Year of the Tiger: character recognition

In a language with thousands of characters, only a few look like what they mean as they convey no visual clues to a reader. Only three per cent of Chinese characters (words such as ‘sun’ and ‘mountain’) are vaguely pictographic. Even those three per cent can be tricky. Thousands must be mastered to achieve basic literacy.

How many symbols can you and your family figure out? Better still, enliven that chambers Covid locked-down-lunch by challenging fellow diners to celebrate the Year of the Tiger and compete as they munch another vegemite sandwich. 

Just scroll down the page, look at the character, select the word that best describes what you think you see, then scroll on down further and find the answer.

Question one

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Fork

• Candle

• Mountain

• Anchor

Question two

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Star

• Fire

• Restaurant

• Help

Question three

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Tree

• Dress

• China

• Light

Question four

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Insect

• Fireworks

• Helicopter

• Forest

Question five

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Sheep

• Ladybird

• Spine

• Fence

Question six

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Aerial

• Sail

• Honour

• Kebab

Question seven

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Box

• Mouth

• Cinema

• Bed

Question eight

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Kettle

• Umbrella

• Heart

• Nose

Question nine

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Big

• Pylon

• Generosity

• Man

Question ten

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Tent

• Heaven

• Wishbone

• Person

Question eleven

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Ship

• Christian

• Soil

• Battery

Question twelve

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Balance

• Three

• Ladder

• Crossing

Question thirteen

Please complete this question, you must select one of the answers below 

• Chair

• Fish

• Dancer

• Lady

Answers

Question one: Mountain

Question two: Fire

Question three: Tree

Question four: Forest

Question five: Sheep

Question six: kebab

Question seven: Mouth

Question eight: Heart

Question nine: Big

Question ten: Person

Question eleven: soil

Question twelve: Three

Question thirteen: Lady