Japanese uses three distinct systems of writing- Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana. Hiragana is syllabic and the most original writing system in Japan. It is used for simple words, conjugations, particles and children's literature as it is the first set of writing which is taught. Katakana is used to write foreign words. Kanji is based on the Chinese writing system and consists of about 2000 signs. Kanji was imported from Chinese in the 6th century AD. It has developed strongly ever since, often simplifying the original letters. The language also can be written in two different ways: Western style (horizontal row) and traditional Japanese style (vertical columns). Japanese Language Proficiency Test has Five levels namely N1, N2, N3, N4, N5 respectively. N5 is the most basic and N1 is the most advanced.