[Hard-to-Read Quiz] Single-character difficult kanji — including surprisingly simple ones!

pitfall

It was the familiar “pitfall,” often seen on variety shows. You can probably guess it from the “hole” radical! Besides a literal hole you fall into, it also includes the meaning of a scheme to entrap someone.

nape (of the neck)

It was unaji, which refers to the nape of the neck. Indeed, when you look at the right-side component of the kanji, it does have a neck-like feel to it.

at will

A word you hear in phrases like “to do as one pleases.” There are a few variations, such as the character for “shi” (恣), but it’s surprising that this meaning can also be expressed with that single, familiar kanji read as “tate.” It was a tough question because the connection to the kanji is hard to visualize.

kokera (wood shavings; thin wooden flakes used for roofing or as decorative flakes); also appears in terms like “kokera otoshi” (the inaugural performance/opening event of a theater)

These are wood shavings produced when planing timber. The term “kokera-otoshi” (literally, “sweeping off the shavings”) arose from the practice of brushing them away at the end of construction work, and it’s also used to mean the inaugural performance at a theater. It’s similar to “kaki,” but the distinguishing point is whether the vertical line in the city radical protrudes.

snail

Some of you may have more or less guessed it from the feel of the kanji, right? Normally, it’s written as “蝸牛.”

ripples

It represents the small waves caused by the sea using the water radical (sanzui) and the character for “to connect/continue” (ren). It’s also the title of a track on the “Sazanami CD,” so Spitz fans might find it familiar!

cobblestone

These are flat tiles laid out on the ground. They have a charming feel and are a sight you can find even in stylish city areas. Usually, it’s written as “石畳,” meaning cobblestone pavement.