Questions, answered with numbers
Most answers to these questions are quoted with no source. Every figure on these 33 pages is either counted from InputDojo’s own grammar and dictionary corpus, or attributed to whoever published it. Where no official number exists — and for the JLPT, none has since 2010 — the pages say so instead of inventing one.
Exam levels
What each JLPT and HSK level actually contains, counted from our own corpus.
- How many grammar points are in JLPT N5?N5 grammar points in InputDojo: 59
- How many grammar points are in JLPT N4?N4 grammar points in InputDojo: 69
- How many grammar points are in JLPT N3?N3 grammar points in InputDojo: 82
- How many grammar points are in JLPT N2?N2 grammar points in InputDojo: 75
- How many grammar points are in JLPT N1?N1 grammar points in InputDojo: 92
- How many grammar points are in HSK 1?HSK 1 grammar points in InputDojo: 58
- How many grammar points are in HSK 2?HSK 2 grammar points in InputDojo: 54
- How many grammar points are in HSK 3?HSK 3 grammar points in InputDojo: 62
- How many grammar points are in HSK 4?HSK 4 grammar points in InputDojo: 75
- How many grammar points are in HSK 5?HSK 5 grammar points in InputDojo: 47
- How many grammar points are in HSK 6?HSK 6 grammar points in InputDojo: 42
- How many grammar points are in HSK 7-9?HSK 7-9 grammar points in InputDojo: 139
Vocabulary
How many words a level needs, and which words to learn first.
- How many words do you need for JLPT N5?Commonly cited N5 requirement: ~800 words
- How many words do you need for JLPT N4?Commonly cited N4 requirement: ~1,500 words cumulative
- How many words do you need for HSK 1?Official HSK 2.0 requirement: 150 words
- How many words do you need for HSK 2?Official HSK 2.0 requirement: 300 words cumulative
- How many words do you need for HSK 3?Official HSK 2.0 requirement: 600 words cumulative
- What are the first 200 words to learn in Spanish?Core Spanish words in InputDojo: 207
- What are the first 210 words to learn in French?Core French words in InputDojo: 212
- What are the first 200 words to learn in German?Core German words in InputDojo: 207
- What are the first 200 words to learn in Italian?Core Italian words in InputDojo: 209
- What are the first 210 words to learn in Portuguese?Core Portuguese words in InputDojo: 211
- What are the first 180 words to learn in Korean?Core Korean words in InputDojo: 181
How long it takes
FSI estimates, what they assume, and what really sets the pace.
- How long does it take to learn Japanese?FSI estimate: 2,200 class hours
- How long does it take to learn Chinese?FSI estimate: 2,200 class hours
- How long does it take to learn Korean?FSI estimate: 2,200 class hours
- How long does it take to learn Spanish?FSI estimate: 600-750 class hours
- How long does it take to learn French?FSI estimate: 600-750 class hours
- How long does it take to learn German?FSI estimate: 900 class hours
- How long does it take to learn Italian?FSI estimate: 600-750 class hours
- How long does it take to learn Portuguese?FSI estimate: 600-750 class hours
Study order
What to learn when, and where the standard ladders mislead.