Nice, yeah, maybe this can evolve into something like my Kanken thread. I have the study guide for level 4, and I’ve been meaning to take it, but I haven’t gotten around to it. It’s possible that 3 is achievable at this point, but I’d be willing to do 4 just to ease into it.

EDIT: Might get more responses if the name of the test in the thread title is in romaji though.

This is cool, thanks for posting! How have I survived without the counter for せんべい?!

What is this?

That, my friend, is a typo, combined with copy paste. :sweat_smile:

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I have never heard of せんべい, so I wasn’t sure if it would be flat or long. Guessed wrong😅 But this seems like a nice thread. Are you planning on posting more sample questions?

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What’s the difference between this test and the JLPT?

Two for two. Undefeated, baby.

(But for real, I know very little about the 日本語検定. Is there any benefit to taking it as a learner? Is that even ever done? Something to keep in mind for after a potential JLPT N1 pass, etc?)

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This is for native speakers. The hardest level is well beyond N1. Because of the differences between what learners study and what natives study the sections are a bit different. There’s no listening section.

Sure you can. It’s definitely interesting to prepare for.

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I feel this calling to me at some point in the future.

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The reading is just a couple passages also. The whole test is only like 40-60 minutes for any given level.

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As I recall, the pass rate for native speakers at level 1 is 2.9%. Been a while since I saw a table of pass rates, though, so my memory could be wrong.

Please post more of these!

The ということだ grammar item is in Kanzen Master N3 level. So if it’s at the second grade level in Japan, what grade level would N2 or N1 be?

It wouldn’t be shocking to see things that are listed as N1 or N2 grammar at any level, since even fairy tales for kids can have old grammar.

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Not even just fairy tales. I’ve seen constructions categorized under N1 study show up in modern kids’ manga. A lot of it’s just formal or less intuitive, niche constructions, so it’s not as though someone growing up around the language isn’t going to encounter or understand them from a young age.

It’s just the difference between language complexity to natives and language complexity to learners. Extremely niche or formal constructions that get saved for higher levels for non-native speakers aren’t necessarily the type of grammar problems natives would find difficult.

(I’m replying to Leebo, but this wasn’t aimed at disabusing him of that notion. Just clarifying that native materials and tests have no reason at all to line up with the JLPT system.)

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Glad you all seem to enjoy it. I’m not sure if I’ll keep posting sample questions or not.

As to the difference with the JLPT, I can’t personally answer that but I see some people have.

But I really hope more people become aware of this test.

Edit: Basing solely on my study from JLPT books and not the test (have never taken the JLPT), the Japanese tested in the 日本語検定 seems more applicable to real life. I still have embarrassing moments when I say “adult words”[i.e. abstract ideas or complex concepts] to kids and not being understood, and then kids say words I don’t know the meaning of to me even though they are super duper common. It also seems more reliant on the test takers overall understanding and comprehension of Japanese, and the breadth of knowledge required to get all of the questions correct is much wider than the JLPT. Not that there is a great way to draw a line comparing the two since the target audience for each is different.

I’ve only studied from JLPT N2 and N1 books, but every time I did, felt like I was studying how to take the JLPT more than I was studying Japanese. That feeling may differ for other people though. As for this test, the only way to really study (besides buying and taking the practice test books) is to just keep reading a bunch of Japanese and learning new words and their nuances on your own. I really like that approach, though, and it feels good to be able to size myself up to a natives ability level.

By the way, if anyone was curious, the next test is in early June, but the deadline to register passed in early May.

The second and final one of the year is in November with a registration window of August to early October.

And here’s the link to the sample page for all levels.

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Senbei are a really popular omiyage food where I live in Japan, so I’ve eaten more of them than I care to (but I know plenty of people who also serve them as snacks for guests and such). They’re flat, usually circular rice crackers filled with various seeds, nuts, flavorings, and so on. I had a shrimp flavored one this morning!

image

Also, thank you for the sample questions, @MrBaman ! I’d never tried any 日本語検定 ones (only kanken) so it was nice to see some. I might look up more now that I’ve had a taste!

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Updated with more questions

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Senbei for the win, bae.

If there’s enough interest, I might post some more sample questions up to level 5. Just added some more level 7 questions.

The JLPT is a test people who are studying Japanese. This test is meant for native speakers of Japanese.

I think there is immense benefit in taking it as a learner. The test is open to anyone. The JLPT and this test are different in there approach and in their target audience, so I would say you don’t need to wait for anything to give it a shot.

A foreigner I know of who took the level 4 (Mike Cash, on the Japan Reference forum, 5th post down), he took the N1 around the same time. He wrote that while he had time enough to read the N1 material twice, he ran out of time on the Level 4 exam and had to guess the last question. It’s a couple of passages, but at a native reading speed.

That sounds accurate

just updated it!

Yeah, hard to compare. I don’t know anything about the JLPT tests really, but for example the sample question 4 I just updated here. Little kids learn about plants and the words related to them, but adult language learners might be a little lost.

Many practice books available (all [I think] published by MEXT)

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