THE INKLINGO LANGUAGE GUIDES
15 Japanese Riddles With Answers and English Translations
A book with no reverse side, a mosquito that cannot stand, and two kana always at war: these fifteen attested Japanese riddles turn familiar words into small puzzles. Try a hint before revealing each answer. The questions are documented in Japanese school posts and an educational publisher’s article; the English translations and explanations are newly written.
Start here
- 足をふんでも、頭をふんでも、おこらないものなーに？What never gets angry even if you step on its feet or head?
- パンはパンでも食べられないパンは、なぁに？What kind of pan cannot be eaten?
- 食べる前は１本なのに、食べると２本になるものは、な～んだ？What is one stick before eating but becomes two when you eat?
- おもてしかない本は何の本？What kind of book has only a front side?
- 「あ」をとるとおこってしまうどうぶつはなんだ？Which animal gets angry when you remove a?
- 逆から読んでも、間に『ル』を入れても、海の生きものになるものって、な～んだ？What becomes a sea creature both when read backward and when ru is put in the middle?
- びょういんの先生からもらったら、ちょっとだけわらっちゃうものってなに？What makes you give a little laugh when a hospital doctor gives it to you?
- いつもたたかっているカタカナは、何と何かな？Which two katakana are always fighting?
- 鍵を９回かけるともらえるものは、な～んだ？What do you get by locking something nine times?
- 週に２日間しか演奏することができない楽器は、な～んだ？Which musical instrument can only be played on two days each week?
Easy Japanese Riddles for Kids and Beginners
These five puzzles start with familiar objects and body words. The first uses a physical observation; the others need attention to a word’s sound or an everyday action.
をふんでも、をふんでも、おこらないものなーに？
Ashi o funde mo, atama o funde mo, okoranai mono nāni?
What never gets angry even if you step on its feet or head?
Easy
Source noteパンはパンでも食べられないパンは、なぁに？
Pan wa pan de mo taberarenai pan wa, nāni?
What kind of pan cannot be eaten?
Easy
Source note食べるは１本なのに、食べると本にものは、な～んだ？
Taberu mae wa ippon na no ni, taberu to nihon ni naru mono wa, nānda?
What is one stick before eating but becomes two when you eat?
Easy
Source noteおもてしかないは何の？
Omote shika nai hon wa nan no hon?
What kind of book has only a front side?
Easy
Source noteかおからゆげが出ているよ。これはなんでしょう。
Kao kara yuge ga dete iru yo. Kore wa nan deshō.
Steam is coming out of the face. What could this be?
Easy
Source noteExplore these words: Books & writing (flashcards) · Body parts (flashcards) · Time & dates (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Japanese storiesJapanese Animal Riddles and Kana Puzzles
Animal names become clues when you remove, reverse or insert kana. Read the written form as well as the romaji; the fly puzzle uses a casual sound rather than a zoological fact.
「あ」をとるとおこってしまうどうぶつはなんだ？
“A” o toru to okotte shimau dōbutsu wa nan da?
Which animal gets angry when you remove a?
Intermediate
Source note飛ぶが、すごく速い虫って何でしょう？
Tobu supīdo ga, sugoku hayai mushi tte nan deshō?
Which insect flies really fast?
Intermediate
Source noteから読んでも、に『ル』を入れても、の生きものにものって、な～んだ？
Gyaku kara yonde mo, aida ni “ru” o irete mo, umi no ikimono ni naru mono tte, nānda?
What becomes a sea creature both when read backward and when ru is put in the middle?
Intermediate
Source note『蚊は立てない』と言っている生きものは、な～んだ？
“Ka wa tatenai” to itte iru ikimono wa, nānda?
Which creature says that a mosquito cannot stand?
Intermediate
Source note金閣寺のをのぞいたら出てくる動物は、な～んだ？
Kinkakuji no naka o nozoitara dete kuru dōbutsu wa, nānda?
What animal appears when you look inside Kinkakuji?
Intermediate
Source noteExplore these words: Directions & position (flashcards) · Quantities & measurements (flashcards) · Nature & landscape (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Japanese storiesJapanese Wordplay Riddles: Sounds and Double Meanings
A single sound can belong to two words, and a short particle can turn two kana into a new word. These explanations show the exact move behind the joke.
びょういんのからもらったら、だけわらっちゃうものってなに？
Byōin no sensei kara morattara, chotto dake waratchau mono tte nani?
What makes you give a little laugh when a hospital doctor gives it to you?
Intermediate
Source noteのむと、おこられるジュースって何でしょう？
Nomu to, okorareru jūsu tte nan deshō?
What soft drink gets you scolded when you drink it?
Intermediate
Source noteたたかっているカタカナは、何と何かな？
Itsumo tatakatte iru katakana wa, nan to nan kana?
Which two katakana are always fighting?
Intermediate
Source noteを９回かけるともらえるものは、な～んだ？
Kagi o kyūkai kakeru to moraeru mono wa, nānda?
What do you get by locking something nine times?
Intermediate
Source note週に日間しか演奏することができないは、な～んだ？
Shū ni futsukakan shika ensō suru koto ga dekinai gakki wa, nānda?
Which musical instrument can only be played on two days each week?
Intermediate
Source noteExplore these words: Health & medicine (flashcards) · Jobs & work (flashcards) · Quantities & measurements (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Japanese storiesPractice With One Japanese Riddle
- Read the question without revealing the answer.
- Decide whether the clue describes a real object or asks for a sound trick.
- Use one hint, say a guess, and check the explanation.
- Read the original again and explain the wordplay in your own words.
Japanese riddles: frequently asked questions
What is a riddle called in Japanese?
A riddle is a nazo nazo, normally written なぞなぞ. A broader mystery or puzzle can be called a nazo. This page focuses on short question-and-answer word games.
Which Japanese riddles are easiest for beginners?
Start with the shadow and chopsticks, which can be understood through an everyday observation. The frying-pan question is a simple introduction to a familiar sound appearing inside another word.
Do the Japanese riddles include English answers and romaji?
Yes. Each question and answer has an original English translation and Hepburn romaji. Kanji also have ruby readings, and the answer stays separate so you can guess first.
Are these real Japanese riddles?
Yes. The selected questions are attested in Japanese elementary-school posts or an educational publisher’s article. These sources verify classroom circulation of particular versions, but do not establish an ancient origin for every puzzle.
Why does a Japanese riddle stop being funny in English?
Many answers depend on matching sounds or moving written kana. English can translate the literal question but usually cannot keep the same pun. The explanation names the Japanese words and the precise operation.
What is the Japanese pan riddle?
It asks which pan cannot be eaten. Japanese pan means bread; furaipan means frying pan. The repeated sound invites you to expect a kind of bread, but the answer is a cooking tool.
Are these riddles the same as shiritori?
No. Shiritori is a word-chain game in which the next word begins with the final sound of the preceding word. A riddle asks you to infer an answer from a clue, though both games can involve kana and vocabulary.
Can I solve every riddle by listening?
Not always. The animal section includes removing or reversing kana, which is easier to see in writing. Listen first if you like, then inspect the Japanese form and use the hint before opening the answer.
Make these words part of your day
Explore Japanese stories, listen along, and save vocabulary as you go.
Find a story at your levelSources and verification
English translations and examples were written for this guide. Source notes distinguish documented expressions, original practice sentences, and literary quotations. Literary excerpts retain the language of their original period.
- Himi Konan Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 1897 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1934 .
- Popyful: Word games and riddles, 15 April 2025 — Educational publisher’s article gives this bread/frying-pan question and its answer. Only this short puzzle is quoted; the teaching prose is not copied.
- Himi Kamisho Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 24579 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24650 .
- Himi Konan Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 2001 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=2073 .
- Himi Konan Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 1831 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1873 .
- Ajiyoshi Elementary School: Grade 2 newsletter, 15 May 2020 — The school PDF prints the koala question and answer in its riddle-answer corner. Only this short puzzle is quoted.
- Himi Konan Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 1729 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1755 .
- Himi Kamisho Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 24474 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24540 .
- Himi Kamisho Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 26255 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The answer follows the school’s explicit kana/removal hints; the full derivation is explained here.
- Himi Kamisho Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 24720 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The answer follows the school’s explicit kana/removal hints; the full derivation is explained here.
- Himi Konan Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 1873 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1897 .
- Himi Konan Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 1755 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1831 .
- Himi Kamisho Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 24650 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24678 .
- Himi Kamisho Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 24540 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24579 .
- Himi Kamisho Elementary School: classroom riddle, post 19984 — Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=20025 .
Source notes for all 15 entries
- 足をふんでも、頭をふんでも、おこらないものなーに？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1934 . [konan-1897]
- パンはパンでも食べられないパンは、なぁに？: Educational publisher’s article gives this bread/frying-pan question and its answer. Only this short puzzle is quoted; the teaching prose is not copied. [popy]
- 食べる前は１本なのに、食べると２本になるものは、な～んだ？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24650 . [kamisho-24579]
- おもてしかない本は何の本？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=2073 . [konan-2001]
- かおからゆげが出ているよ。これはなんでしょう。: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1873 . [konan-1831]
- 「あ」をとるとおこってしまうどうぶつはなんだ？: The school PDF prints the koala question and answer in its riddle-answer corner. Only this short puzzle is quoted. [kasugai]
- 飛ぶスピードが、すごく速い虫って何でしょう？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1755 . [konan-1729]
- 逆から読んでも、間に『ル』を入れても、海の生きものになるものって、な～んだ？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24540 . [kamisho-24474]
- 『蚊は立てない』と言っている生きものは、な～んだ？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The answer follows the school’s explicit kana/removal hints; the full derivation is explained here. [kamisho-26255]
- 金閣寺の中をのぞいたら出てくる動物は、な～んだ？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The answer follows the school’s explicit kana/removal hints; the full derivation is explained here. [kamisho-24720]
- びょういんの先生からもらったら、ちょっとだけわらっちゃうものってなに？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1897 . [konan-1873]
- のむと、おこられるジュースって何でしょう？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/konan/?p=1831 . [konan-1755]
- いつもたたかっているカタカナは、何と何かな？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24678 . [kamisho-24650]
- 鍵を９回かけるともらえるものは、な～んだ？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=24579 . [kamisho-24540]
- 週に２日間しか演奏することができない楽器は、な～んだ？: Question verified in the school’s publicly posted classroom material; this is an attested version, not an asserted first invention date. Punctuation and incidental spacing are normalized. The following school post gives the answer: https://www.himi.ed.jp/kamisho/?p=20025 . [kamisho-19984]