No.270
Introduce Yourself with One Kanji
Japanese name: 漢字一文字自己紹介
Materials
- 1 sheet of paper per person
- A thick marker
How to play
- Sit in a circle of 4–8 and give everyone paper and a pen. Choose either “how I feel today” or “something I am looking forward to” as the theme.
- Write one large kanji character that suits the theme. If a kanji does not come to mind, use hiragana, a picture or a colour instead.
- Take turns showing the sheet. In about 30 seconds, say what you would like to be called and why you chose the character. Anyone who prefers not to speak may simply show the sheet.
- Listeners acknowledge each contribution with a nod or applause, without judging spelling or handwriting. After one round, quietly choose a character that stayed with you and finish.
Ways to adapt
Primary children can use a character or picture linked to something they like. If writing is difficult, let them answer aloud while an adult writes for them.