Mastering the Foundation Tier Kanji: Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Japanese
Welcome to your study guide for the Foundation Tier Kanji List! Learning kanji might feel intimidating at first, but don't worry. Kanji characters are like picture puzzles with logical building blocks. By breaking them down stroke by stroke, you will quickly build confidence in recognising them in your reading exam and writing them accurately in your writing exam.
In the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Japanese qualification (1JA0), script skills are assessed across all four papers: Paper 1: Listening (25%), Paper 2: Speaking (25%), Paper 3: Reading (25%), and Paper 4: Writing (25%). Understanding the Foundation Kanji list from Appendix 4 of the official specification is an essential step towards securing high marks.
1. Core Rules for GCSE Japanese Scripts
Before diving into individual characters, let us review the essential rules of Japanese script for your GCSE examination:
The Three Writing Systems: Japanese uses three distinct scripts together: Hiragana (for grammatical endings and native words), Katakana (for loanwords and foreign names), and Kanji (characters representing whole meanings or words borrowed from Chinese characters).
The Golden Rule: NO Rōmaji!
One of the most common and costly mistakes students make in Paper 4 (Writing) is writing words in English letters (rōmaji). The official Edexcel marking criteria strictly state: "Any work in romaji will not be credited." Always write using Hiragana, Katakana, and your prescribed Kanji.
Reading vs Writing Standards:
- In Paper 3 (Reading), prescribed Foundation kanji appear without furigana (small ruby kana above the kanji). You must be able to recognise their meanings and readings directly. If a non-prescribed or advanced kanji appears in a stimulus text, a furigana reading or gloss is provided.
- In Paper 4 (Writing), you are expected to write with accurate script. While accurate hiragana substitutes for kanji are credited for general communication at Foundation tier, correctly writing your Foundation kanji demonstrates precision and prevents ambiguities that could lose you accuracy marks.
Key Takeaway: Never use rōmaji in your exam, and practise reading Foundation kanji without furigana so you are ready for Paper 3.
2. The Foundation Kanji List by Stroke Count
In the official Edexcel specification (Appendix 4), kanji are organised logically by stroke count. Learning characters by stroke count helps you understand their structure, master stroke order, and avoid missing vital lines or dots.
1-Stroke Kanji
一 — one (Reading examples: ichi / hito-)
A single horizontal line drawn from left to right.
2-Stroke Kanji
二 — two (Reading examples: ni / futa-)
七 — seven (Reading examples: shichi / nana)
八 — eight (Reading examples: hachi / ya-)
九 — nine (Reading examples: kyū / ku / kokono-)
十 — ten (Reading examples: jū / tō)
人 — person (Reading examples: jin / nin / hito) — Used in nationalities like イギリス人 (British person) or counters like 三人 (three people).
入 — enter / insert (Reading examples: nyū / hai-ru / i-reru)
3-Stroke Kanji
三 — three (Reading examples: san / mi-)
千 — thousand (Reading examples: sen / zen)
万 — ten thousand (Reading examples: man / ban)
上 — up / above (Reading examples: jō / ue)
下 — down / below (Reading examples: ka / ge / shita)
口 — mouth (Reading examples: kō / kuchi / guchi) — Think of a square open mouth.
才 — years old / talent (Reading examples: sai) — Essential for stating your age: 十五才 (15 years old).
山 — mountain (Reading examples: san / zan / yama) — Looks like three mountain peaks.
川 — river (Reading examples: sen / kawa / gawa) — Looks like three flowing streams of water.
子 — child (Reading examples: shi / ko)
女 — woman / female (Reading examples: jo / onna)
大 — big / large (Reading examples: dai / tai / ō-kii) — A person standing with arms and legs stretched wide.
小 — small (Reading examples: shō / chii-sai / ko-)
土 — soil / earth / Saturday (Reading examples: do / to / tsuchi) — As in 土曜日 (Saturday).
4-Stroke Kanji
四 — four (Reading examples: shi / yon / yo-)
五 — five (Reading examples: go / itsu-)
六 — six (Reading examples: roku / mu-)
円 — yen / circle (Reading examples: en) — Used for Japanese currency: 五百円 (500 yen).
日 — day / sun / Sunday (Reading examples: nichi / ni / hi / bi) — As in 日本 (Japan) and 日曜日 (Sunday).
月 — month / moon / Monday (Reading examples: getsu / gatsu / tsuki) — As in 一月 (January) and 月曜日 (Monday).
火 — fire / Tuesday (Reading examples: ka / hi) — As in 火曜日 (Tuesday).
水 — water / Wednesday (Reading examples: sui / mizu) — As in 水曜日 (Wednesday).
木 — tree / wood / Thursday (Reading examples: moku / boku / ki) — As in 木曜日 (Thursday).
牛 — cow / beef (Reading examples: gyū / ushi) — As in 牛肉 (beef) or 牛乳 (cow's milk).
犬 — dog (Reading examples: ken / inu)
元 — origin / spirit (Reading examples: gen / gan / moto) — As in 元気 (healthy/lively).
今 — now (Reading examples: kon / kin / ima) — As in 今日 (today) and 今 (now).
手 — hand (Reading examples: shu / te)
中 — middle / inside (Reading examples: chū / naka) — A vertical line passing right through the middle of a box.
天 — heaven / sky (Reading examples: ten) — As in 天気 (weather).
分 — minute / part / to understand (Reading examples: fun / pun / bun / wa-karu) — As in 十分 (10 minutes) or 分かります (understand).
友 — friend (Reading examples: yū / tomo) — As in 友だち (friend).
5+ Stroke Key Foundation Kanji
Here are essential Foundation kanji with 5 or more strokes frequently tested in core GCSE topics like school, hobbies, travel, and daily routine:
外 — outside / foreign (e.g., 外国 foreign country)
生 — life / birth / student (e.g., 学生 student, 先生 teacher)
本 — book / origin (e.g., 日本 Japan, 本 book)
年 — year (e.g., 今年 this year, 二年生 second-year student)
先 — previous / ahead (e.g., 先生 teacher, 先週 last week)
名 — name (e.g., 名前 name, 有名 famous)
休 — rest / holiday (e.g., 休み holiday/break, 休む to rest)
男 — man / male (e.g., 男の人 man, 男の子 boy)
何 — what (e.g., 何 nani / nan, 何人 how many people, 何時 what time)
車 — car / vehicle (e.g., 車 car, 電車 train)
行 — to go (e.g., 行きます go, 旅行 travel)
来 — to come / next (e.g., 来ます come, 来週 next week, 来年 next year)
校 — school (e.g., 学校 school, 高校 high school)
食 — to eat / food (e.g., 食べます eat, 食べ物 food)
見 — to see / look (e.g., 見ます see/watch, 見せます show)
Key Takeaway: Master your numbers (一 to 万), days/nature elements (日, 月, 火, 水, 木, 土), and high-frequency verbs (行, 来, 食, 見) first—they appear in almost every Foundation paper!
3. Look-Alike Kanji & Common Traps
Examiners regularly report errors where candidates confuse characters that look very similar. Take a close look at these common pairs to train your eyes:
Trap 1: 人 (person) vs 入 (enter)
人 (person, 2 strokes): The left stroke starts higher and supports the right stroke down.
入 (enter, 2 strokes): The right stroke starts at the top, sweeping downwards, while the left stroke tucks underneath it.
Memory trick: In 人 (person), think of a human walking forward. In 入 (enter), the character looks like an open entrance flap you enter under.
Trap 2: 大 (big) vs 犬 (dog)
大 (big, 3 strokes): A person stretching arms wide: 一 + 人 = 大.
犬 (dog, 4 strokes): It is exactly the same as 大, but has a tiny dot on the top right.
Memory trick: The dot in 犬 is the dog's wagging tail or a treat balanced on its nose!
Trap 3: 土 (earth/soil) vs 士 (warrior/scholar)
土 (soil/earth/Saturday): The bottom horizontal line is longer than the top line.
士: The top horizontal line is longer (not required at Foundation, but watch out so you draw 土 with a solid, wide base!).
Trap 4: Numbers and Counters
In Japanese, you do not just write a number; you attach the correct counter kanji depending on what you are counting:
- People: Number + 人 (e.g., 三人 = three people; 何人 = how many people)
- Age: Number + 才 (e.g., 十六才 = 16 years old; 何才 = how old)
- Minutes / Time: Number + 分 (e.g., 五分 = 5 minutes; 何分 = how many minutes)
- Money: Number + 円 (e.g., 百円 = 100 yen)
Key Takeaway: Pay close attention to stroke length, dots, and attached counters to avoid confusing similar characters under exam pressure.
4. Top Tips for GCSE Exam Success
1. Practise Active Writing (Stroke Order Matters):
Do not just look at kanji passively. Write each character by hand following the standard top-to-bottom and left-to-right rules. Correct stroke order guarantees balanced, legible characters that examiners can easily award marks for.
2. Spot Kanji in Context:
Rather than memorising isolated characters, learn them inside familiar GCSE phrases:
- 日曜日に行きます (Going on Sunday)
- 日本語の学生 (Japanese language student)
- 友だちと車で見ます (Watching/seeing by car with a friend)
3. Check Your Work in Paper 4:
Leave \(5\) minutes at the end of the writing exam to verify that you have not accidentally slipped into rōmaji anywhere, and that your kana and kanji are clearly drawn without missing strokes or dots.
Summary: With consistent daily practice, Foundation tier kanji will become second nature, helping you navigate Paper 3 texts with ease and write with accuracy and flair in Paper 4!