[For Seniors] Fun and Exciting! Difficult Kanji Quiz
Brain training is a type of recreation that’s easy for anyone to try, regardless of gender.
Because you can participate while seated, it’s accessible even for those who have difficulty moving their bodies.
Kanji brain-training quizzes in particular are said to help train the brain by recalling information from memory and sparking new ideas.
So this time, we’ll introduce a set of difficult kanji quizzes.
With quizzes, people can enjoy the sense of achievement and satisfaction when the answer they worked hard to come up with turns out to be correct.
Some older adults may overthink when it comes to difficult kanji.
Try adding creative touches like providing hint illustrations or photos that lead to the answer.
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[For Seniors] Fun and Lively! Difficult Kanji Quiz (41–50)
udon (thick wheat noodles)
Udon, which can be enjoyed in various styles like kake-udon and bukkake-udon, is an easy, familiar food.
In kanji, udon is written as “饂飩.” The word “udon” is thought to have evolved from the Chinese term “饂飩” (pronounced roughly as “hundun”), which originally referred to a dish of wheat dough wrapped around fillings such as meat.
In ancient Japan, Buddhist teachings prohibited the eating of meat, so the fillings were reduced, and in the end only the noodles remained—giving rise to “udon.” Having undergone many changes through history and culture, udon has continued to be loved in a variety of styles for many years.
Keep this little tidbit in mind as a fun topic when you’re eating udon with family or friends.
bread (pan)
Menpu is read as “pan” (bread).
The character 麺 refers to foods made by kneading flour or similar ingredients, and 麭 also refers to foods whose main ingredient is wheat flour.
Together, the two characters express the meaning of foods made from wheat.
Bread is said to be the oldest processed food made by humans in the world.
It is believed that bread was introduced to Japan around the 16th century and became widespread after the Meiji era.
While giving hints such as “a food made from wheat that can be shaped in many ways to your liking,” please enjoy the quiz!
banana (plantain)
“甘蕉” is read as “banana.” Because many people write “banana” in katakana, some may find the kanji form a bit difficult.
The character “甘” represents the sweetness of bananas, and “蕉” is said to denote the type of plant.
Sweet bananas with yellow peels are popular with people of all ages.
There are many varieties—some are small, some are reddish, and so on.
While bananas are now a popular fruit easily found in supermarkets, they used to be a luxury item in the past.
The kanji may be a little challenging, but do try to remember it!
Cheese
Let us introduce cheese, a fermented food made from dairy products that has been loved for many years! It is characterized by rich umami and depth of flavor, and depending on the type, you can enjoy sweetness or saltiness.
It pairs well with wine.
Many of you may already have guessed the answer.
The answer is “cheese”! Because cheese is a dairy product, it is rich in protein and calcium.
As a food that helps strengthen bones, it often appears on meal menus for older adults.
If you’re not a fan, try shaving it onto salads or mixing it into dishes as a seasoning to make it more palatable!
cherry (specifically, sweet cherry)
It’s a fruit associated with cherry blossoms, which you can also infer from the kanji—some people might recognize it from that alone.
It’s said to have been eaten since prehistoric times, and today it’s cultivated in Japan, especially in the Tohoku region.
The answer is “sakuranbo,” or cherries; if you read the kanji literally as “sakura-momo” (cherry-peach), many people might catch on.
Given its connection to cherry blossoms, it feels like something that’s been beloved in Japan for a long time, but it’s worth noting that it actually has a relatively short history here, having been introduced in the Meiji era.
