Why do JLPT N3 learners confuse 憲法 with 刑?

Both words occupy adjacent semantic territory, which is exactly why the JLPT uses them as distractors for each other on multiple-choice items. The fastest way to stop confusing them is to study them as a pair, write a one-sentence contrast in your own words, and drill the pair specifically rather than each word in isolation.

Is 憲法 or 刑 more common on JLPT N3?

Both appear in the JLPT N3 curriculum and either may show up on a given exam. Don't try to predict which one the test will choose — learn to distinguish them and you'll be safe regardless. Both belong to the Government & Law theme of N3 vocabulary.

How do I practice this confusion pair?

Free option: visit /try and pick a confusion drill. Paid option: none — JLPT Mastery is free during launch. Whichever route you take, the engine specifically re-tests pairs you've gotten wrong rather than rotating through general vocabulary review.

JLPT N3 · Intermediate · Meaning confusion

憲法 vs 刑

Q: What's the difference between 憲法 and 刑?

憲法 (けんぽう) means "constitution" and 刑 (けい) means "penalty, sentence, punishment". Both pertain to high-level law. 憲法 is the foundational constitution of a nation, whereas 刑 refers to a specific penalty or sentence for a crime. They are often grouped in legal vocabulary, leading to conceptual overlap.

Why JLPT N3 learners mix up 憲法 (けんぽう, “constitution”) and 刑 (けい, “penalty, sentence, punishment”).

憲法

けんぽう

constitution

noun

刑

けい

penalty, sentence, punishment

noun

Theme: Government & LawJLPT N3

Why these get confused

Both pertain to high-level law. 憲法 is the foundational constitution of a nation, whereas 刑 refers to a specific penalty or sentence for a crime. They are often grouped in legal vocabulary, leading to conceptual overlap.

How to tell them apart

Anchor on the meaning, not the form. 憲法 (constitution) and 刑 (penalty, sentence, punishment) live in adjacent semantic territory. Memorize the boundary, not just each word.
Read the example sentences below. Seeing each word in its natural context builds a faster lookup than studying the dictionary form alone.

In a sentence

憲法 (constitution)

平等は憲法で保障されている。
平等は憲法で保障されている。

刑 (penalty, sentence, punishment)

彼は刑事だ。
王は処刑された。

How JLPT tests this pair

On JLPT N3, this pair shows up as a vocabulary meaning question. You see one word and pick its English equivalent from four options — one of which will be the other word in this pair, chosen as a distractor precisely because of the overlap.

Sample item

「憲法」の意味は？