Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Fun and Informative Trivia Quiz Collection

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.

There may be older adults who are spending monotonous days.

So this time, we’ll introduce some useful trivia quizzes that will make you think, “I see!”

You can use them as brain training by asking the questions, and they’re also fun to bring up in casual conversations with seniors.

Because they spark interest easily, they’re likely to be a hit as a recreational activity, too!

With trivia quizzes, you can hear the answers and gain new knowledge.

People often feel like sharing the trivia they’ve learned with others, which can naturally encourage communication.

[For Seniors] Fun and Educational Trivia Quiz Collection (141–150)

What is ‘moshi moshi’ on the phone short for?

When answering the phone, we casually say “moshi moshi,” but what is it short for? The answer is “moushimasu, moushimasu” (“I speak, I speak”).

When telephones were introduced in Japan in 1890 (Meiji 23), calls were connected by telephone operators.

Many operators were women at the time, and they would say “moushimasu, moushimasu,” meaning “I’m about to speak,” which was shortened to “moshi moshi.” Incidentally, men would call out “oi, oi,” and the conversation would begin with responses like “hai, you gozansu” (“yes, very well”).

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If mold grows on food, is it safe to eat if you remove the moldy part?

It’s okay to eat it.
Eating is dangerous

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Eating is dangerous

Have you ever found mold on sliced bread or New Year’s mochi? Some people may tell you it’s fine as long as you cut off the moldy part, but that’s actually a taboo. Even if you remove the visible mold, its roots have already spread deep inside. Mold can cause food poisoning, so you should never eat it!

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What is the origin of the crescent shape of gyoza?

Dumplings are made by wrapping filling in a round piece of dough and shaping it into a crescent.

Where does that shape come from? The answer is: from the shape of Chinese currency.

In China, people eat dumplings around the time of Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year, and at celebratory occasions.

One reason is that their shape resembles the yuanbao—also known as sycee or “horse-hoof silver,” a type of currency used up through the Qing dynasty—so they carry the wish, “May we be blessed with wealth.” If eating lots of delicious dumplings also boosts your good fortune, that’s the best of both worlds!

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Is salmon a white-fleshed fish or a red-fleshed fish?

egg white
lean meat

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egg white

Because fish with red flesh are called akami (red meat) and those with white flesh are shiromi (white meat), many people will of course answer “red meat!” for salmon based on its appearance—making it a bit of a trick question. Salmon’s lateral muscles are actually composed of white muscle, and when they are fry their flesh is white, but it becomes redder as they grow. They contain astaxanthin—the same pigment found in shrimp and crabs—which makes them look red.

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The sea bream-shaped taiyaki originally had the shape of a different creature. What shape was it?

It’s hard to imagine taiyaki being in any shape other than a sea bream, isn’t it? Even for seniors who’ve eaten dozens of them, this might be a tricky question.

Here’s a hint: it’s a creature that comes in large and small sizes and is sometimes kept as a pet.

Some seniors might even have kept one in the past.

And the biggest hint is that it has a hard shell! The answer is, of course, a turtle! It was even called “kameyaki,” meaning turtle-shaped yaki.

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In Germany, the birthplace of the cuckoo clock, the bird that pops out isn’t a pigeon. What kind of bird is it?

At the top of the hour, a small window opens and a little bird pops out to announce the time—that’s a cuckoo clock.

In Germany, where it originated, the bird that pops out isn’t a dove.

So, what bird is it? The answer is the cuckoo.

The clock originally comes from Germany’s southwestern Black Forest, called Schwarzwald, and around the world it’s known as a “Kuckucksuhr.” Kuckuck means “cuckoo.” In Japan, however, because “cuckoo” evokes the image of an unpopular, deserted place, the bird became a dove, a symbol of peace.

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Olympic Trivia Quiz

[Olympic Quiz: 10 Questions] Senior-Friendly! Introducing Trivia Multiple-Choice Questions for Day Service

Olympic Trivia Quiz

What is the most memorable Olympic moment etched in your heart? There are many famous Olympic highlights, such as Naoko Takahashi’s moving marathon finish, Kosuke Kitajima’s iconic line, “I feel super good,” and the achievements of the baseball team known as Samurai Japan.

So why not try a quiz focused solely on the Olympics? For example, “Which countries have never missed an Olympics?” or “In which sport did Japan win its first medal?” You might be surprised by how many of these you don’t know.

It could bring back memories from past Olympics and make for a fun time.

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Taki no namida pin ku

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