進路指導室

Here is a sign from the Anime Gleipnir. A show that takes place in High School, so the translation makes sense.

進路指導室(しんろしどうしつ) - Guidance Counseling Room

The 漢字 on the end is one you see a lot. 室 often designates a room or office. 部屋(へや) is also a word for room, although it's more personal to a room in a house, apartment or hotel such as: 僕の部屋です。It's my room.

屋 is also found at the end of signs that designate a Store. Examples:

本屋 (ほんや) - Bookstore (一番好きな屋)

電気屋 (でんきや) - Electronics Store

雑貨屋 (ざっかや) - General Store

or even in the name of one of Japan's largest cities: 名古屋 (なごや).

I lived 2 years in 四日市 (よっかいち) in 三重県 (みえけん) which was about a 30 minute train ride away from 名古屋. It's a very beautiful and fun city. I recommend going there if you ever visit Japan.

Yet, maybe you should go to your 進路指導室 and talk with your 進路指導教員 (しんろしどうきょういん) - guidance counselor to see if going to Japan is a worthwhile career option for you.

But if you're anything like me, I never took my 進路指導教員 advice and just did whatever I wanted. And look how well that turned out!

それじゃー、以上です。

またの日、

ジョシュア

投入禁止

Years ago I bought a bunch of this types of signs from the dollar store for Christmas presents and souvenirs for my family and friends. Many of them were signs for トイレ or お手洗い (おてあらい) words for toilet and washroom. I thought they were pretty funny and wish I bought more of them, yet I still had this one, still in the package, which I had forgotten about until I recently packed all my things and moved to Colorado and found it in the bottom of a drawer.

It is another strange one that after learning the translation, like me, you'll say to yourself, "A, duh! Who needs a sign for that?"

火気 (かき) - Fire things, traces of fire

等 (など) - Etc.

の - Possessive particle

危険 (きけん) - Dangerous 

物 (もの) - Things

投入 (とうにゅう) - Throwing into, inserting

禁止 (きんし) - Stop, don't do it, forbidden

Translation: Throwing dangerous things on fire is forbidden.

As you can read, why would you need a sign telling you not to throw objects on fire? Well, maybe in a warehouse with lots of dirty rags and old oil, or a workshop with lots of flammable wood or paint cans. But again, if you work in one of those places you should know not to do that, yet maybe visitors don't know, but why are visitors showing up smoking cigarettes and lighting matches???

The world is chaotic and people's actions are mysterious, so Japan has decided to put up signs as a way to cover their bases for all the things that can happen, because they're right, they probably will happen. So it is better to remind everyone that these actions are だめ！Not allowed!

Do you have signs at home, work or in your community that makes you say, "Who needs to be reminded of that?"

Back in Indiana they put up a billboard that said, "Don't trash our city. Put it in the can.", as a way to tell people to stop littering. There was a real problem of people throwing trash into the street, so they had to put up signs to tell them to stop, which to me is, "Everyone should know that." But, I guess they don't.

If you have a story like this, please tell it in the comments. And if you want to write it in Japanese, that would be awesome too!

それは、以上です。Bye-bye 👋

ジョシュア

Product Review: Dorling Kindersley (DK) 15-Minute Japanese Language Learning Book and Audio

I picked up Dorling Kindersley or DK 15-Minute Japanese at the Library, a great source for for trying out new and different learning materials, but also why the cover is bent and broken. The 2 audio CDs were fine and the book was also in good shape, only the plastic case seems to have been stepped on, yet did its job of protecting the materials inside. やった！！

Kanji from the Cover includes:

提灯 (ちょうちん) - Paper Lantern

扇子 (せんす) - Folding Fan

湯呑み (ゆのみ) - Teacup

着物 (きもの) - Kimono; traditional Japanese clothing

人形 (にんぎょう) - Doll

盆栽 (ぼんさい) - Bonsai Tree

扇子 is difficult to see on the front, but once we open the case and see the 2 CDs and book, you can see it in the corner. The CDs also reprint the same pictures and Kanji from the cover and include a few new ones on Disk 2 that includes:

麺 (メン ) - Noodles; written in Katakana as in ラメん

下駄 (げた) - Geta, Wooden Clogs; traditional Japanese footwear

and the one hiding under Disk 1 is 寿司 (すし🍣 ) - Sushi; Do I need to define Sushi?

Inside the book are really nice pictures of real life objects, real people and each lesson is organized in actual everyday scenarios that include: Greetings, Family, Work, Getting Directions, In a Cafe, Shopping and other daily life language essentials.

Every lesson starts with introducing vocabulary then starts putting the words to use in conversations you are most likely to have within each situation.

For example in the cafe, you learn coffee コーヒー and cake ケーキ and how to say, "Coffee, please." コーヒーをお願いします。And ask questions, "Do you have cake?" ケーキがありますか？ And the most important economic question of all, "How much is that?" いくらですか？

This page teaches you about Electronics, Supermarket, Shops and Museum. The CD speaks the words and phrases for you to listen and repeat them. Then there are dialogue role-playing when a speaker will ask a question, and using what you learned, you answer them.

The book uses a mix of Romanji, Japanese spelled out in English, Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji! From the photo I took, you can't see the Japanese words and phrases in the sidebars. Sorry.

Yet for a better look and more product details with sample pages, go to the DK 15-Minute Japanese ordering site clicking --> HERE <--これ. Although, I always recommend going to your local library's website and searching to see if they have it first before spending money on a product that may not suit your needs.

Overall, if my rating system is out of 五, then I give this product a 四.五.

Pros

I really like the simple structure. It doesn't weigh you down with unnecessary grammar and explanations. The CDs don't overly repeat every phrase. The product is organized in useful categories with useful and need to know vocabulary and phrases that are good to know in Japan.

The actors in the audio speak a good pace. The audio is clear and dialogue directions are clear.

Most of all, it's a learning product. Although it is teaching you common greetings and phrases, it isn't like other Phrase Books that just have you repeat until you can say things by memory. Each chapter introduces a scenario, teaches you important vocabulary and phrases, then uses exercises and quizzes to help reinforce learning.

Cons

The relies too much on Romanji. The headings are in English and should also include the Japanese. The product is too short so I hope they think about making a Part 2 with more scenarios to help continue building language learning.

Although one of my pros is it's not a Phrase Book, it does lack in some grammar teaching. They could have chapters on the difference between Particles such as は and が, へ and に to push the reader to want to learn and explore more about the Japanese language.

If you have used this product, please let me know what you think of it. If you are inspired to check it out, also let me know how you like and dislike it. Or just tell me your favorite Japanese language learning tool. There are so many out there to choose from.

読みました、ありがとうございました。今日は終わり。みなさん、気をつけて！

ジョシュア

もう最後のもの

I don't get affiliate ad payments for recommending this product, so if you find value from this review or any of the other posts from Death by Kanji and ant to contribute to more Japanese and Kanji content in the future please DONATE using the yellow button in the sidebar そちらどぞ--->お願いします。🙇

Bored Panda article on 50 Facts That Prove Japan Is Unlike Any Other Country

Over at Bored Panda they posted an article titled:

50 Facts That Prove Japan Is Unlike Any Other Country

Go over there and give it a read. There are some interesting things and really 50 is only 1/3rd of what makes Japan so unique compared to other countries, and their public transportation system accounts for about 2/3rds of that.

Let me know if you agree or disagree with Bored Panda or have a rebuttal of 50 Facts That Prove MY COUNTRY Is Unlike Any Other Country!

I'm always up to learn new and interesting things about places and culture.

読みました、ありがとう。

ジョシュア

冷房故障中

During the Summer heat, THIS is NOT a sign you want to see.

冷房 (れいぼう) - Air Conditioning 

故障中 (こしょうちゅう) - Out of Order

Translation: Air Con* is out of order.

*In Japan, Air Con is short for Air Conditioning written in Katakana as エアコン.

冷 (れい) is written different in the sign than how it would be in a traditional or printed reading. It is a quick hand written version of the Kanji that makes some simple shortcuts. Instead of using the cap /_\ it uses more of an up arrow /|\, and instead of a squared p under it, it uses the Katakanji マ which is used in many Kanji.

So when I looked up 冷 in my Kanji dictionary, I drew it like what we see in the picture. It didn't fool the dictionary and it knew right away what I was looking for.

Quick shortcut written Kanji is everywhere, so you have to be flexible when reading it. Context matters a lot in Japanese; seeing this sign and feeling the heat would both make you understand what it meant before even having to read it. 故障中 should be a sight reading flashcard because you see it a lot and need to know what it means. You don't want to see 故障中 on a bathroom door and walk right past it. Disaster could strike because it probably means the TOILET WON'T FLUSH!!! 

And you don't want to be in that situation. Trust me.

以上です。またね！

ジョシュア。

公園のルールを守ってください。

Pictures can often tell a story well enough that you can understand the meaning. Although, sometimes a picture creates more confusion and ambiguity about what is happening and what you are suppose to do. Japan is really good at making signs like that. Yet, I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

Let's look at this sign, you should recognize the Kanji 公園 as Park and the Kanji in front is 神田 (かんだ). There are many 神田公園 parks in Japan, and this particular one is in Amagasaki, Hyogo.

ルール - Rules

を - Subject and Verb Linking Particle

守って (まもって) - Guard, Protect, Obey

楽しい (たのしい) - Fun, Exciting

公園 - Park

Translation: Obey the rules for a fun, exciting park

樹木 (じゅもく) - Trees

を

大切 (おおぎり) - Big Cut

Translation: Cut off limbs.

家庭 (かてい) - Household, Family

の

ゴミ - Trash

すて - Throw away

Translation: Throw away your trash from home.

迷惑 (めいわく) - Annoying, Trouble, Inconvenience

犬 (いぬ) - Dog

の - Possessive Particle

散歩 (さんぽ) - Walk, Stroll

Translation: Walk your troublesome dog.

大人 (おとな) - Adult, Grown-up

硬球 (こうきゅう) - Hard ball

等 (など) - Etc.

野球 (やきゅう) - Baseball

Translation: Play grown-up hard ball like baseball.

危険な (きけんな) - Dangerous, Risky

花火 (はなび) - Fireworks

Translation: Dangerous fireworks.

はずかしい - Embarrassing, Private

干し物 (ほしもの) - Things dried in the sun (clothes, blankets, etc.)

Translation: Dry your embarrassing possessions.

みんな - Everyone

の

公園

みんな

で - Location Particle

きれいに - Keep Beautiful

Translation: This is everyone's park. Keep it clean!

It is implied that you DON'T do these things even though they never use the negative -ない with any of the verbs or adjectives. The frowning faces of the Still the one picture for はずかしい干し物, looks as if YOU CAN do it, and somebody probably has hung their dirty underwear in the park. 気味悪い！

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