Is this JLPT N4 game free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-up, no download, and no account.
Free Galaxy Shooter
JLPT N4 kanji: a free game covering all 166
N4 is where kanji stops being a short list you can memorise in an afternoon. These are the characters that carry most everyday compounds, and recognising them on sight is what makes ordinary text start to feel readable.
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How to play
Destroy the asteroid whose kanji matches the target meaning. 12 correct hits wins, and you have 5 lives. All 166 N4 kanji are in the pool.
- Tap or click a lane to fire at it
- Arrow keys or A/D to move, Space to fire
Plays in your browser. No sign-up, no download.
What is in this game
The 166 terms you will drill
Everything the game tests, in plain text, so you can read it first or revise without playing.
| Kanji | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 会 | meeting, meet, party |
| 同 | same, agree, equal |
| 事 | matter, thing, fact |
| 自 | oneself |
| 社 | company, firm, office |
| 発 | departure, discharge, publish |
| 者 | someone, person |
| 地 | ground, earth |
| 業 | business, vocation, arts |
| 方 | direction, person, alternative |
| 新 | new |
| 場 | location, place |
| 員 | employee, member, number |
| 立 | stand up, rise, set up |
| 開 | open, unfold, unseal |
| 手 | hand |
| 力 | power, strength, strong |
| 問 | question, ask, problem |
| 代 | substitute, change, convert |
| 明 | bright, light |
| 動 | move, motion, change |
| 京 | capital, 10**16 |
| 目 | eye, class, look |
| 通 | traffic, pass through, avenue |
| 言 | say, word |
| 理 | logic, arrangement, reason |
| 体 | body, substance, object |
| 田 | rice field, rice paddy |
| 主 | lord, chief, master |
| 題 | topic, subject |
| 意 | idea, mind, heart |
| 不 | negative, non-, bad |
| 作 | make, production, prepare |
| 用 | utilize, business, service |
| 度 | degrees, occurrence, time |
| 強 | strong |
| 公 | public, prince, official |
| 持 | hold, have |
| 野 | plains, field, rustic |
| 以 | by means of, because, in view of |
| 思 | think |
| 家 | house, home, family |
| 世 | generation, world, society |
| 多 | many, frequent, much |
| 正 | correct, justice, righteous |
| 安 | relax, cheap, low |
| 院 | inst., institution, temple |
| 心 | heart, mind, spirit |
| 界 | world, boundary |
| 教 | teach, faith, doctrine |
| 文 | sentence, literature, style |
| 元 | beginning, former time, origin |
| 重 | heavy, important, esteem |
| 近 | near, early, akin |
| 考 | consider, think over |
| 画 | brush-stroke, picture |
| 海 | sea, ocean |
| 売 | sell |
| 知 | know, wisdom |
| 道 | road-way, street, district |
| 集 | gather, meet, congregate |
| 別 | separate, branch off, diverge |
| 物 | thing, object, matter |
| 使 | use, send on a mission, order |
| 品 | goods, refinement, dignity |
| 計 | plot, plan, scheme |
| 死 | death, die |
| 特 | special |
| 私 | private, i, me |
| 始 | commence, begin |
| 朝 | morning, dynasty, regime |
| 運 | carry, luck, destiny |
| 終 | end, finish |
| 台 | pedestal, a stand, counter for machines and vehicles |
| 広 | wide, broad, spacious |
| 住 | dwell, reside, live |
| 真 | true, reality, buddhist sect |
| 有 | possess, have, exist |
| 口 | mouth |
| 少 | few, little |
| 町 | town, village, block |
| 料 | fee, materials |
| 工 | craft, construction, katakana e radical (no. 48) |
| 建 | build |
| 空 | empty, sky, void |
| 急 | hurry, emergency, sudden |
| 止 | stop, halt |
| 送 | escort, send |
| 切 | cut, cutoff, be sharp |
| 転 | revolve, turn around, change |
| 研 | polish, study of, sharpen |
| 足 | leg, foot, be sufficient |
| 究 | research, study |
| 楽 | music, comfort, ease |
| 起 | rouse, wake up, get up |
| 着 | don, arrive, wear |
| 店 | store, shop |
| 病 | ill, sick |
| 質 | substance, quality, matter |
| 待 | wait, depend on |
| 試 | test, try, attempt |
| 族 | tribe, family |
| 銀 | silver |
| 早 | early, fast |
| 映 | reflect, reflection, projection |
| 親 | parent, intimacy, relative |
| 験 | verification, effect, testing |
| 英 | england, english, hero |
| 医 | doctor, medicine |
| 仕 | attend, doing, official |
| 去 | gone, past, quit |
| 味 | flavor, taste |
| 写 | copy, be photographed, describe |
| 字 | character, letter, word |
| 答 | solution, answer |
| 夜 | night, evening |
| 音 | sound, noise |
| 注 | pour, irrigate, shed (tears) |
| 帰 | homecoming, arrive at, lead to |
| 古 | old |
| 歌 | song, sing |
| 買 | buy |
| 悪 | bad, vice, rascal |
| 図 | map, drawing, plan |
| 週 | week |
| 室 | room, apartment, chamber |
| 歩 | walk, counter for steps |
| 風 | wind, air, style |
| 紙 | paper |
| 黒 | black |
| 花 | flower |
| 春 | springtime, spring (season) |
| 赤 | red |
| 青 | blue, green |
| 館 | building, mansion, large building |
| 屋 | roof, house, shop |
| 色 | color |
| 走 | run |
| 秋 | autumn |
| 夏 | summer |
| 習 | learn |
| 駅 | station |
| 洋 | ocean, sea, foreign |
| 旅 | trip, travel |
| 服 | clothing, admit, obey |
| 夕 | evening |
| 借 | borrow, rent |
| 曜 | weekday |
| 飲 | drink, smoke, take |
| 肉 | meat |
| 貸 | lend |
| 堂 | public chamber, hall |
| 鳥 | bird, chicken |
| 飯 | meal, boiled rice |
| 勉 | exertion, endeavour, encourage |
| 冬 | winter |
| 昼 | daytime, noon |
| 茶 | tea |
| 弟 | younger brother, faithful service to elders |
| 牛 | cow |
| 魚 | fish |
| 兄 | elder brother, big brother |
| 犬 | dog |
| 妹 | younger sister |
| 姉 | elder sister |
| 漢 | sino-, china |
- All 166 kanji on the JLPT N4 list, ordered so the most frequent characters come first
- Meaning recognition, the step that has to come before reading fluency
- Fast recall under mild time pressure, which is closer to reading than flashcards are
Kanji data from KANJIDIC (Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, CC BY-SA), with JLPT levels from Jonathan Waller's JLPT Resources. The JLPT has published no official kanji list since 2010, so these levels are the community reconstruction.
Questions
Frequently asked
How many kanji does it cover?
All 166 on the N4 list. The game draws from the whole set, so no two runs are the same.
Is this the official JLPT kanji list?
There is no official list. The Japan Foundation stopped publishing kanji and vocabulary lists after the 2010 revision, so every JLPT list online is a reconstruction. This one follows the widely used levels compiled by Jonathan Waller, with kanji data from KANJIDIC.
Does it teach readings too?
This game tests meanings. Readings are a separate game at the same level, and the full on and kun readings for every kanji are listed on this page.
Can I make a game from my own kanji list?
Yes, in the StudyArcade app. Paste any list of characters or vocabulary and it builds a playable game from it.
Build a game from your own notes
This is a fixed sample. In the app you can paste any list or upload notes and get a playable game from them.
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