JLPT N2 Abstract Words: How to Use 傾向・方針・基準 Without Getting Confused

You Know the Words — So Why Do You Still Choose the Wrong Answer?

Have you ever had this experience in a JLPT N2 reading question?

• You understand almost every sentence.
• There are very few unknown words.
• You can follow the general meaning of the passage.
• But you still get stuck between two answer choices.

Then, after reading the explanation, you think:

“Oh... now I see why that was the answer.”

If this happens often, the problem may not be your basic reading ability.

It may be your understanding of abstract Japanese vocabulary.

At N2 level, words such as 傾向（けいこう / keikō / tendency）, 方針（ほうしん / hōshin / policy or course of action）, and 基準（きじゅん / kijun / standard or criterion） appear frequently in news articles, essays, reports, and reading-comprehension passages.

They are difficult because all three can somehow feel related to “direction,” “thinking,” or “decision-making.”

But their functions are actually very different.

The key is not simply memorizing an English translation.

You need to understand what role each word plays in a sentence.

Let’s make the difference clear.

The Core Difference: “What Happens,” “What We Will Do,” and “How We Decide”

First, remember these three basic ideas.

• 傾向（けいこう / keikō / tendency）: something tends to happen
• 方針（ほうしん / hōshin / policy, course of action）: someone has decided what to do
• 基準（きじゅん / kijun / standard, criterion）: something is used to make a judgment

An even easier way to remember them is:

傾向 = What tends to happen?

方針 = What are they going to do?

基準 = What do they use to decide?

Keep these three questions in mind. They are extremely useful in JLPT reading questions.

傾向: A Pattern That Naturally Appears

傾向（けいこう / keikō / tendency） describes a pattern that can be observed in people, society, data, behavior, or events.

Nobody necessarily decided that the situation should become that way.

You simply observe what is happening and notice a pattern.

Examples

最近は、若い人ほどテレビを見ない傾向がある。

There is a tendency for younger people to watch less television these days.

日本では都市部に人口が集中する傾向が見られる。

In Japan, there is a tendency for the population to concentrate in urban areas.

この試験では、後半になるほど問題が難しくなる傾向がある。

In this exam, the questions tend to become more difficult toward the end.

忙しい人ほど睡眠時間が短くなる傾向がある。

Busier people tend to sleep fewer hours.

Notice what these sentences have in common.

Nobody is saying, “We have decided to make this happen.”

Instead, the speaker is describing an observed pattern.

Common Expressions with 傾向

You will often see:

• ～傾向がある — there is a tendency to...
• ～傾向が見られる — a tendency can be observed
• ～する傾向にある — tend to...
• 増加傾向（ぞうかけいこう） — upward/increasing trend
• 減少傾向（げんしょうけいこう） — downward/decreasing trend
• 上昇傾向（じょうしょうけいこう） — upward trend

Words such as 調査（survey）, データ（data）, 若者（young people）, 消費者（consumers）, 社会（society）, and 近年（in recent years） often appear near 傾向.

When a passage is describing what has been happening repeatedly or statistically, think of 傾向.

方針: A Decision About What to Do

方針（ほうしん / hōshin / policy, course of action） describes a direction that a person, company, school, government, or organization has intentionally decided to follow.

The important point is intention.

Someone has made a decision about what they will do from now on.

Examples

会社は海外市場をさらに拡大する方針だ。

The company plans to further expand into overseas markets.

政府はこの制度を来年度から見直す方針を示した。

The government announced its policy of reviewing the system from the next fiscal year.

学校では、学生の自主性を重視する方針を取っている。

The school follows a policy of emphasizing student independence.

当社は今後も価格を変更しない方針です。

Our company intends to keep prices unchanged.

Unlike 傾向, these situations do not simply “happen.”

A company, government, school, or other decision-maker has chosen a direction.

Common Expressions with 方針

Watch for combinations such as:

• 方針を決める — decide on a policy
• 方針を示す — indicate or announce a policy
• 方針を変更する — change a policy
• 方針を固める — finalize a course of action
• 方針を取る — adopt a policy
• ～する方針だ — intend / plan to do

One expression that appears very frequently in Japanese news is:

政府は～する方針を固めた。

The government has decided on a policy of doing...

If you see words related to 今後（from now on）, 予定（plan）, 決定（decision）, 政府（government）, or 会社（company）, consider whether the passage is talking about a 方針.

基準: The Standard Used to Make a Decision

基準（きじゅん / kijun / standard, criterion） is a rule, condition, or measuring point used to decide something.

It can determine whether something is acceptable or unacceptable, successful or unsuccessful, safe or unsafe, qualified or unqualified.

Examples

合格の基準は70点以上です。

The passing standard is 70 points or higher.

商品を選ぶとき、価格を一つの基準にしている。

When choosing a product, I use price as one of my criteria.

採用基準を明確にする必要がある。

We need to clarify the hiring criteria.

安全基準を満たしていない製品は販売できない。

Products that do not meet safety standards cannot be sold.

A 基準 is not an action itself.

It is something used to judge, evaluate, select, or classify.

Common Expressions with 基準

Look for:

• 基準を設ける — establish a standard
• 基準を満たす — meet a standard
• 基準を超える — exceed a standard
• 基準を下回る — fall below a standard
• 判断基準（はんだんきじゅん） — criterion for judgment
• 採用基準（さいようきじゅん） — hiring criteria
• 評価基準（ひょうかきじゅん） — evaluation criteria
• 安全基準（あんぜんきじゅん） — safety standards

Words such as 判断（judgment）, 評価（evaluation）, 条件（condition）, 合格（passing）, 選ぶ（choose）, and 満たす（meet/satisfy） are strong clues.

See the Difference Through One Company

The easiest way to understand these three words is to use the same situation.

Imagine a company.

First:

最近、この会社では若い社員が増える傾向がある。

Recently, this company has seen a tendency toward an increasing number of younger employees.

This describes an observed situation.

It does not necessarily mean that management deliberately decided to hire younger people.

Now compare:

この会社は、今後若い社員を積極的に採用する方針だ。

The company plans to actively hire younger employees in the future.

Now there is a clear decision.

The company has chosen what it intends to do.

Finally:

この会社では、語学力を採用の重要な基準にしている。

At this company, language ability is an important criterion for hiring.

This tells us how the company decides whom to hire.

So:

• Young employees are naturally increasing → 傾向
• The company intends to hire more young employees → 方針
• Language ability is used to decide whom to hire → 基準

Same company, three completely different functions.

The Dangerous N2 Strategy: Choosing Only by Dictionary Meaning

Consider this sentence:

この会社では、商品の価格より品質を重視する＿＿＿を取っている。

At this company, they adopt a ______ of emphasizing quality over product price.

Suppose the choices are:

• 傾向
• 方針
• 基準

The correct answer is 方針.

Why?

You might think 基準 is possible because quality can certainly be a criterion.

But the important clue is:

～を取っている

The natural collocation is:

方針を取る

to adopt a policy or course of action.

Normally, you do not say:

基準を取る

This is why JLPT N2 vocabulary cannot be mastered through dictionary translations alone.

You need to know which words naturally appear together.

In Reading Questions, Ask: Who? When? For What Purpose?

When you cannot decide between 傾向, 方針, and 基準, ask yourself three questions.

1. Did Someone Intentionally Decide This?

If nobody deliberately decided it and the writer is simply describing an observed pattern, think:

傾向

If a person or organization intentionally decided what to do, think:

方針

2. Is It Describing a Pattern or a Future Direction?

If the sentence describes what commonly happens:

傾向

If it describes what someone intends to do from now on:

方針

3. Is It Being Used to Judge Something?

If the word refers to a condition used for selecting, evaluating, approving, rejecting, or classifying something:

基準

This simple three-step check can eliminate many wrong choices.

Mini Quiz

Choose 傾向, 方針, or 基準.

Question 1

最近、日本を訪れる外国人旅行者は増加する＿＿＿にある。

Recently, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan is showing an increasing ______.

Answer: 傾向

The sentence describes an observed change.

Question 2

大学側は、来年度からオンライン授業を減らす＿＿＿を発表した。

The university announced its ______ to reduce online classes starting next academic year.

Answer: 方針

The university has decided what it intends to do.

Question 3

この奨学金では、家庭の収入が重要な選考＿＿＿となっている。

For this scholarship, household income is an important selection ______.

Answer: 基準

Household income is being used as a criterion for deciding who receives the scholarship.

Learn Words as Phrases, Not Isolated Translations

For N2, memorizing only:

傾向 = tendency

方針 = policy

基準 = standard

is not enough.

A much more effective method is to memorize common combinations:

• 傾向が見られる — a tendency can be observed
• 方針を示す — announce or indicate a policy
• 基準を満たす — meet a standard

Better still, learn them inside short sentences:

増加する傾向が見られる。

An increasing trend can be observed.

今後も継続する方針を示した。

They announced their intention to continue in the future.

必要な基準を満たしている。

It meets the necessary standards.

At N2 level, it is not just about how many words you “know.”

You need to know how those words behave inside real Japanese sentences.

Why These Abstract Words Matter So Much in JLPT Reading

JLPT reading questions do not always repeat the exact words used in the passage.

For example, the passage may say:

今後、店舗数を減らしてオンライン販売に力を入れる。

From now on, the company will reduce the number of physical stores and focus on online sales.

But an answer choice might summarize this as:

会社の経営方針が変更された。

The company's management policy has changed.

If your understanding of 方針 is weak, you may fail to connect these two sentences.

Now compare:

最近ではオンラインで商品を購入する人が増えている。

Recently, more people are purchasing products online.

This describes a consumer 傾向.

And:

一定額以上購入した利用者を優良顧客とする。

Customers who purchase above a certain amount will be classified as preferred customers.

Here, the purchase amount functions as a 基準.

This is one of the most important skills for N2 reading:

You must be able to move from a concrete sentence to an abstract idea.

Instead of understanding only “what the sentence says,” learn to recognize:

“This is describing a 傾向.”

“This is explaining a 方針.”

“This is giving a 基準.”

Once you can do that, JLPT answer choices become much easier to analyze.

Final Review: Move Beyond “I Sort of Understand”

Remember these three ideas:

• 傾向: an observable tendency or pattern
• 方針: an intentionally chosen direction or course of action
• 基準: a standard or criterion used to make a judgment

When you are unsure, ask:

What tends to happen? → 傾向

What are they going to do? → 方針

What are they using to decide? → 基準

At N2 level, simply “knowing the meaning” of a word is no longer enough.

You need to distinguish similar words quickly and understand their role inside a passage.

And the best way to develop that skill is through repeated practice with real questions — while checking not only whether your answer was correct, but also why it was correct.

RJT (Rapid Japanese Training) is designed to help you strengthen exactly this kind of practical JLPT decision-making ability through repeated question practice.

If you often think, “I understand the Japanese, but somehow I still choose the wrong answer,” it may be time to move from passive understanding to active test-taking skill.

Train your Japanese so you can choose the right answer with confidence — RJT (Rapid Japanese Training)