Japanese for Work and Daily Life in Japan (A2 / JFT-Basic / N4) · Lesson 5 of 20

Lesson 5: Safety Words and Warning Signs

Read the kanji on warning, prohibition and public signs (危険, 立入禁止, 非常口, 工事中, 使用中) with readings, colours and audio.

MeroSir Team · 3 min read · Englishनेपालीमा पढ्नुहोस्
Lesson 5: Safety Words and Warning Signs

Safety signs can protect your life, and they are written mostly in kanji. You do not need to write these kanji, only recognise them. Learn the set below; the same kanji appear again and again.

Warning and safety signs at work

Eight warning and safety signs with kanji, kana readings and meanings: 危険, 立入禁止, 火気厳禁, 感電注意, 足元注意, 頭上注意, 高温注意, ヘルメット着用

Colours: red = danger or prohibition, yellow = caution, blue = an order (you must).

JapaneseRomajiनेपालीEnglishListen
危険kikenखतराdanger▶
立入禁止tachiiri kinshiप्रवेश निषेधno entry▶
火気厳禁kaki genkinआगो निषेधno open flame▶
感電注意kanden chuuiविद्युत करेन्टको सावधानीcaution: electric shock▶
足元注意ashimoto chuuiपाइलामुनि सावधानwatch your step▶
頭上注意zujou chuuiटाउकोमाथि सावधानwatch overhead▶
高温注意kouon chuuiउच्च तापक्रम सावधानcaution: high temperature▶
ヘルメット着用herumetto chakuyouहेल्मेट लगाउनुहोस्wear a helmet▶
安全第一anzen daiichiसुरक्षा पहिलेsafety first▶
整理整頓seiri seitonव्यवस्थित र सफा राख्नुtidiness (keeping things in order)▶
関係者以外立入禁止kankeisha igai tachiiri kinshiसम्बन्धित व्यक्ति बाहेक प्रवेश निषेधauthorised personnel only▶
非常停止hijou teishiआपतकालीन रोकावटemergency stop▶

Signs in shops, stations and streets

Eight public signs with kanji, kana readings and meanings: 非常口, 禁煙, 工事中, 使用中, 故障中, 営業中, 準備中, 通行止め

Many signs end in 中 (ちゅう): "in the middle of", so 工事中 = under construction, 使用中 = in use.

JapaneseRomajiनेपालीEnglishListen
非常口hijouguchiआपतकालीन निकासemergency exit▶
禁煙kinenधूम्रपान निषेधno smoking▶
工事中koujichuuनिर्माणाधीनunder construction▶
使用中shiyouchuuप्रयोगमा छin use (occupied)▶
故障中koshouchuuबिग्रिएको छout of order▶
営業中eigyouchuuखुला छopen for business▶
準備中junbichuuतयारी हुँदै (खुलेको छैन)preparing (not open yet)▶
通行止めtsuukoudomeबाटो बन्दroad closed▶
営業時間eigyou jikanखुल्ने समयbusiness hours▶
定休日teikyuubiनियमित बिदाको दिनregular closing day▶
入口 / 出口iriguchi / deguchiप्रवेश / निकासentrance / exit▶
押す / 引くosu / hikuधकेल्ने / तान्नेpush / pull (on doors)▶

Useful kanji and how to recognise them

KanjiReadingMeaningWhere you see it
禁きんforbid禁止, 禁煙
止し / とめstop禁止, 通行止め
注意ちゅういcaution感電注意
危き / あぶdanger危険, 危ない
口ぐち / くちmouth, opening入口, 出口, 非常口
中ちゅう / なかin the middle of工事中, 使用中

Remember 止 (stop) and 禁 (forbid) together mean a prohibition. If you see red, stop and ask. If you do not understand a sign at work, ask your leader before you continue.

Words you will hear

JapaneseRomajiनेपालीEnglishListen
あぶない!abunai!होसियार!Danger! Watch out!▶
きを つけて!ki o tsukete!ध्यान दिनुहोस्!Be careful!▶
あんぜんanzenसुरक्षितsafe, safety▶
ひなんhinanसुरक्षित ठाउँमा जानुevacuation▶
かじkajiआगलागीfire (accident)▶
けがkegaचोटपटकinjury▶
ヘルメットherumettoहेल्मेटhelmet▶
てぶくろtebukuroपन्जाgloves▶
マスクmasukuमास्कmask▶
あんぜんぐつanzengutsuसुरक्षा जुत्ताsafety shoes▶

Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.

Check yourself

Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.

  1. What does 危険 mean and how is it read?
  2. What does 立入禁止 mean?
  3. What does 非常口 mean?
  4. What does 禁煙 mean?
  5. What does 中 at the end of 工事中 mean?
  6. What does 故障中 mean?
  7. What does 準備中 on a shop door mean?
  8. What colour is an order (you must) usually?
  9. What do you do if you do not understand a sign at work?
  10. Read: 通行止め.

Answers

Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.

  1. きけん: danger.
  2. No entry.
  3. Emergency exit (ひじょうぐち).
  4. No smoking.
  5. In the middle of (an activity): under construction.
  6. Out of order.
  7. Preparing: not open yet.
  8. Blue.
  9. Ask your leader before continuing.
  10. つうこうどめ: road closed.
#Japanese#Safety#Kanji
Finished this lesson?Log in to save your progress and pick up where you left off.
Next lesson →
Share:WhatsAppFacebookX

Comments

Loading comments…

MeroSir Team
A free MeroSir course. Run the examples yourself and try the exercises: you learn programming by doing. Spotted a mistake? Use the Report button above the lesson.