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Japanese Language Trivia

Japanese Language Trivia Quizzes

Konnichiwa! Get ready to embark on a linguistic adventure through the captivating world of Nihongo! These quizzes will challenge your knowledge of Japanese language and culture, from essential phrases and kanji characters to fascinating cultural insights and etiquette.

22 Japanese Language quizzes and 245 Japanese Language trivia questions.

Counting in Japanese popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

Counting in Japanese can be very confusing for someone who is used to Western ways of counting. This quiz will test your knowledge on the counting system of Japan, and maybe you'll learn a few new things!

Average, 15 Qns, daimaoh34, Dec 26 20

Average
daimaoh34
Dec 26 20
5170 plays

Easy as 1-2-3 - in Japan! top quiz

Match Quiz

10 Qns

Please join Phoenix Rising's Red Crew on our Global Tour. This stop? Japan! Count with us now...

Very Easy, 10 Qns, jaknginger, Jul 02 22

Very Easy
jaknginger

Jul 02 22
239 plays

Country Names in Japanese popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

I give you the Japanese name, you tell me the English name. Good luck!

Average, 10 Qns, hews, Apr 30 20

Average
hews
Apr 30 20
4300 plays

Do You Know your Animals in Japanese? popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

I will give you a discription of an animal and you tell me what it is - in Japanese! See how well you know the animals in this wonderful language. There are also a few questions about the language and the zodiac. Have fun!

Average, 10 Qns, horsie_girl99, Mar 06 14

Average
horsie_girl99
1635 plays

The Japanese Have a Word for It! popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Here are a few useful Japanese words that I wish we had in English.

Average, 10 Qns, wajo, May 09 16

Average
wajo
3321 plays

What the Japanese call it: Gairaigo

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

If there is no Japanese way of saying a foreign word, they'll make a gairaigo out of it. A lot of times, these words are easy to figure out, but a lot of these words will frustrate you. Can you figure out what these words mean?

Average, 10 Qns, daimaoh34, Jul 29 22

Average
daimaoh34
Jul 29 22
3265 plays

Japanese Phrases

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Some simple Japanese phrases, and words to know when in Japan.

Average, 10 Qns, sean111290, Feb 04 23

Average
sean111290
Feb 04 23
2237 plays

'Waku Waku' Japanese Onomatopoeia

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

You don't need even need to speak Japanese to try to guess the meaning of these everyday onomatopoeic expressions! Have fun...

Average, 10 Qns, wajo, Mar 05 14

Average
wajo
2994 plays

Referring to people in Japanese popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

In Japanese, it's not as simple as "you" and "I". How you refer to yourself depends on who you are and to whom you're talking. How you address, or refer to, someone else depends on your relationship with them. Show your mastery of these arcane matters!

Difficult, 15 Qns, Finduskeepus, Mar 07 08

Difficult
Finduskeepus
1314 plays

10.

Japanese Writing Systems

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

This quiz will be about different writing systems used in the Japanese language.

Tough, 10 Qns, Strz4life2, Feb 27 24

Tough
Strz4life2
Feb 27 24
54 plays

Quick Question

If I needed to go to a "sutajio", where would you lead me to?

From Quiz "What the Japanese call it: Gairaigo"

11.

Japanese Vocab

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Test your knowledge of the Japanese language. A series of easy questions to test your skills. Enjoy!

Tough, 10 Qns, aureliajay15, Jun 05 18

Tough
aureliajay15
Jun 05 18
3154 plays

12.

Japanese Kanji Fun popular trivia quiz

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

This quiz does not require an understanding of the Japanese language, just a little creative thought. Since the exact translation often varies, I used "The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Dictionary" for uniformity.

Tough, 10 Qns, niigatajin, Jun 17 04

Tough
niigatajin
1671 plays

13.

Key Terms of Ancient Japan

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

A pretty easy definition-term quiz on ancient Japan.

Average, 10 Qns, katiebeargirl, Jan 28 09

Average
katiebeargirl
971 plays

14.

Animal Names in Japanese

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

This should be an easy quiz if you have even a basic knowledge of Japanese. I will give you the name of an animal in English, and you choose the correct Japanese translation.

Average, 10 Qns, dogz_14, Mar 05 14

Average
dogz_14
2064 plays

15.

Janeru-chan's Quiz On Japanese Vocab!

Multiple Choice

15 Qns

Konnichiha! This quiz features various Japanese words and phrases. All you have to do is choose correctly the right English translations! Good Luck!

Average, 15 Qns, janie_eva02, Nov 08 21

Average
janie_eva02
Nov 08 21
2165 plays

16.

Counting things in Japanese

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Whether it's counting birds, flat objects, beverages, counting things in Japanese is one of those things you just have to memorize.

Difficult, 10 Qns, AkiSensei, Oct 04 20

Difficult
AkiSensei
Oct 04 20
1183 plays

17.

Japanese Kanji Quiz - "on" to "kun"

Multiple Choice

20 Qns

Most kanji have two readings: the "on" which combine to form nouns, and the "kun", which often form the base of verbs and adjectives, and are conjugated with hiragana. I'll give you the "on" and an example of its use, you give me its "kun" reading.

Difficult, 20 Qns, Finduskeepus, Apr 12 09

Difficult
Finduskeepus
319 plays

18.

Japanese Slang and Subtext

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

Here are my favorite expressions and misconceptions found in the mysterious culture of Japan. Enjoy!

Difficult, 10 Qns, thejazzkickazz, Jun 13 22

Difficult
thejazzkickazz

Jun 13 22
1784 plays

19.

Just a few Japanese words....

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

I am Japanese, and here are some words a person with only basic proficiency in the Japanese language usually won't know. (None of those anime terms, sorry). Good luck!

Very Difficult, 10 Qns, jadranska, Sep 18 02

Very Difficult
jadranska
1611 plays

20.

Translations of Japanese Corporation Names

Match Quiz

10 Qns

Japan has a global reputation for manufacturing high-quality products. Find out the meaning of the names of the manufacturers of ten well-known Japanese companies.

Average, 10 Qns, sw11, May 24 20

Average
sw11

May 24 20
141 plays

21.

Japanese Grammar

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

This quiz is about grammar used in the Japanese language.

Difficult, 10 Qns, Strz4life2, Aug 06 19

Difficult
Strz4life2
Aug 06 19
258 plays

22.

Japanese Sentences

Multiple Choice

10 Qns

In this quiz, there will be different questions about how Japanese sentences are used.

Tough, 10 Qns, Strz4life2, Jan 07 21

Tough
Strz4life2
Jan 07 21
107 plays

Japanese Language Trivia Questions

1. In Japanese, which particle explains the topic of a sentence?

From Quiz Japanese Grammar

Answer: wa

"Wa" is a particle that is commonly used in the Japanese language. It can separate word phrases. Sometimes another particle is used instead of "wa".

2. What would be the correct phrase to use in Japan when you meet a person for the first time?

From Quiz Japanese Phrases

Answer: "hajimemashite"

When meeting someone for the first time you would use the phrase "hajimemashite."

3. In Japanese, the word 'Japan' is 'Nihon'. It is composed of two kanjis. The second kanji means 'origin'. What is the meaning of the first kanji?

From Quiz Japanese Kanji Fun

Answer: Sun

So in other words, Japan means 'origin of the sun'. This is also the meaning behind the Japanese flag. The kanji for sun also is used for 'day', and it is the most commonly used kanji in Japanese.

4. A person, usually wealthy, who takes part in the contemporary social life; a socialite.

From Quiz Key Terms of Ancient Japan

Answer: Teishin

Courtiers were the Cher Horowitzs or Emma Woodhouses of their day. The woman had long hair, wore white make-up, had black-dyed teeth, and wore the finest clothing. In fact, everything in the court was the "finest kind". They ate the finest food, listened to the finest koto, and read the finest poetry.

5. How do you count books?

From Quiz Counting things in Japanese

Answer: issatsu, nisatsu, sansatsu...

Issatsu, nisatsu, sansatsu...is for counting books and magazines. Ippon, nihon, sanbon...is for counting long, thin, objects like pencils, fingers, hair strands, bottles, etc. Ichimai, nimai, sanmai...is for counting flat objects like paper, plates, sticks of gum, etc.

6. The 'waku waku' in the title of this quiz might describe how you feel on the plane as you head off on your first trip to Japan. It means...

From Quiz 'Waku Waku' Japanese Onomatopoeia

Answer: thrilled and excited

7. What is 'elephant' in Japanese?

From Quiz Animal Names in Japanese

Answer: zou

'Zou' is an elephant, 'kame' is a turtle, and 'sakana' is a fish. 'Oni' is an ogre, which is not a word commonly used, but you should know this if you've read at least some of the more famous Japanese folktales, like 'Momotaro' (the Peach-boy).

8. Fukurashiko means what in English?

From Quiz Just a few Japanese words....

Answer: Baking powder

Frighten is kowakunatteta, gyrfalcon is shirofuyabusa.

9. What does the word 'Kawaii' mean in English?

From Quiz Janeru-chan's Quiz On Japanese Vocab!

Answer: Cute

This word is used to describe children, animals, etc.

10. What does 'konban wa' mean?

From Quiz Japanese Vocab

Answer: good evening

Good morning is 'ohayougozaimasu' ('ohayo' or 'oha' for short), good night is 'oyasuminasai' ('oyasumi' for short) and good afternoon is 'konnichiwa'.

11. What is called 'Silent Communication' or mind-to-heart communication in Japanese culture?

From Quiz Japanese Slang and Subtext

Answer: ishin denshin

12. In Japanese, typically a verb would come where in the sentence?

From Quiz Japanese Grammar

Answer: At the end

In Japanese, verbs normally would come at the end of a sentence. In English, verbs would come near the beginning. Verbs describe what one is doing.

13. In the context of Japanese writing systems, what are diacritic marks?

From Quiz Japanese Writing Systems

Answer: Characters with a quotation mark or circle

Diacritic marks are hiragana or katakana characters that have a quotation mark or circle. These characters are used to represent sound change. Diacritic marks either consist of a quotation mark or a circle.

14. 'Ongaku' means 'music'. The first kanji means 'sound'. What is the meaning of the second kanji?

From Quiz Japanese Kanji Fun

Answer: Enjoyment

Alone this kanji can be used in the verb, 'tanoshimu', which means to 'enjoy (oneself)'. If you are having an enjoyable time, you can tell your Japanese friends, "Tanoshimi".

15. The Japanese word for a feeling of sadness at the death of natural beauty.

From Quiz Key Terms of Ancient Japan

Answer: Aware

Aware (pronounced ah WAH ray) is expressed mainly, and most effectively in poetry. See "Kokinshu" by Ki no Tomonori. This perfectly still Spring day bathed in the soft light From the spread-out sky, Why do the cherry blossoms So restlessly scatter down?

16. If someone asked you about your "muudo", what would they be asking you about?

From Quiz What the Japanese call it: Gairaigo

Answer: Your mood

"Muudo" functions just like the English word mood. It can be used to describe a person's mood, or a set atmosphere or environment.

17. How do you count birds?

From Quiz Counting things in Japanese

Answer: ichiwa, niwa, sanwa...

Ittou, nitou, santou...is for counting heads of cattle. Ippiki, nihiki, sanbiki...is for counting animals.

18. In English script, what is the Japanese equivalent to the number two?

From Quiz Counting in Japanese

Answer: ni & nii

"Ni" is the number two in Japanese. Some words you might hear it in: "ni-gatsu" or February (second month), "ni-nensei" or second-year student.

19. This might be an appropriate response when you hear, for example, that taxes have been raised even though the government had promised that they wouldn't be. The meaning is 'just as we expected/afterall'.

From Quiz The Japanese Have a Word for It!

Answer: yappari

Yappari is a more conversational form of yahari. It has various nuances depending on the circumstances in which it is used.

20. How do you say 'giraffe'?

From Quiz Animal Names in Japanese

Answer: kirin

This might not be as easy as the first question, since there are no giraffes in Japan and there is no need to really learn the word. As for the other choices, 'usagi' means rabbit, 'ari' means ant, and 'yagi' means goat.

21. What kind of an animal is a daija?

From Quiz Just a few Japanese words....

Answer: A big snake

Dai= big/great, ja= snake

22. What does 'Aishiteru' or 'Ai' mean in English?

From Quiz Janeru-chan's Quiz On Japanese Vocab!

Answer: Love

A very beautiful word in any language!

23. What is the word for genius?

From Quiz Japanese Vocab

Answer: tensai

'Baka' is fool, 'obake' is ghost and 'tamanegi' is onion.

24. Rikutsu-poi is a Fatal Flaw in Japan. What is this trait?

From Quiz Japanese Slang and Subtext

Answer: too logical

25. What characters are used to represent contracted sounds in hiragana?

From Quiz Japanese Writing Systems

Answer: Ya, yu, and yo

Contracted sounds represent a single syllable. There are 33 sets of hiragana characters that represent contracted sounds. The word can either begin with ky, sh, ch, ny, hy, my, ry, gy, j, by, or py and end with a, u, or o. The hiragana characters are either ky, sh, ch, ny, hy, my, ry, gy, j, by, or py with a smaller ya, yu, or yo right next to them.

26. This kanji has an "on" reading of "shô". Combined with two other kanji, it can be seen in the word "shôgakkô", meaning "elementary school". In its "kun" form, it is the base of another adjective. What is the "kun" reading of this kanji?

From Quiz Japanese Kanji Quiz - "on" to "kun"

Answer: Chii & Chiisai

"Chiisai", meaning "small". My apologies if you forgot the second "i" and wrote "Chisai". "Gakkô" means school. Combine it with the "on" reading of this kanji and you get "small school" - elementary school. For some reason, if you combine this kanji with "setsu", meaning "opinion" to make the word "shôsetsu", it means "novel". Novelists don't get no respect.

27. When you go to a restaurant you might hear this phrase for "Please come in".

From Quiz Japanese Phrases

Answer: "irashaimase"

"Do itashimashite" is the phrase for you're welcome, desu means "I am", and "irashaimase" means "May I help you", and "come in please".

28. A lord of a large estate and supporter of the Shogun.

From Quiz Key Terms of Ancient Japan

Answer: Daimyo

Daimyo were key counterparts to Japanese feudalism. Their land needed to be protected, so, they hired samurais and rewarded them with small pieces of land.

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Last Updated Dec 14 2024 5:44 AM

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