Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right – kanji seen and used everyday!

In this blog and on Twitter we’ll be presenting pictures with kanji based on a theme, such as kanji seen on road signs, shop signs, restaurant menus, product packaging, and lots more! You can also see the kanji pictures everyday on Twitter if you follow us! We’ll be changing the theme of the pictures every week.

This Everyday Kanji theme is Traffic Signs!

一方通行 (ippō tsūkō)：This means “One way.” But, if you’re on a bike, you can use this road. Do you see why?

一方 (ippō) = one way
● 一 (ichi) = one
● 方 (pō) = way

通行 (tsūkō) = passage
● 通 (tsū) = to pass
● 行 (kō) = going

自転車を除く (jitensha o nozoku) means “except bikes”, which means that this sign applies to everyone except those on bikes. So if you’re on a bike, you can go in either direction on this road!

自転車 (jitensha) = bike, bicycle
● 自 (ji) = self
● 転 (ten) = revolve
● 車 (sha) = car

除く (nozoku) = to remove, to exclude
● 除 (nozo) = exclude

止まれ (tomare) ： This means “Stop!” There are also a few more traffic signs. Do you know what they mean?

止まれ (tomare) = Stop!
● 止 (to) = to stop

The sign in the middle of three signs means that cars have to turn left.
However, 日曜・休日を除く(nichiyō/kyūjitsu o nozoku) means “except on Sundays and holidays”, so you can turn right on Sundays or holidays.

日曜 (nichiyō) = Sunday
● 日 (nichi) = day
● 曜 (yō) = day of the week

休日 (kyūjitsu) = holiday
● 休 (kyū) = rest, day off
● 日 (nichi) = day

除く (nozoku) = to remove, to exclude
● 除 (nozo) = exclude

For your information, the sign at the bottom means “NO PARKING.”

歩行者優先 (hokōsha yūsen): This sign means “Priority to pedestrians”. When you ride a bike, please yield to pedestrians, because it’s 歩行者優先.

歩行者 (hokōsha) = pedestrians
● 歩 (ho) = walk
● 行 (kō) = go
● 者 (sha) = person

優先 (yūsen) = priority
● 優 (yū) = superior
● 先 (sen) = ahead

駐車場 (chūshajō) This means “Parking Lot”. Can you tell where it is from this sign? It’s 50 meters away!

駐車場 (chūshajō) = over head
● 駐 (chū) ＝ stop-over
● 車 (sha) = car
● 場 (jō) = place

この先50ｍ means “50 meters ahead.”
● 先 (saki) = “ahead”

進入禁止 (shinnyū kinshi) This sign means “Wrong Way”. 進入禁止 literally means “Do Not Enter.”

You might see this sign at the exit of a one-way street or at the exit of a parking lot.

進入禁止・shinnyū kinshi = Do not enter
● 進 (shin) = advance, proceed
● 入 (nyū) = enter
● 禁 (kin) = prohibition
● 止 (shi) = stop

If you think you can remember them all, try testing yourself with this video on Youtube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxqvwLk_zHU

Follow us on Twitter for future Everyday Kanji series!