The test consists of five levels, with N1 being the highest level and N5 the lowest. N1 covers vocabulary that allow the user to understand Japanese used in business, academia and other high-level environments, N2 covers vocabulary allow the user to have the ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations, and in a variety of circumstances to a proficient degree, N3 represents vocabulary that allows the user to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to an intermediate degree, N4 represents the ability to understand some basic real-life Japanese, and N5 represents the ability to understand some simple Japanese at a basic level.