[For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Proverb Quiz Collection

Certified Care Worker / Care Manager (Certified Social Worker for Care Support) / Dementia Care Instructorkojifumi
Nice to meet you. My name is Koji Fumi. I entered the field of caregiving in 2005, and in addition to working on the front lines, I’m active in improving community caregiving capacity and serving as a trainer for professionals. I love hot springs. Even after all these years, I’m still studying every day, striving forward while believing in my potential for growth. I will mainly be in charge of articles for older adults. Thank you in advance for your support.

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.

[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Proverb Quiz Collection (21–30)

Even a [fool/idiot] can be swept away by the river

This is a proverb used as an example that even a master in a field can sometimes fail.

It’s also used as a cautionary reminder that you might fail at something you’re good at if you let your guard down.

Given the situation of being swept away by a river, it’s easy to imagine applying it to someone who is usually good at swimming.

The answer is “kappa,” and other expressions that convey a master’s mistake include “Even monkeys fall from trees” and “Even Kobo makes mistakes with the brush,” so it’s a good idea to learn these as well.

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kappamaki

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Casting pearls before swine

This is a proverb used to say that no matter how splendid something is, it has no value to someone who doesn’t understand it.

From the meaning of the proverb, let’s think of something that doesn’t recognize the value of a koban (an old Japanese gold coin).

With hints like “a familiar animal” and “often used as a motif for figurines,” you can probably arrive at the answer.

The answer is ‘cat.’ Many people may also recall the image of a maneki-neko holding a koban, remembered as a good-luck charm.

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kappamaki

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[For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Proverb Quiz Collection (31–40)

step on the tail of 〇〇

This is a proverb used as a metaphor for doing something extremely dangerous.

Stepping on a tail might evoke a sense of pity, but the hint may be that the crisis is so serious it makes you forget that feeling.

If you imagine a dangerous animal and substitute it in, you can arrive at the answer.

The answer is “tiger,” and sayings like “to put your hand in a tiger’s mouth” or “to touch someone’s sore spot” (literally, “to touch the imperial wrath”) are similar proverbs.

It could also be fun to ask, with anecdotes, which animals each person considers dangerous and why.

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kappamaki

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Even 〇〇 will run into a stick if it walks (i.e., if 〇〇 moves around, it will encounter unexpected trouble).

This is a proverb used both as a metaphor for how trying to do something can lead to misfortune, and for how going out and about can bring unexpected good luck.

The interesting point is that it’s used in both the negative and positive senses.

Hints include that it involves an animal—specifically one known for needing walks and being associated with walking.

The answer is “dog”; the proverb evokes the image of a cute dog getting distracted, bumping into a stick with a thud, and panicking.

(It’s the saying about a dog and a stick.)

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kappamaki

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Skills are a lifeline.

head
art; craft; performance; accomplishment (context-dependent)
effort
study

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art; craft; performance; accomplishment (context-dependent)

The proverb “Waza wa mi wo tasukeru” (literally, “Art/skill saves the body”) means that having a special skill can help you in times of trouble. Even if you lose your current job, the skills or hobbies you’ve acquired can lead to new work—an apt lesson for today’s society that values diversity. Of course, the effort and study mentioned in other options also become one’s strength, so this proverb teaches the importance of dedicating yourself to something.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Two heads are better than one.

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The proverb “Sannin yoreba Monju no chie” means that when three people gather, good ideas will come. Monju refers to Manjushri, the bodhisattva who presides over wisdom. The lesson is that even ordinary people, by pooling their wisdom, can match a bodhisattva—so let’s cooperate. It teaches that the more people think together, the more objectively and from multiple angles things can be seen. However, be careful: there’s also the proverb “Sendō ōkushite fune yama ni noboru” (“Too many captains steer the boat up a mountain”), meaning that having too many people giving directions can backfire and undermine leadership.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Many a little makes a mickle.

river
sea
dream
mountain

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mountain

The proverb “Even dust, when piled up, becomes a mountain” means that no matter how small the efforts, given time they can add up to great results. The lesson that continuing to do the same thing builds the foundation of anything helps put the brakes on the urge to quit when things stop going well. It’s a saying I especially want those who are currently working on something and feeling stuck to remember.

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Hoshino Takashi

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