JLPT examiners have favorite tricks. After analysing years of past exams, patterns emerge: the same types of kanji exceptions appear again and again. If you study these patterns before test day, you’re essentially banking free points.
Trap #1: Rendaku (連濁) — Voiced Sound Changes
When kanji combine into compounds, the second kanji’s reading sometimes changes from unvoiced to voiced:
| Compound | Expected | Actual (Rendaku) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 人々 | ひとひと | ひとびと | People |
| 手紙 | てかみ | てがみ | Letter |
| 花火 | はなひ | はなび | Fireworks |
| 株式 | かふしき | かぶしき | Stock (shares) |
| 青空 | あおそら | あおぞら | Blue sky |
| 血圧 | けつあつ | けつあつ | Blood pressure (no rendaku) |
Rule of thumb: Rendaku is blocked when the second element already contains a voiced consonant (Lyman’s Law). 血圧 doesn’t become けつaつ because あつ has no voiceable consonant.
Trap #2: Multiple Readings for the Same Kanji
These kanji have readings that change depending on the compound. JLPT loves testing which reading fits:
| Kanji | Reading A | Reading B | Example (A) | Example (B) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 生 | せい | なま / う / い / は | 生活 (seikatsu) | 生ビール (nama), 生まれる (u) |
| 行 | こう | ぎょう / い / おこな | 銀行 (ginkou) | 行う (okonau), 一行 (ichigyou) |
| 下 | か / げ | した / くだ / さ / お | 地下 (chika) | 下さい (kudasai), 下がる (sagaru) |
| 上 | じょう | うえ / あ / のぼ / かみ | 上手 (jouzu) | 上(うえ), 上る (noboru) |
| 人 | じん / にん | ひと | 日本人 (nihonjin) | 人 (hito), 二人 (futari) |
Trap #3: Look-Alike Kanji Pairs
The exam deliberately places similar-looking kanji as answer choices:
| Kanji A | Meaning A | Kanji B | Meaning B | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 待 (たい) | Wait | 持 (じ) | Hold | 寸 vs 寺 bottom |
| 記 (き) | Record | 紀 (き) | Chronicle | 言 vs 糸 left side |
| 末 (まつ) | End | 未 (み) | Not yet | Top stroke length |
| 土 (ど) | Earth | 士 (し) | Samurai | Top stroke width |
| 干 (かん) | Dry | 千 (せん) | Thousand | Left stroke angle |
| 折 (せつ) | Fold | 析 (せき) | Analyze | 扌vs 木 left side |
Trap #4: Counter Reading Irregularities
Number + counter combinations with unexpected readings:
- 一人 = ひとり (not いちにん)
- 二人 = ふたり (not ににん)
- 二十歳 = はたち (not にじゅっさい)
- 四月 = しがつ (not よんがつ)
- 七月 = しちがつ (not なながつ)
- 二十日 = はつか (not にじゅうにち)
Trap #5: Sokuon (促音) Changes
Some compound words gain a small っ that’s easy to miss:
- 学校 = がっこう (not がくこう)
- 日記 = にっき (not にちき)
- 雑誌 = ざっし (not ざつし)
- 出発 = しゅっぱつ (not しゅつはつ)
- 切手 = きって (not せつしゅ)
Your Pre-Exam Checklist
- Review all special/irregular readings
- Practice look-alike kanji pairs
- Drill rendaku patterns with flashcards
- Review counter exceptions from counters guide
- Take timed practice tests
Kanjijo advantage: Every kanji card shows all common readings with real example sentences. The SRS algorithm ensures you encounter tricky readings more frequently until they’re burned into memory.
JLPT Prep Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
The hardest involve: 1) Kanji with multiple common readings where context determines the choice, 2) Jukujikun (special compound readings), 3) Kanji look-alikes, and 4) Words that switch between on’yomi and kun’yomi in different compounds.
Roughly 10-15 kanji reading questions and 5-10 kanji usage questions, depending on the level. For N1 and N2, kanji and vocabulary are combined into one section worth about 60 points out of 180 total.
Yes! Creating a dedicated exceptions list is one of the most effective JLPT strategies. These questions are designed to trip you up, and they appear consistently across exam years. Studying them is essentially free points.
SRS drills every reading & exception until it sticks.