Last week I wrote an article called, 'In Doubt When Dining Out,' offering some survival Japanese for enjoying meals in Japan. This week, it is my pleasure to transition to something a little different but nevertheless important...
Workaround: To mitigate the safeguard, you might need to check with your device manufacturer (OEM) to see if an updated driver is available and install it. If updated drivers are not available for your device and you are offered Windows 10, version 2004 or Windows 10, version 20H2, a small number of devices might roll back to the previous version of Windows 10 when attempting to update. In case you are wondering, as you type in Japanese, Windows will show suggestions and relevant Kanji characters and vocabs. By selecting the suggestions, you can type Kanji characters. If you want to keep the Japanese keyboard layout but want to type in English, click on the “あ” icon. This action will change it to English mode. Hi I just formated my laptop to windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. I bought the laptop with windows 10, so now it has windows 7. The problem im facing is i can not find any drivers for my laptop for a windows 7 64 bit operating system.
Survival Kanji
What are kanji? They are complex Chinese characters adopted by the Japanese some 1400 years ago. Kanji are used in conjunction with two other forms of simple Japanese writing--hiragana and katakana--but Kanji are really the key to reading and understanding the Japanese language, and in certain places throughout Japan, they may be your only option for signs, menus, etc. Since that's still the case in areas throughout Japan, in this article, I've included about 60 survival kanji that will help you navigate Japan during your respective journeys.
Now I know what you're thinking--'How am I supposed to remember all those complex characters?' Fear not! Check out the pic below...I have included a flash card that I made for you to screenshot or download onto your smart phone so you have an easy-access cheat sheet as you travel through Japan.
Of course, I won't just arm you with Kanji without providing some context, so this article also offers a full explanation of my cheat sheet. Without further ado...
Rules/Emergencies
注意 (Caution): You'll see this in a lot of places all throughout Japan, but basically wherever there are hazards around. That includes hot drink dispensers, train doors, heavy machinery, construction sites, and roads/trails where flooding, falling rocks, or other such dangers exist. The point is, when you see these kanji, you don't have to freak out, but you should just be careful and keep your wits about you.
危険 (Danger): One step up from 注意 (caution), the kanji for danger symbolizes hazards that you absolutely must avoid. So if you see a sign that says this at the trail head to a hike, turn around!
禁止 (Prohibited): The first character '禁' is the basic kanji for 'prohibited,' so any word you see with that should inform you that you shouldn't be doing something. For example, in a museum you may see the kanji: '撮影禁止”which means, 'photos prohibited.' Fortunately, these signs often include that handy strike-through red circle, but just be aware that if you see a sign with this on it, either clarify before proceeding or think twice about what you might be about to do.
立ち入り禁止 (Entry not permitted): In line with the previous Kanji, this is one of the more common instructions. This is important so you don't walk through doors you're not supposed to enter!
非常口 (Emergency Exit): Always good to know which exits are meant for emergencies, especially so you don't go tripping any alarms!
交番 (Police Box, or Koban): If you lose something or find yourself in a pickle, head to the nearest police box, or koban. While most of the big cities will also have the English characters posted spelling, 'Koban,' if you are outside of metropolitan areas, you may have to rely solely on this kanji to locate a police box.
消火器 (Fire Extinguisher): Obviously, the standard red fire extinguisher is pretty easy to notice, but sometimes they are hidden away in hallway cabinets and the only thing that will point them out to you is this word in kanji. As a travel safety tip, try to be aware of what fire suppression options there are wherever you may be staying.
避難場所 (Evacuation Area): If things get really bad (weather, earthquakes, etc.), head for a designation 'Hinan basho,' or evacuation area. Fortunately, Japanese authorities have been adding more English to these signs, but that is not always the case.
Food/Drinks
Drink Machines: In Japan, you will often encounter self-serve drink machines, whether in your hotel, a hostel, or a restaurant. Many times, the machines will offer three basic options and combinations thereof. Those three are:
Hot or Cold food/drink items: Whether deciding on a drink from a vending machine, choosing the type of sake you want, or picking food items off the menu, it is helpful to know whether it is hot or cold. These next two kanji will help you do that:
The next few kanji will help you when you're trying to decipher your kaiseki menu or trying to decide what to order from the set lunches. They'll also help you avoid certain foods that you may not want to eat for dietary or personal reasons, such as raw meat, pork, etc. Here you go:
酒 (Alcohol): On the one hand, this is helpful for trying to locate alcohol in a store (look for the '酒' sign) or n a menu, but it's also helpful if you are trying to avoid drinking alcohol. Certainly you can avoid that same signage and portion of the menu, but you can also check drink and food labels where there will be'酒' followed by a percentage (e.g. 酒4.0%) to let you know if there is alcohol in the product.
辛 (Spicy): Although spicy food is starting to grow in popularity in Japan, it's not common in the everyday Japanese diet. As such, most restaurants and bento shops will indicate when food is spicy using this little kanji character. Moreover, places like Coco's Curry will give you an option for how spicy you want your food on the '辛' scale.
生 (Draft, Fresh, or Raw): This kanji is contextual. For example, if you see it in reference to Beer, it means draft (not bottled) beer. If it is next to many foods, it will mean 'never frozen.' If it's next to meat or seafood (see the next three kanji on the list), however, understand that it will mean 'raw.'
魚 (Fish・Seafood): If you see this anywhere on the menu, it means that it will contain some type of seafood.
牛 (Beef): If you see this anywhere on the menu, it means that it will contain some type of beef. [Note: if you see this kanji in reference to ice cream, don't worry, it's not beef flavored ice cream, it's 牛乳, or 'milk']
豚 (Pork): If you see this anywhere on the menu, it means that it will contain some type of pork.
野菜 (Vegetables): This is important for vegetarians, especially when looking at a set menu for lunch. Many restaurants will offer a meat, a seafood, and a vegetarian set option. Just look for these two kanji and you'll be good to go!
Shopping
Fortunately, most stores in Japan have started to cater to foreign tourists by including much more English. Still, for quick reference, here are two important kanji to have handy:
円 (Yen): Most of us are used to the international symbol for Japanese currency (¥), but many stores will label their products with the traditional kanji. Fear not, they mean the same thing, but the kanji will always come after the number (e.g. 400円 instead of ¥400).
会計 (Cashier): This is important for when you need to check out. Take it from a guy who has gone to the wrong counter so many times he's lost count, looking for this kanji will save you a lot of time and confusion.
Kanjitech Drivers
Directions
The following Kanji don't need a lot of additional context, but they are helpful for understanding where to go, reading maps, and following signage to get to where you need to go:
入口 Entrance
出口 Exit
上 Up
下 Down
左 Left
右 Right
北 North
南 South
西 West
東 East
入口 Entrance
出口 Exit
上 Up
下 Down
左 Left
右 Right
北 North
南 South
西 West
東 East
Trains
Fortunately, most train stations now have multilingual signage. If that's not the case, however, the three most important kanji are below:
各駅 (Local): This train will stop at every station.
急 (Rapid): There are a lot of variations on this kanji, but if you see this character anywhere in context of a train, it means the train will skip at least a few stations.
亭車 (Stopped): If you see this on the board at the station, it means that there has been a train stoppage. Station authorities don't use this kanji lightly, so if you see it, it means you should either be prepared to wait or to find another means to get to your destination.
Taxis
迎車: Means the taxi is heading to go pick up a customer. Find another cab.
賃走: Signifies that the taxi is carrying a customer. Find another cab.
支払: Means the customer is paying the fare. The cab should be free soon, so if you can wait, it will become available in a minute or two.
観光: Identifies that the taxi is being used for sightseeing. If the driver is out of the cab, it usually means he is looking for customers. If he is in the cab, it usually means he already has customers and is waiting for them to return. There is no harm in asking either way if you are interested in hiring a taxi for a sightseeing tour.
回送: Means that the taxi is not-in-service. Either the driver is on break or he is done for the day. Find another cab.
予約: Notes that the taxi is reserved. Find another cab.
空車: This means the taxi is free and available! Score!
Locations/Businesses
駅 (Train Station): If you ever need to find your way to a train station, follow the signs to the destination with this kanji in the name.
薬 (Drugs, as in Drug Store): If you need to find some medication, it can be difficult because over-the-counter medication can only be sold at designated drug stores in Japan. As such, look for stores that have this kanji on the sign (they will always be prominently displayed).
寺 (Temple) : This denotes a Buddhist temple.
神社 (Shrine): This kanji represents a Shinto shrine.
薬 (Drugs, as in Drug Store): If you need to find some medication, it can be difficult because over-the-counter medication can only be sold at designated drug stores in Japan. As such, look for stores that have this kanji on the sign (they will always be prominently displayed).
寺 (Temple) : This denotes a Buddhist temple.
神社 (Shrine): This kanji represents a Shinto shrine.
These next kanji are important for reading signage about operating hours, understanding whether or not there are spaces available, and whether or not you can smoke:
営業中 (Open for business)
準備中 (In prep, or closed): Even though staff may be inside, the store is not yet open.
空席 (Seats available)
満席 (Seats full)
Bathrooms
There may be many other kanji associated with bathrooms, but the two most important are below.
便所 (Toilet): It is important to note that if you go somewhere with this kanji, you will be able to relieve yourself, but it will almost never have a sink or other amenities.
お手洗い (Bathroom): literally translated as a place 'to wash your hands,' the bathroom includes toilets and standard bathroom amenities.
Onsen
The only two kanji you really need to go when heading to an onsen will save you a lot of embarrassment. While many onsen now have english signs, some only distinguish the men's and women's sections by the noren (drapes) covering the respective entrances. Each noren will include the corresponding kanji for men and women depicted below:
男 Male
女 Female
男 Male
女 Female
So there you have it...
...the basic survival kanji that you should know before journeying in Japan. Zehi, copy, screenshot, or download the flash card at the beginning of the article to keep with you as you travel, and feel free to ask any other questions or add your recommended survival kanji in the comments section below!
Drivers Kansas
(Cover Photo Courtesy of Flickr User Manuel Martin-Fernandez)