Japanese Language Examination Day

Today, and February 5th annually, is Japanese Language Examination Day (日本語検定の日). It is a a commemorative day created to promote the Japanese Language Examination, called Nihongo Kentei (日本語検定). The date comes from a playful bit of goroawase (see yesterday's "goroawase" post) wordplay: 2‑5 can be read as “ni‑hon‑go” - the Japanese for Japanese!

The day was established by Tokyo Shoseki, a major educational publisher headquartered in Tokyo’s Kita Ward and a supporter of the exam. The Japanese Language Examination is administered by the nonprofit Nihongo Kentei Iinkai. It  measures a person’s overall command of Japanese. Unlike tests that focus only on kanji, this exam evaluates a broad range of abilities, including vocabulary, grammar, honorific language, and practical usage.

You may be wondering what the difference between the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and the Nihongo Kentai are. Well, essentially the JLPT is for nonnative Japanese speakers learning Japanese, while the Nihongo Kentai is for anyone with Japanese language abilities, regardless of what their native language is. Have you ever taken a Nihongo Kentai test?