What animal is this kanji? A quiz on difficult animal kanji.
You usually see animal names written in hiragana or katakana, right?
So when an animal name suddenly appears in kanji, you might find yourself a bit confused, thinking, “What animal is this?”
In this article, we’ll introduce tricky kanji that represent animals in a quiz format!
It features many animals you often see at zoos, aquariums, and in wildlife documentaries on TV.
Take the quiz and you’ll learn even more about animals.
It’s perfect for studying kanji and for brain training, so be sure to give it a try!
- A quiz on how to read obscure kanji: words that become difficult when written in kanji.
- Obscure fish kanji. Can you read them?
- [Animal Quiz] Learn about animals through quizzes!
- [Hard-to-Read Quiz] Single-character difficult kanji — including surprisingly simple ones!
- A quiz of interesting obscure kanji: characters that look easy but are hard to read
- How many can you read? A quiz on difficult kanji for foods
- [Interesting] Summary of Kanji Reading Quiz Questions
- [For Elementary School Students] Animal Quiz to Learn Knowledge and Fun Facts
- [For Elementary School Students] 3-Choice Quiz to Deepen Knowledge of Living Things
- [Trivia] Do you know the answers? A roundup of animal quizzes
- Animal riddles
- [Snake Quiz] Surprisingly fascinating once you know! Snake ecology & characteristics
- List of animals that start with “n”
What animal is this kanji? Difficult Animal Kanji Quiz (1–10)
What kind of animal is a “panda”?
- raccoon dog
- panda
- koala
See the answer
panda
“熊猫” is read as “panda.” In 1972, as part of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China, pandas named “Lan Lan” and “Kang Kang” came to Ueno Zoo in Japan for the first time. By the way, adding “大” to “熊猫” to make “大熊猫” means “giant panda.”
What kind of animal is a “kingfisher”?
- kingfisher
- owl
- canary
See the answer
kingfisher
Hisui is the kanji that denotes the common kingfisher. It is written with the same characters as the gemstone known as jade. The character 翡 means red and 翠 means green, representing the belly colors of male and female kingfishers, respectively. The gemstone’s name was borrowed from the beautiful coloration of the kingfisher.
What kind of animal is a “weasel”?
- hamster
- cat
- weasel
See the answer
weasel
Weasels are small carnivorous animals belonging to the Mustelidae family. They are characterized by their slender bodies and quick movements, and are known for preying on mice and other small animals. If a weasel enters your home, it can produce a strong odor and its droppings may attract insects, so you should promptly contact a professional service for removal.
What animal is this kanji? Difficult Animal Kanji Quiz (11–20)
What kind of animal is a bat?
- otter
- bat
- lizard
See the answer
bat
Bats are the only mammals capable of flight. They are nocturnal and possess echolocation, allowing them to fly while avoiding obstacles using ultrasonic waves. Because bats often carry viruses that can be extremely dangerous to humans, never touch one if you find it.
What kind of animal is the “Seikōao-inkō” (Yellow-backed Blue Parrot)?
- shoebill
- platypus
- budgerigar
See the answer
budgerigar
“背黄青鸚哥” is the kanji that refers to the budgerigar, a type of parakeet like the Java sparrow. Budgerigars are characterized by their cute coloration in yellow, blue, green, and other hues. They were imported from Australia during the Meiji era, but at the time they were apparently quite expensive animals.
What kind of animal is the “long-tailed donkey”?
- Kangaroo
- Wallaby
- Capybara
See the answer
Kangaroo
“長尾驢” is the kanji that represents “kangaroo.” Because kangaroos have long tails and their faces resemble a donkey’s, the character for donkey, 驢, is used, resulting in the kanji 長尾驢 (“long-tailed donkey”). In Australia, where many kangaroos live, there are about twice as many kangaroos as people, and they can be seen all over the country.
What animal is a “reindeer” (junroku)?
- reindeer
- Kangaroo
- Lion
See the answer
reindeer
“馴鹿” is the kanji that refers to reindeer. Reindeer are members of the deer family and live in cold regions such as the Arctic, Finland, and Canada. One theory about why Santa is accompanied by reindeer at Christmas is that in old picture books, a certain people who could use magic were depicted with reindeer, and this was thought to fit Santa’s image.