[For Seniors] Challenging but Exciting! Kanji Quiz

walrus

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

In China, the term 膃肭 meant “chubby” or “well-fleshed,” but the navel (臍) of the fur seal was brought to Japan as a valuable traditional medicine, and over time the entire animal came to be called 膃肭臍.

Speaking of ottosei, many people picture an aquarium show with a ball balanced on its nose—but isn’t that an “ashika show” (sea lion show)? Compared to sea lions, fur seals are smaller, with a glossy dark gray or brownish coloration.

garlic

A plant mainly used for food, with the bulb as the primary part and the sprouting stem, known as shoots, also eaten.

Records indicate it was cultivated in ancient Egypt around 3200 BCE, giving it a very long history.

Most notable is its strong odor, and it is widely cherished around the world as a spice with invigorating, restorative effects.

The answer is garlic; it is said to have been introduced to Japan in the Heian period, and before the customs of eating meat and using oils became established, it appears to have been used as a tonic for promoting vitality.

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Difficult-to-read kanji of spring

[Difficult Kanji about Spring] 20 Questions! A Challenging Kanji Quiz on Foods (Flavors), Flowers, Vegetables, and Living Creatures [For Seniors]

This is a quiz that presents items commonly seen in spring—such as foods and animals—written in kanji, and asks you to think of their readings.

Even if you know the words, you might not often see them in kanji, and some may be more strongly associated with being written in katakana or hiragana.

The fact that they’re related to spring is a major hint, so you might find the answer by picturing springtime scenes.

It may help to consider the meanings of each kanji used and think of things associated with spring that fit those meanings.

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cherry (specifically, sweet cherry)

As you can infer from the kanji for sakura, it’s a plant related to cherry blossoms, and many varieties are cultivated in Japan.

It’s a fruit characterized by its red, round appearance—some people might guess it from that description alone.

Rather than imagining the meaning of the kanji, simply reading the characters as “sakura momo” already gets you quite close to the answer.

The answer is cherries (sakuranbo).

Because it’s associated with cherry blossoms, you might assume it has a long history in Japan, but it’s actually a fruit with a surprisingly short history, said to have been introduced from China in the early Meiji period.

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sponge gourd

It’s a plant native to India that is said to have been brought to Japan from China during the Muromachi period.

After blooming in summer, it produces large fruits, and the name commonly refers to these fruits.

While it’s enjoyed as food, it’s also used as a skin lotion, and the fibers of the fruit are often utilized as well.

The answer is loofah; some may recognize it from the fact that it’s a member of the gourd family with thread-like fibers.

There’s also a theory about the name’s origin: “itouri” (thread gourd) was shortened to “tōri,” and since the syllable “to” falls between “he” and “chi” in the Iroha poem ordering, it came to be called “hechima,” meaning “between he and chi.”

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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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Kanji Quiz: Flowers

Surprisingly Unknown? 20 Tricky Flower Kanji Quiz Questions [Elderly Care • Senior Brain Training • Whiteboard Recreation • Preventive Care]

Every time I see flowers blooming with the changing seasons, I think, “I’m so glad I was born in Japan, a country with four seasons.” How about you? Thanks to advances in cultivation techniques, you can now buy popular flowers at florists year-round.

But when those flower names are written in kanji, they can be surprisingly hard to read.

A “Flower Kanji Quiz” is great for a quick activity and works well as the main entertainment at a party.

Strangely enough, it gets lively even if no one gets the right answers.

It’s a brain-training game that makes everyone smile—I highly recommend it!