Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to 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!
The theme for this week is kanji found on signs outdoors. Let’s take a look!
①
若葉東公園 (Wakabahigashi kōen)… Try saying that three times fast!! Even if you aren’t familiar with 若葉東, you might know the word 公園!
若葉東公園 (Wakabahigashi kōen) is Wakabahigashi Park, a park located in Tokyo. The name 若葉東 can be divided into two parts: 若葉 (wakaba = young leaf), and 東 (higashi = east).
公園 (kōen) = park
● 公 (kō) = public
● 園 (en) = park
Place name:
若葉東 = Wakabahigashi
● 若 (waka) = young
● 葉 (ba) = leaf
● 東 (higashi) = east
Sample Sentence:
若葉東公園の前で待ち合わせしよう！
Wakabahigashi kōen no mae de machiawase shiyō!
Let’s meet up in front of Wakabahigashi Park!
②
よつや運動広場 (Yotsuya undō hiroba = Yotsuya Exercise Area/Playground
This sign combines two words, 運動 and 広場, to create 運動広場, which literally means “exercise area” and is similar to a playground.
運動 (undō) = exercise
● 運 (un) = to carry
● 動 (dō) = to move
広場 (hiroba) = space, area
● 広 (hiro) = wide, spacious
● 場 (ba) = place
Extra:
よつや = the name of a district in Tokyo. In kanji it becomes: 四ツ谷
Sample Sentence:
毎日子供たちが運動広場で遊んでいる。
Mainichi kodomo-tachi ga undō hiroba de asonde iru.
Children play everyday at the playground.
③
トンビに注意 (tonbi ni chūi) = Watch out for black kites (type of bird)
This sign was posted in an area with lots of トンビ, which are notorious for swiping food from unsuspecting victims.
If you followed our Everday Kanji series in the beginning, then you probably remember this word!
注意 (chūi) = caution
● 注 (chū) = annotation
● 意 (i) = idea
Extra: 食べ物を狙っています (tabemono o neratte imasu) = They are after food!
食べ物 (tabemono) = food
● 食 (tabe) = food
● 物 (mono) = thing
● 狙う (nerau) = to aim for
Sample Sentence:
海外ではスリに狙われやすいので、注意してください。
Kaigai de wa suri ni neraware yasui node, chūi shite kudasai.
In foreign countries you are always being targeted by pickpockets, so be careful.
④
強風・突風に注意してください (kyōfū/toppū ni chūi shite kudasai) = Caution- Strong Wind
強風 refers to a strong wind (強い = tsuyoi = strong, 風 = kaze = wind), while 突風 refers to a wind that is both strong and sudden. Thinking of it as 突然の風 (totsuzen no kaze = a sudden wind) might help you remember the meaning!
強風 (kyōfū) = strong winds
● 強 (kyō) = strong
● 風 (fū) = wind
突風 (toppū) = sudden gust of wind
● 突 (to) = pierce, thrust
● 風 (fū ⇒ pū) = wind
注意 (chui) = caution
● 注 (chū) = annotation
● 意 (i) = idea
Sample Sentence:
台風が近づいています。強風にご注意ください。
Taifū ga chikazuite imasu. Kyōfū ni go-chūi kudasai.
A typhoon is coming. Please be careful of strong winds.
⑤
路上喫煙禁止(rojō kitsuen kinshi) is telling you what you can’t do on the street. The two kanji in the middle are the clue!
路上喫煙禁止 (rojō kitsuen kinshi) = Smoking on the street is prohibited. This phrase can be divided into three words: 路上 (street), 喫煙 (smoking), and 禁止 (prohibited).
路上 (rojō) = on the street
● 路 (ro) = street
● 上 (jō) = above
喫煙 (kitsuen) = smoking
● 喫 (kitsu) = smoking
● 煙 (en) = smoke, fumes
禁止 (kinshi) = prohibited
● 禁 (kin) = prohibit
● 止 (shi) = stop
Here are the same words used in a grammatical sentence:
路上では喫煙は禁止されている。
Rojō de wa, kitsuen wa kinshi sarete iru.
Smoking on the street is prohibited.
★ If you think you can remember them all, try testing yourself with this video on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro06vmye4n0
★ Follow us on Twitter for future Everyday Kanji series!
