[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 (21–30)
X years even on a stone
- 2
- 3
- 5
- 7
See the answer
3
The Japanese proverb “Ishi no ue nimo sannen” literally means “Even on a stone, sit for three years,” and conveys the idea that once you start something, you should stick with it for at least three years. Whether it’s a hobby or a job, there are times when things don’t go well and you feel it doesn’t suit you. Even so, if you keep at it with the belief that perseverance leads to success, you’ll produce some kind of result. It’s a saying to remember when you feel like your spirit is about to break.
to wilt like greens
It’s a proverb that describes someone who had been lively but, triggered by something, becomes dejected and loses their energy.
“Aona” refers to green leafy vegetables like spinach or komatsuna.
It’s said the proverb comes from how sprinkling salt on leafy greens draws out moisture and makes them wilt.
The way the leaves go limp overlaps with the image of a once-energetic person becoming crestfallen.
It’s not a proverb we use often in everyday life, but it expresses a person’s state very aptly.
Pearls from the shelf
- mandarin orange
- Apple
- piggy bank
- botamochi (sweet rice cake with red bean paste)
See the answer
botamochi (sweet rice cake with red bean paste)
The Japanese proverb “tana kara botamochi” (literally, “rice cakes falling from a shelf”) means to gain unexpected good fortune. It’s said to come from an old tale: while someone was lying under a shelf, a rice cake that had been placed there fell by chance straight into their mouth. The phrase is used when one obtains something good without effort or hardship. A similar proverb is “a duck comes carrying green onions,” but that one refers to another party’s actions, so be careful to use it in the appropriate context.
Pour salt on the wound
This is a proverb used when misfortune strikes one after another.
Let’s look at the situation through the proverb: while someone is crying, they get stung by a bee, showing how misfortunes can come in rapid succession.
This proverb has existed since the Edo period.
Back then, it was expressed as “a bee stings a tearful face” or “a bee stings a crying face.” It was also included under the na card in the Edo Iroha Karuta, which originated mainly in Edo in the late Edo period.
Incidentally, the original form was nakitsura ni hachi (“a bee on a crying face”), but in spoken language a small pause sound (a small tsu) came to be inserted in the middle, leading to the modern phrasing.
Proverb fill-in-the-blank
This is a quiz-style recreation where you write proverbs on a whiteboard with part of the phrase left blank, and participants guess the missing words.
For example, using familiar proverbs like “〇〇 saki ni tatazu” (“It’s no use crying over spilt milk”-type sayings) makes it easier for people to join in.
You can offer hints or set a time limit according to the difficulty, which adds tension and a sense of gameplay and naturally livens up the room.
The process of recalling and thinking of the answer helps stimulate the brain, and each answer check brings the joy of rediscovery—“That’s right!” Using long-cherished sayings evokes nostalgia and shared topics, making it easier for older adults to chat with each other.
Keeping a brisk pace also helps maintain concentration.
like 〇〇 looks totally startled (as if shot with a peashooter)
This phrase describes being stunned in surprise, with eyes wide open.
If you think of a funny-looking animal with a surprised expression, it might help you picture it and make the discussion more lively.
The word “mame-deppō” (pea-shooter) is also important; considering animals that eat beans makes it easier to grasp.
The answer is “pigeon,” and the sight of a pigeon freezing in surprise is enough to make you burst out laughing.
It could be interesting to compare it with various other expressions of surprise, too.
It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
- Worry
- hardship; toil; trouble; difficulties
- regret
- reserve; restraint; holding back; being reserved (polite hesitation)
See the answer
regret
The proverb “Regret does not come first” (literally, “Regret doesn’t come before”) means that once something has already happened, it’s too late to undo it. It teaches us that if we act on impulse without thinking ahead, it will be too late once things become irreversible. Keeping this proverb in mind, let’s make a habit of thinking carefully and acting cautiously, especially about the things we don’t want to regret.