According to official statements, N2 belongs to the “intermediate to advanced Japanese level” and one should be able to understand everyday instructions and directions quite naturally. My own experience aligns with this. To be honest, if you go by the speaking speed of a real Japanese conversation, keeping up is still a bit difficult. But for daily instructions and communication, even without understanding word for word, you can grasp most of the meaning.
| Scenario | Speaking Speed (Mora/min) | Speaking Speed (Mora/sec) | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Chat | 400~480 | 6.7~8.0 | Fast, many colloquial deformations, noisy |
| NHK News | 350~440 | 5.8~7.3 | Clear, formal, slightly slower than chat |
| N2 Listening | 300~400 | 5.0~6.7 | Standard recording, near-natural speed, no interference |
Although I had long known that the JLPT is quite watered-down, witnessing two incidents at the JLPT test center in Japan really showed me just how much.
The First Incident
Before the exam started, the teacher had already emphasized countless times: only pencils, erasers, admission tickets, and watches are allowed on the desk. Even water bottles are not allowed.
But a student sitting diagonally across from me stubbornly placed a bottle of mineral water on his desk. The teacher clearly stated again, “Water is not allowed,” yet the student remained completely indifferent, acting as if nothing happened.
Then another proctor walked over. He made a gesture like presenting a product, holding his hands up like a tray 🤲 towards the water bottle. The meaning couldn’t have been more obvious, quietly signaling him to put it away.
He blanked for a moment, and I thought he finally understood. Unexpectedly, he just bent down and organized the backpack under his chair…
The proctor also thought the problem was solved, but when he turned back and looked: the water bottle was still standing steadily right there. He was visibly stunned…
I couldn’t help but chuckle secretly.
Fortunately, after a second reminder, he finally put the water bottle away.
The Second Incident
Exam requirements: Turn off mobile phones → put them in an envelope → place it under the chair.
The proctor also emphasized repeatedly: if the envelope is damaged or shows any signs of being opened, your exam qualifications will be directly canceled.
As a result, during the inspection after the exam ended—
There were three people in our classroom whose envelopes had signs of being opened.
The proctor had spoken at a slow speed + played the recording repeatedly + emphasized it N times + gave clear instructions on test center content.
If they couldn’t even understand this…