A quiz of interesting obscure kanji: characters that look easy but are hard to read

abacus

The correct reading of the kanji 算盤 is “soroban.” It is a tool for calculating numbers, specifically a traditional device once used for commercial calculations. It is also sometimes used in math education, and if you think of it as a board-shaped tool used for arithmetic, the answer might come to you more easily.

wimp

The correct answer is “henachoko.” In this quiz, you are asked to read a word formed from the kanji ‘埴’ and ‘猪口.’ In this context, ‘埴’ is a rarely used character meaning clay-like soil, and ‘猪口’ refers to a small sake cup. Combined as ‘埴猪口,’ the term has come to be read in a distinctive way as ‘henachoko,’ meaning someone lacking strength or skill. It describes a person who is feeble, unreliable, or lacking perseverance.

burdock (root)

The correct reading of the difficult kanji 牛蒡 is “gobō.” Although the characters may look unfamiliar, they refer to a commonly used vegetable in everyday life. In the Edo period, it was also valued for medicinal use, but today it is often used in a variety of dishes. It is rich in dietary fiber and is considered good for health.

cross-legged (sitting position)

“Agura” (written with the characters for “胡座”) refers to a relaxed sitting posture with legs crossed. Its exact origin is unclear, but the character “胡” can mean “foreign” or “uncivilized,” and “座” means “to sit.” Taken literally, it implies a foreign way of sitting, yet in practice it has long been a common sitting posture in Japan.

horsetail

Tsukushi (lit. “earth brush”) refers to horsetail shoots, one of the plants that herald the arrival of spring, and like fukinoto (butterbur sprouts), they are sometimes eaten. Their straight, upward growth from the soil is striking; if you imagine the individual kanji—“earth” and “brush”—it’s easy to picture them as brush-like shapes sprouting from the ground.

red panda

The correct reading of 「小熊猫」 is “lesser panda,” an animal beloved by many for its adorable appearance. The term originates from the fact that pandas are written as 「熊猫」 in Chinese, and from there the lesser panda came to be written as 「小熊猫」, meaning “small panda.”

wood ear mushroom

The correct reading of 木耳 is “kikurage.” Kikurage is an edible mushroom that grows on plants of the Asteraceae family, and it is a black, gelatinous fungus. It is especially common in Chinese cuisine and is known for its uniquely springy, crunchy texture. In Japan, it is often sold dried and is used after being rehydrated in water.