The kanji that we Japanese use as a matter of course come naturally to us not only when writing sentences but even when we’re calling something to mind.
In fact, texts written only in hiragana or katakana are very hard to read, and just thinking about that shows how convenient kanji are.
Even for us, who are so familiar with kanji in our daily lives, there are many characters that make us scratch our heads and ask, “How do you read this?”
In this article, we’ve picked out kanji that not only people overseas studying Japanese but even a large majority of Japanese people can’t read.
We include their readings as well as the origins of the words, but first, have fun seeing how many you can read—like a kanji quiz!
- Genius if you can solve it? Super-difficult Quiz Collection
- A quiz on how to read obscure kanji: words that become difficult when written in kanji.
- [Hard-to-Read Quiz] Single-character difficult kanji — including surprisingly simple ones!
- Can You Read These? Quiz on Kanji with Many Strokes
- [Interesting] Summary of Kanji Reading Quiz Questions
- The world’s fewest: A collection of one-stroke kanji. Learn them in a quiz format!
- Obscure fish kanji. Can you read them?
- A quiz of interesting obscure kanji: characters that look easy but are hard to read
- One-character difficult kanji quiz: a multiple-choice (3 options) game to learn the readings of challenging kanji
- [For Elementary School Students] Country Names in Kanji Quiz. A quick, fun quiz
- [Interesting] Collection of Matchstick Quiz Problems
- [Trick Quiz] Quiz Questions That Excite Everyone from Kids to Adults
- [For Seniors] Challenging but Exciting! Kanji Quiz
The World’s Toughest! A Collection of Super Difficult Kanji (1–10)
gentian
It is the name of a plant whose root is used in traditional Chinese medicine, and whose name comes from the saying that it is “as bitter as a dragon’s gall.” The characters for “dragon’s gall” were chosen because its bitterness suggests it might be even more effective than the long-prized “bear’s gall.” Some people may think of it as one of the plants that symbolize autumn, as it bears purple flowers from summer to autumn.
The answer is gentian; its root is still used today in traditional remedies, known as “rindō” or “ryūtan” in Japanese, for its beneficial effects on the stomach.
Zamma
A common case of difficult kanji is proper nouns.
Since ateji (phonetic substitute characters) are somewhat allowed, the range of possible readings is limitless, right? “坐摩” is a difficult kanji to read, with no useful clues from either the on-yomi or the kun-yomi.
It’s read ikasuri, derived from the name of the deity Ikasuri Ōnokami (Ikasuri Ōokami).
The Zama Shrine—affectionately known locally as “Zama-san”—is a venerable shrine located in Chūō Ward, Osaka.
Its goshuin (seal stamp) also bears the white heron crest, the shrine’s divine emblem.
Because Zama Shrine is the ichinomiya of Settsu Province, they also sell special goshuinchō (stamp books) for the Ichinomiya pilgrimage.
hale and hearty
It’s a common thing with Chinese restaurant menus: there are quite a few kanji we can read but can’t write.
For example, you can read 拉麺 as “ramen,” and 焼売 as “shumai,” but writing them is another story.
Why is that, I wonder? The kanji I’m about to introduce, 矍鑠, goes a step further—it’s the boss of kanji you can neither read nor write.
Many people may not even know the word itself.
“矍鑠” is read as “kakushaku,” and it describes someone who remains robust and energetic even in old age.
Did you know this word? I’d say it’s around Level 1 on the Kanji Kentei.
If you’re interested, give it a try!
okra
There are many difficult-to-read kanji for vegetables.
ウォームアップとして、いくつか出題します。次の三つ—茄子、南瓜、玉蜀黍—は読めますか？答えはこの順に、なすび（ナス）、かぼちゃ、とうもろこしです。
Now, how do you read the featured word 秋葵? Hint: although the kanji uses the old lunar calendar, in today’s calendar it’s a summer vegetable.
It’s a member of the mallow family and bears edible pods.
Got it? The answer is okra.
Okra is rich in vitamins and minerals, making it perfect for preventing summer fatigue.
Japanese andromeda
There are many difficult-to-read kanji even in plant names like sunflower, violet, and dandelion.
By the way, could you read those three? The answers are, in order: Himawari, Sumire, and Tanpopo.
Now, how do you read this time’s “馬酔木”? Let me share an anecdote about this plant—it’s a hint.
If you eat this plant, whether you’re a horse or a human, your legs will feel numb.
Maybe the staggering looked like drunkenness, which is why the character for “drunk” is included.
From “ashi ga shibireru” (legs go numb) to “ashi shibire”… and so the answer is “asebi.” It’s a poisonous plant, so never put it in your mouth!