[For Seniors] Fun and Exciting! Difficult Kanji Quiz

garlic

It’s written as 大蒜 and read as “ninniku” (garlic).

In the past, pungent plants like garlic, green onions, chives, and wild garlic were collectively written with the character 蒜 and read as “hiru.” To distinguish garlic from nobiru (written as 野蒜), garlic was written as 大蒜 and read as “ōbiru.” There is also nira (garlic chives), which uses the similar-looking character 韭.

Incidentally, garlic, green onions, and nira all belong to the lily family, the same as lilies and tulips.

The part buried in the soil is a bulb.

jade

You might instinctively want to read this kanji, 翡翠, as “hisui,” meaning jade.

But in fact, it’s the name of a certain bird.

This bird has a blue head and wings, and a yellow to orange belly.

Because of its beautiful colors, it’s nicknamed things like “blue jewel” or “jewel of the mountain streams.” It’s slightly larger than a sparrow and often seen near the water—its name is, precisely, the kingfisher (kawasemi)! While the kanji suits its appearance and epithets perfectly, it’s a bit surprising, isn’t it? In fact, the bird used this kanji before the gemstone jade did.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

SAKI

Report a problem

loach

Even among elderly people with a wealth of knowledge, there may be quite a few who are seeing the kanji “鰌” for the first time.

Since it contains the fish radical, you can at least guess it’s a type of fish that lives in rivers or the sea.

They’re found in rice paddies and irrigation channels, and some older folks may have caught them as children.

They’re edible, and the hot pot dish “Yanagawa nabe” is especially famous.

So what does this kanji represent? It’s dojo loach! Dojo is even healthier than eel while offering comparable nutrients, so it might be nice to go out for a dojo dish as part of a dining activity or recreation.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

SAKI

Report a problem

corn

These unfamiliar-looking characters, 玉蜀黍, are the kanji for one of the world’s three major grains that is in season in summer.

The word written with these characters is the common name for this food, but in Japan it’s called various names depending on the region, such as “tōkibi” or “nanba.” By introducing regional nicknames as hints, older adults might recognize the term from their birthplace and quickly arrive at the answer.

The correct reading of this kanji is, precisely, “corn.” It’s also effective for recovering from summer fatigue, so after solving the quiz, be sure to give it a try!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

SAKI

Report a problem

prickly pear (cactus pear)

"Rikurenkon" — you might be tempted to read it as 'riku renkon,' but that's incorrect, of course.

The kanji here refers to a summer vegetable.

It’s long and slender, and when you cut it, the cross-section looks like a star.

It’s also sticky and stringy, much like natto.

So, what’s the answer to this kanji? It’s okra! Okra is packed with nutrients that are great for your health: it can help prevent summer fatigue, cool the body, and even aid in preventing high blood pressure.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

SAKI

Report a problem

walrus

The characters 膃肭臍 are read as “ottosei” (fur seal).

In China, the term 膃肭 meant “plump,” but the fur seal’s navel (臍), regarded as a valuable ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, was introduced to Japan, and people began calling the animal itself 膃肭臍.

Speaking of fur seals, many of us picture them balancing a ball on their noses in aquarium shows—but isn’t that actually a “sea lion show”? Fur seals are smaller than sea lions and are characterized by a glossy, dark gray or brownish color.

sea urchin

The word for sea urchin is written in kanji as 「海栗」 and read “uni,” but sea urchin can also be written as 「雲丹」 or 「海胆」.

“海栗” refers to live sea urchins in the ocean, while “雲丹” and “海胆” refer to processed sea urchin as a food product.

The use of the characters for “sea” and “chestnut” comes from the fact that a sea urchin’s surface is covered with spines resembling the burrs of a chestnut.

Indeed, sea urchins living underwater do look like spiky chestnut burrs.

Incidentally, the spines on the top of a sea urchin’s body serve to protect it from enemies, while the spines on the underside are used for walking.