Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Difficult-to-Read Kanji for Everyday Items: Take on a quiz full of surprises and discoveries

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.

Did you know there are many tricky-to-read kanji hiding all around us? The names of fruits, vegetables, and tools can all be written in kanji, revealing expressions so rich you can’t help but say, “Ah, that makes sense!” Even familiar foods and everyday items can feel completely different when written in kanji, giving you a puzzle-like sense of excitement.

This time, we’re introducing difficult-to-read kanji for everyday things that you can enjoy together with seniors.

Check your answers as you go, and enjoy a time full of smiles, surprise, and discovery!

[For Seniors] Hard-to-Read Kanji for Familiar Items: Try a Quiz Full of Surprises and Discoveries (11–20)

pineapple

[Kanji Kentei Level 1 Quiz] Do foreign-named fruits have kanji too? #hardKanji #KanjiKentei #KanjiKenteiLevel1 #calligraphy #quiz #study #kanji #trivia

pineapple

It’s a fruit strongly associated with being grown in tropical countries, and because it’s commonly written in katakana, the kanji can seem hard to read.

Some people may have seen the whole large fruit, while for many, the cut pieces or canned version might be more familiar.

The leaves and the fruit’s skin give a spiky impression, and beyond the tough rind, the sweet, refreshing aroma is another defining feature.

The answer is pineapple—a quintessential tropical fruit that you also often see in Chinese cuisine and the like.

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In conclusion

There are many obscure kanji used for familiar things that carry deep meanings or employ unexpected characters.

Even foods and everyday items take on a refined significance when written in kanji, offering delightful surprises.

Enjoy exploring the world of kanji together with older adults, and let the conversation blossom with personal memories connected to each term.