Category: Brain Teasers

Trivia: What does the word “samurai” mean?

To serve
To stand
To fight
To survive

The correct answer is To serve

So why is this answer correct? : The samurai were a class of warriors that formed in 12th-century Japan. At first, the word represented only the most aristocratic among the warriors, but “samurai” soon became a more broad term. Samurai were usually hired for protection in what could be a dangerous feudal world, and served as an integral part of Japanese society until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

Trivia: What is the only national flag with no common colors with the U.S. flag?

Brazil
India
Jamaica
Haiti

The correct answer is Jamaica

So why is this answer correct? : Red, white, and blue are so prevalent among national flags that only one country in the world, Jamaica, doesn’t feature any of those three colors on its national flag. The Jamaican flag consists of two black and two green triangles with a diagonal yellow cross separating them. The flag’s colors represent the sunshine of the nation (yellow), the hardship it’s faced (black), and the hope that lies ahead (green).

Trivia: Samurai used many weapons, but their most trusted weapon was what?

Tanto
Yumi
Wakizashi
Katana

The correct answer is Katana

So why is this answer correct? : The katana, meaning “a curved sword with a one-sided blade,” came to prominence in the 15th century. The katana could be used one-handed or two-handed, and was often paired with a wakizashi, a smaller blade. The two blades together, often worn on the left side of a samurai’s belt, were called a daishō, which literally means “big little.”

Trivia: What unique symbol does Lebanon have on its flag?

Temple
Sailboat
Snake
Cedar tree

The correct answer is Cedar tree

So why is this answer correct? : Lebanon has been famous for its cedar trees since biblical times and remain a source of national pride. King Solomon was said to have procured wood from cedar trees to build the Temple in Jerusalem. In 1943, when Lebanon declared independence from France, the tree found a natural home on the country’s national flag as well.

Trivia: What famous movie character was based on samurai?

Zorro
Darth Vader
Iron Man
Predator

The correct answer is Darth Vader

So why is this answer correct? : Darth Vader was an intimidating sight when he first appeared onscreen in 1977. But while the space opera was set “in a galaxy far, far away,” the inspiration behind Vader’s iconic look was much closer to home. “Star Wars” director George Lucas and concept designer Ralph McQuarrie based Vader’s helmet on the samurai “kabuto” and the famous black armor of warlord Date Masamune.

Trivia: Which nation’s flag features a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Peru
The Netherlands
Turkey
Cambodia

The correct answer is Cambodia

So why is this answer correct? : Surprisingly few national flags feature buildings, and only one features a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The flag of Cambodia depicts the Angkor Wat Temple in its center on a red band. The world’s largest religious structure, Angkor Wat is a sprawling Buddhist temple complex built in the early 12th century by King Suryavarman. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.

Trivia: What sword-fighting style comes directly from samurai?

Kendo
Fencing
Kung-fu
Bojutsu

The correct answer is Kendo

So why is this answer correct? : Kendo, which literally means “the way of the sword,” can trace its lineage back to samurai. During Japan’s Warring States period (roughly 475 BCE to 221 BCE), many schools taught various sword-fighting styles known as “kenjutsu.” The rise of protective equipment and the introduction of bamboo swords eventually led to the transformation of “kenjutsu” to “kendo” in the 20th century.

Trivia: Which two countries had the same flag for 18 years?

Australia and New Zealand
Côte d’Ivoire and Ireland
Sweden and Norway
Haiti and Liechtenstein

The correct answer is Haiti and Liechtenstein

So why is this answer correct? : At the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, Haiti and Liechtenstein discovered that their flags were identical. Haiti flew their civil flag that omitted the coat of arms found in the center of their national flag, which was reserved solely for military and government functions. The tiny European country of Liechtenstein coincidentally adopted the same red-and-blue striped pattern in 1921. The following year, they added a yellow crown to symbolize their prince and avoid any confusion in the future.

Trivia: Onna-bugeisha is a term used to describe what specific group of samurai?

Children
Elderly
Retired
Female

The correct answer is Female

So why is this answer correct? : While samurai are generally depicted as male, the onna-bugeisha were a group of female warriors trained in the exact same style of combat. Onna-bugeisha carried a naginata — a shorter and lighter version of traditional samurai weaponry — and they would often fight alongside their male counterparts. The group ended their reign in the mid-19th century shortly after the Battle of Aizu.

Trivia: What country’s flag features an eagle, a cactus, and a serpent?

Turkey
Laos
Mexico
Australia

The correct answer is Mexico

So why is this answer correct? : When Mexico achieved independence in 1821, the green, white, and red flag the nation adopted included a central emblem. Its likely inspiration was the myth of the Aztec city, Tenochtitlán (present-day Mexico City). A prophecy foretold an eagle with a snake in its beak standing on a cactus growing out of rocks in the middle of water.