Cheat sheet
JLPT N2 Cheat Sheet
Language Knowledge
- 50% of exam
- Vocabulary 33% Grammar 17% 1000 kanji 6000 words 200 patterns
Reading Comprehension
- 28% of exam
- Short passages Medium passages Long passages Integrated Info retrieval
Listening Comprehension
- 22% of exam
- Task-based Point-based Outline Quick response Integrated
Quick Facts
- Exam JLPT N2
- Credential Japanese Proficiency N2
- Time 155 min
- Pass 90/180 + 19/60
- Questions ~100-115
- Fee USD 60-80
- Sessions Jul + Dec
JLPT Levels LA
- N5 < N4 < N3 < N2 < N1
- N5: basic N3: bridge N2: upper N1: native-ish
N2 vs N1 LA
N2
- ~6,000 words
- ~1,000 kanji
- B1-B2
N1
- ~10,000 words
- ~2,000 kanji
- B2-C1
- Upper-int vs advanced
Grammar Pattern Picker LA
- Parallel main + side → かたわら ( Formal; ongoing )
- Despite expectation → わりに ( Colloquial )
- Formal despite → にもかかわらず ( Written tone )
- Soft concession → ものの ( Mild 'but' )
- Counterfactual regret → 〜ば〜のに ( Past unreal )
- Strong conviction → に違いない ( Confident inference )
- Risk/warning → おそれがある ( Negative outcome )
- Incidental chance → ついでに ( On opportunity )
N2 Vocabulary LA
- 把握 Grasp/comprehend 頻出
- 許可 Permission
- やむを得ない Unavoidable
- 差し支える Be a problem
- 見込み Prospect/odds
- 取り消す Cancel/rescind
- 伴う Accompany/entail
Conditional Chain LA
- と → ば → たら → なら: broad to narrow
- と: automatic ば: general たら: temporal なら: given
N2 vs N3 LA
N2
- 1,000 kanji
- 6,000 words
- 200 patterns
N3
- 650 kanji
- 3,700 words
- ~120 patterns
- Intermediate vs upper
Kanji Readings LA
- 音読み Chinese reading
- 訓読み Japanese reading
- 把握 はあく (on)
- 許可 きょか (on)
- 大人 おとな (kun)
- 役所 やくしょ (on)
On'yomi vs Kun'yomi LA
音読み
- Chinese reading
- Compounds
- 把握=はあく
訓読み
- Japanese reading
- Standalone
- 把=にぎる
- Compound vs alone
Word Formation LA
- 複合動詞 Compound verbs
- 引き起こす Cause/trigger
- 思い込む Assume/firmly believe
- 接頭語 Prefix
- 接尾語 Suffix
- 未〜 Not yet (prefix)
ば vs たら LA
〜ば
- General if
- Bookish
- Stable condition
〜たら
- When/if
- Spoken
- Past-based
- Hypothetical vs temporal
N2 Grammar Patterns LA
- かたわら While/parallel action
- わりに Despite/for
- にもかかわらず Despite (formal)
- ものの But/although
- ついでに While at it
- どころか Far from
- に違いない Must be/certainly
- おそれがある Risk of
謙譲 vs 尊敬 LA
謙譲語
- Lowers self
- 参る/申す
- To superiors
尊敬語
- Raises other
- いらっしゃる
- To superiors
- Self-lower vs other-raise
Conditionals + Concessives LA
- 〜ば If/general condition
- 〜たら If/when (temporal)
- 〜と Whenever/automatic
- 〜なら If given (topic)
- 〜さえ〜ば Only if
- 〜ば〜のに Counterfactual regret
Honorifics LA
- 謙譲語 Humble form
- 尊敬語 Honorific form
- 丁寧語 Polite (desu/masu)
- 参る Go (humble)
- いらっしゃる Be/go (honorific)
- お/ご〜する Humble action
Reading Order RE
- Topic -> Detail -> Author intent
- Topic: first Detail: middle Intent: end
Short vs Long Passage RE
短文
- 200-300 chars
- One idea
- Quick scan
長文
- 800-1000 chars
- Argument
- Read all
- Single vs multi-idea
Reading Strategy Picker RE
- 200-300 chars → 短文 scanning ( One main idea )
- ~500 chars → 中文 reading ( Social/work topic )
- 800-1000 chars → 長文 full read ( Opinion piece )
- Two passages → 統合理解 ( Compare views )
- Notice or chart → 情報検索 ( Scan keywords )
- Author intent → 主張 question ( Final paragraph )
Reading Strategies RE
- 短文 200-300 chars
- 中文 ~500 chars
- 長文 800-1000 chars
- 統合理解 Compare two texts
- 情報検索 Notice/chart scan
- 筆者主張 Author intent
Reading Question Types RE
- 主題 Main idea
- 原因・理由 Cause/reason
- 詳細 Specific detail
- 意図 Author intent
- 指示語 Referent (こそあど)
- 言い換え Paraphrase hunt
Listening Cues LI
- 語尾 + 助詞 + 敬語 = intent
- 語尾: tone 助詞: role 敬語: relation
Task vs Point Listening LI
課題理解
- Next action
- Cue words
- Who does what
ポイント理解
- Main idea
- Key detail
- Why/how
- Action vs idea
Listening Task Picker LI
- Pick next action → 課題理解 ( Listen for cue )
- Identify main point → ポイント理解 ( First/last line )
- Summarize talk → 概要理解 ( Topic sentence )
- Choose reply → 即時応答 ( Tone matters )
- Long dialogue → 統合理解 ( Both speakers )
Listening Task Types LI
- 課題理解 Pick next action
- ポイント理解 Identify key point
- 概要理解 Grasp outline
- 即時応答 Quick reply choice
- 統合理解 Long dialogue/integrated
- 発話意図 Speaker intent
Listening Strategies LI
- 語尾 Sentence ending cue
- 助詞 Particle focus
- 敬語 Polite-speech level
- 省略 Omission/implied
- イントネーション Intonation/tone
Common Traps
Section minimums
- 19/60 each required ≠ 90 total not enough
Counterfactual regret
- Past unreal = ば〜のに ≠ Not だろう alone
On vs Kun traps
- Compounds use 音読み ≠ Standalone use 訓読み
Listening natural speed
- No learner pauses ≠ Practice native pace
Similar grammar patterns
- わりに vs にもかかわらず ≠ Colloquial vs formal
Passage length strategy
- Long passage: read all ≠ Don't skim opinion
Last Minute
- 1. Weights: 50/28/22
- 2. Pass: 90/180 + 19/60 each
- 3. Time LK+R 105m / L 50m
- 4. 1000 kanji; 6000 vocab
- 5. 〜ば hypothetical; 〜たら temporal
- 6. 音読み compounds; 訓読み standalone
- 7. 謙譲 lowers self; 尊敬 raises other
- 8. Long passage: read all
- 9. Listen for sentence-ending
- 10. Check all 4 options
JLPT N2 (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test)
- Practice Questions 132 questions Study Guide 18 topics Cheat Sheet 62 facts Flashcards 50 cards