Japanese Name Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. On a Japanese event list, a participant appears as 山田 太郎, following conventional Japanese order. Which interpretation is most likely?
Both parts are family names
Yamada is the family name and Tarō is the given name
Tarō is the family name and Yamada is an honorific
The order cannot convey any clue about which part is the family name
2. What is the traditional association of the ending -ko, written with the kanji meaning “child,” in Japanese given names?
It has been common in feminine given names, although not all such names use it
It marks every name as a family name
It is an honorific used only for children
It shows that a name must be written in katakana
3. In a conventional Japanese-language setting, how is a full Japanese name usually ordered?
Family name followed by given name
Given name followed by family name
Given name alone, followed by an honorific
Honorific followed by family name and given name
4. You need to announce a person's kanji name aloud but have not been given its reading. What should you remember?
Every personal-name kanji has one fixed pronunciation
The family name can be guessed reliably from the number of strokes
The same kanji combination may allow different name readings, so pronunciation should be confirmed
Kanji names are always pronounced using their literal English meanings
5. An international conference badge reads “Haruka SATO.” What is the most careful way to interpret the name order?
Assume Haruka is the family name because it appears first
Assume SATO is a title because it is capitalized
Reverse the order automatically whenever a Japanese name appears in Latin letters
Treat the capitalization as a clue that SATO is the family name, while following or confirming the person's presented usage
6. A registration form shows a person's name in kanji with smaller hiragana printed above it. What do the smaller characters primarily tell you?
The person's preferred honorific
How the kanji name is pronounced
The literal English meaning of the name
Whether the name is a family name or given name
7. In a basic polite self-introduction, Suzuki wants to say “I am Suzuki.” Which treatment of the honorific -san is generally natural?
Place -san before Suzuki
Add -san twice to emphasize politeness
Omit -san from one's own name in the self-introduction
Always attach -san because every spoken Japanese name requires it
8. You see the spellings Ono, Ōno, and Oono in Latin letters. What does this variation illustrate?
Latin-letter spellings always identify different kanji with certainty
Macrons are honorific markers rather than pronunciation guides
Japanese names cannot officially contain long vowels
Romanization systems may represent a long vowel with a macron or doubled vowel, while simplified spelling may omit the distinction
9. After one brief meeting, someone addresses Keiko as “Keiko-chan.” What cultural nuance is most relevant?
-chan is the standard title for every adult in formal settings
-chan shows that Keiko is definitely being addressed by her family name
-chan identifies Keiko as a teacher or specialist
-chan often conveys affection or familiarity and may feel overfamiliar without an established relationship
10. You meet two people whose names are both written as “Yuki” in Latin letters. What can you safely conclude?
They must write their names with the same characters
Their names may use different kanji and carry different meanings
They must pronounce their names differently
Yuki can only be a family name
11. A family name contains kanji with a literal image such as “middle” and “rice field.” What is the soundest interpretation?
The bearer must currently work in agriculture
The name is a descriptive sentence rather than a personal name
The characters have literal associations, but they do not by themselves prove a person's occupation, personality, or exact ancestry
The kanji meaning determines the correct honorific
12. When considering a Japanese given name written in kanji, why is it useful to know both the characters and the intended reading?
The reading determines the person's family name
Every kanji has only one possible name reading
The characters contribute meaning, while the intended pronunciation may not be obvious from them alone
Kanji in personal names are decorative and have no linguistic role
13. A new colleague is introduced in Japanese name order as Satō Haruka. In a polite professional setting, which form of address is generally the safest starting point?
Haruka-chan
Satō-kun, regardless of the colleague's role
Haruka-sensei
Satō-san
14. A person named Elena wants the standard Japanese-script rendering commonly used for a foreign personal name. Which script would usually be used?
Katakana
Hiragana in every context
Rōmaji because foreign names cannot be written in Japanese scripts
Kanji selected only for their literal meanings
15. Your Japanese-language instructor's family name is Mori. How would students commonly address the instructor during class?
Mori-chan
Mori-sensei
Sensei-san Mori
Mori-sama in ordinary classroom conversation
16. A document asks someone to use an inkan or hanko beside their name. What is being requested?
A personal or registered name seal, depending on the context
A formal honorific added to the name
A handwritten translation of the name
A phonetic guide written above the name