About This Quiz
Numbers and time are among the first things you use in real Japanese — reading a train schedule, arranging to meet someone, asking what day it is. This 10-question quiz tests the kanji behind those everyday expressions: 時 (o'clock), 分 (minute), 日 (day), 月 (month), and 年 (year). One thing to watch: not every number reads the way you'd expect. Four o'clock is 四時 — not しじ. Nine o'clock is 九時 — not きゅうじ. Keep those in mind as you go.
Questions
Question 1. What is the correct reading of 三時?
- A) にじ
- B) さんじ
- C) よじ
- D) ごじ
Answer
B) さんじ — 三 means 'three' and 時 means 'o'clock,' so 三時 = 3 o'clock. For reference: にじ is 2 o'clock, よじ is 4 o'clock, and ごじ is 5 o'clock.
Question 2. What does 何時 mean?
- A) One hour
- B) Every day
- C) What time
- D) Morning
Answer
C) What time — 何 means 'what/which' and 時 means 'o'clock,' so 何時 = what time? You'll hear it constantly: 今は何時ですか。(What time is it now?)
Question 3. Which kanji combination means '10 minutes'?
- A) 十時
- B) 十分
- C) 百分
- D) 何分
Answer
B) 十分 — 十 means 'ten' and 分 means 'minute,' giving 十分 = 10 minutes. Option A, 十時, means 10 o'clock. Option D, 何分, means 'how many minutes?'
Question 4. What is the correct reading of 毎日?
- A) まいひ
- B) まいにち
- C) ごとにち
- D) まいじつ
Answer
B) まいにち — 毎 means 'every' and 日 means 'day,' so 毎日 = every day. You'll see this word in diaries, schedules, and daily conversation. Two more built the same way: 毎週 (every week) and 毎月 (every month).
Question 5. What does 午前 mean?
- A) Afternoon
- B) Evening
- C) Morning / AM
- D) Midnight
Answer
C) Morning / AM — 午前 means AM — the hours from midnight to noon. Its opposite is 午後 (PM). For example: 午前八時 = 8:00 AM.
Question 6. What is the correct reading of 来月?
- A) こんげつ
- B) らいねん
- C) らいげつ
- D) きょねん
Answer
C) らいげつ — 来 means 'next/coming' and 月 means 'month,' so 来月 = next month. The full set: 先月 (last month), 今月 (this month), 来月 (next month). Option B, 来年, shifts the same pattern from month to year.
Question 7. Which of the following kanji means 'hundred'?
- A) 千
- B) 万
- C) 百
- D) 十
Answer
C) 百 — 百 = hundred, 千 = one thousand, 万 = ten thousand, 十 = ten. Pair these four with 一〜九 and you can read any number written in Japanese.
Question 8. Choose the correct kanji to complete the sentence: 今は七___です。(It is 7 o'clock now.)
- A) 分
- B) 時
- C) 日
- D) 年
Answer
B) 時 — To say the hour, put 時 after the number. 七時 = 7 o'clock. Swapping it out: 分 gives '7 minutes,' 日 means 'day,' and 年 means 'year.'
Question 9. What is the correct reading of 四時半?
- A) よじはん
- B) しじはん
- C) よんじはん
- D) よじなかば
Answer
A) よじはん — 四 takes the reading よ when used for 4 o'clock, so 四時. Add 半 (half) and you get 四時半 = 4:30. Two irregular o'clock readings worth memorizing: よじ (4 o'clock) and くじ (9 o'clock, not きゅうじ).
Question 10. What does 二十分 mean?
- A) 2 hours
- B) 20 seconds
- C) 20 minutes
- D) 2 minutes
Answer
C) 20 minutes — 二十 means 'twenty' and 分 means 'minute,' so 二十分 = 20 minutes. In practice: 三時二十分 = 3:20.
Score Guide
- 9–10: Sharp. Time expressions and irregular readings included — these are solid. Try the N5 vocabulary or grammar quizzes next.
- 7–8: Almost there. Go back to the questions you missed and say the readings aloud — that extra step helps them stick.
- 5–6: Keep going. Focus on 時 and 分, and lock in the two irregular readings: よじ (4 o'clock) and くじ (9 o'clock).
- 0–4: Start fresh with the basics — 一〜十, 百, 千 — then layer in 時 and 分. The irregular readings will click once those foundations are there.
Related Articles
- N5 Grammar Quiz — Particles (Quiz N5)
- N5 Grammar Quiz — Verb Forms (Quiz N5)
- Days, Months & Time (Vocabulary N5)
- Shopping at a Convenience Store (Reading N5)
- Days of the Month: 〜日 (Grammar N5)
- Numbers & Counting (Vocabulary N5)