[For Seniors] Challenging but Exciting! Kanji Quiz

“Now” + “King” + “Spring” + “Thread” + “King” =

Let’s think about combining the five given kanji to form a complete word.

A key point is that two instances of the kanji '王' are lined up, and figuring out how to use them will bring us closer to the answer.

The answer is “kinsen,” a word that expresses the subtle emotions hidden deep in the heart, often seen in the expression “to strike a chord” (kinsen ni fureru).

Without knowing the word, it might be hard to arrive at the answer, so we should also consider how to craft effective hints.

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“Power” + “Ten” + “Power” + “Power” + “Power” =

What word can you make using “力,” “十,” “力,” “力,” and “力”? Since there are many “力” characters, it might be best to start by looking for a kanji that contains many “力” within a single character.

You could give hints like “doing something together,” for example.

The kanji you can make with these characters is, precisely, 協力 (cooperation).

First, use “十” as the radical and place three “力” to the right to form 協.

Then, combine it with the remaining “力” to make the kanji 協力.

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“ten” + “ten” + “sun/day” + “moon/month” + “moon/month” + “sun/day” =

Let’s think of words that are formed by combining multiple kanji.

Because the parts are simple, the process of considering different combinations becomes good brain training.

You are given two instances each of the kanji “十” and “日,” so how you arrange them is the key point.

The answer is “early morning.”

「十」と「十」の間に「日」を挟んで一つの文字を作り、残った「日」はそのまま使うという発想に至るのは難しいことがあります。

If you’re giving a hint, it’s clearer to say that the word combines “a kanji made from four parts” with “a kanji used as-is.”

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"合" + "竹" = "box"

Let’s think of a kanji that can be completed using “合” and “竹.”

It’s important to try different arrangements—top and bottom or left and right—and experiment with the placement.

In this case, the correct arrangement is top and bottom, and if you notice that “竹” serves as the radical, you’ll likely find the answer.

答えは漢字の「答」です。

また、「竹」は部首として使われるときに少し形が変わることにも注意してください。

The key is realizing it’s a top-and-bottom combination, so if you present the puzzle in horizontal writing, the difficulty increases—highly recommended for an extra challenge.

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“Sun” + “sword” + “mouth” + “grain” + “mouth” =

What compound character can be formed using these components: 日, 刀, 口, 禾, and 口? Since 日 and 禾 are often used as radicals, it might help to start from those.

It represents the name of a historical era—one that many elderly people lived through.

そのヒントを踏まえると、答えは昭和（Shōwa）です。

Place “刀” and “口” to the right of “日” to make “昭,” and place “口” to the right of “禾” to make “和,” forming “昭和.”

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“field” + “power” =

Let’s think of a kanji that combines 田 (ta) and 力 (chikara).

Because the parts are simple, their placement is crucial.

The answer is “男” (otoko), and realizing that the correct arrangement is vertical (one above the other) is the key to arriving at the solution.

If you simply stack them from top to bottom, you get the character 男, so saying it’s “a combination of 力 and 田” is a helpful hint.

It’s also interesting that, because the parts are so simple, different arrangements can still look like plausible kanji.

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“thread” + “book” + “meeting” =

Combine “糸” (thread), “本” (book), and “会” (meet) to complete a word.

You’re not making a single character, but forming a word.

The key point is not just the arrangement but the choice of parts.

The answer is “絵本” (picture book).

It’s a puzzle that trains the brain by trying various patterns—considering how to construct kanji while also deciding which parts to leave as they are.

It seems easier to start by thinking about which kanji can be made from the given parts without insisting on using all of them at first.

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