[For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Proverb Quiz Collection
A traditional Japanese proverb.
It doesn’t come up often in everyday conversation, but many people remember it as general knowledge.
So this time, we’ve prepared a quiz using proverbs, designed for older adults.
By enjoying the quiz format and recalling the phrases, it can serve as brain training, and the back-and-forth of “maybe this, maybe that” will likely help communication with those around you.
Many seniors know a lot of proverbs, so they may also shine in the role of instructor.
We hope you enjoy a fun time with the proverb quiz.
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[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Proverb Quiz Collection (11–20)
Life is short and learning is hard to accomplish.
Time passes faster than we think; before we know it, we grow old and our studies no longer go as we wish.
This proverb carries the lesson that we must value our time and devote ourselves to learning.
Because it conveys a contrast between before and after the passage of time, it begins with words that depict a state before time has elapsed.
It appears in a question whose answer is “Shōnen, oi yasuku, gaku narigatashi” (“Youth is fleeting, learning is hard to achieve”), a saying that reminds us we cannot stay young forever.
It also gives the impression of teaching the importance of patiently building things up over time.
Proverb Quiz
A proverb that every Japanese person has probably heard.
This time, we’re introducing a “proverb quiz” where you think of the sentence that fits inside the parentheses to complete the proverb.
You might be thinking, “It’s just filling in one sentence, right?” but once you try it, you’ll be surprised at how tricky it can be.
You may even come across proverbs you’ve never seen before.
If you can, try not only filling in the sentence but also thinking about its meaning.
The characters and their content are called semantic memory, an important kind of memory that makes up our knowledge.
We recommend using it regularly while enjoying a bit of brain training.
Those who chase small gains fail to see the bigger picture.
This is a phrase used to admonish someone for focusing only on what’s right in front of them and not looking around.
Imagine a situation where you’re in the mountains but not paying attention to your surroundings, and work toward the answer from there.
If you give hints like an animal that lives in the mountains and a classic target of hunting, you can probably arrive at the answer.
The answer is “deer.” The expression comes from getting so absorbed in chasing deer that you fail to notice the rugged mountains and end up in danger.
A similar expression in meaning would be “can’t see the forest for the trees.”
Plum blossoms with 〇〇〇〇
This is a phrase used as a metaphor for things that are well-matched or beautifully harmonious.
Let’s think about what appears in plum-blossom season, or what looks beautiful when placed near plum blossoms.
Clear hints include a bird flying toward the plum tree and a vivid green that stands out against the pink of the plum blossoms.
The answer is “uguisu” (Japanese bush warbler).
It’s also interesting that there are many other expressions for beautiful seasonal scenes or harmony, such as “crane with pine,” “deer with autumn leaves,” and “butterfly with peony.”
Practice makes perfect.
- interest
- like; to like; fond of
- Talent
- play
See the answer
like; to like; fond of
The proverb “Suki koso mono no jouzu nare” means that if you truly love something, you’ll improve at it quickly. When people are interested in something, they take initiative, practice or study without feeling it’s a burden, and time seems to fly by. It teaches us that liking something—more than talent or innate sense—is the most important and valuable factor.
A kite gives birth to 〇〇.
This is a proverb used as a metaphor for an excellent child being born to ordinary parents.
Since it mentions “being born,” it seems helpful to offer hints that narrow it down step by step: it’s an animal, it’s a kind of bird, it’s a bird similar to a kite.
Let’s guide people closer to the answer with progressively specific hints.
The answer is “hawk.” Hawks often fly high in the sky and are not frequently seen up close, and because they share sharp talons and beaks, some people might mistakenly think they’re the same bird.
[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Proverb Quiz Collection (21–30)
Heat and cold last only until the equinox.
Ohigan is said to be a custom unique to Japan.
Centered on the Vernal Equinox Day and the Autumnal Equinox Day, it is a period of seven days—three days before and three days after each equinox—set aside for honoring one’s ancestors.
It does not exist in other Buddhist countries.
Traditionally, the change of seasons was marked by these days: winter’s cold was thought to ease by around the Vernal Equinox (around March 21), and summer’s heat to subside by around the Autumnal Equinox (around September 23).
However, due to recent climate changes, winters can be warm or shorter, and summer heat tends to linger.
The proverb ‘Atsusa samusa mo higan made’—‘Both heat and cold last only until Ohigan’—may no longer fit today’s climate quite as well.
