Living in China or traveling through Chinese cities means encountering many signs and notices (标志和通知, biāo zhì hé tōng zhī) every day.
From subway stations to restaurants, schools, hospitals, and street corners, understanding what these signs say will make your life easier and help you navigate safely and confidently. In this blog post, we will explore common types of signs, useful Chinese sentences to read notices, and tips to understand important messages even if your Chinese level is intermediate.
Understanding Public Signs in Daily Life
Public signs (公共标志, gōng gòng biāo zhì) provide essential information and instructions. Common examples include:
出口 (chū kǒu) – Exit
入口 (rù kǒu) – Entrance
禁止吸烟 (jìn zhǐ xī yān) – No smoking
请排队 (qǐng pái duì) – Please line up
Example sentence:
这个标志上写着禁止停车 (zhè ge biāo zhì shàng xiě zhe jìn zhǐ tíng chē) – This sign says no parking.
Signs often also use symbols or colors to reinforce their meaning, so learning common vocabulary can help you interpret them faster.
Reading Transportation Signs
Transportation signs (交通标志, jiāo tōng biāo zhì) are everywhere: bus stops, train stations, airports (机场, jī chǎng), and metro stations. Key phrases include:
地铁站 (dì tiě zhàn) – Subway station
站台 (zhàn tái) – Platform
禁止通行 (jìn zhǐ tōng xíng) – No entry
请刷卡 (qǐng shuā kǎ) – Please swipe your card
Example dialogue at a subway station:
A: 请问去天安门东站怎么走? (qǐng wèn qù Tiān Ān Mén Dōng zhàn zěn me zǒu) – Excuse me, how do I get to Tiananmen East Station?
B: 你先往前走, 然后左转到地铁站入口 (nǐ xiān wǎng qián zǒu, rán hòu zuǒ zhuǎn dào dì tiě zhàn rù kǒu) – Go straight, then turn left to the subway entrance.
Reading Notices in Shops and Restaurants
Notices in shops (商店, shāng diàn) and restaurants (餐馆, cān guǎn) often contain important information like opening hours, promotions, or policies. Some key phrases include:
营业时间 (yíng yè shí jiān) – Business hours
请勿吸烟 (qǐng wù xī yān) – Please do not smoke
今日特价 (jīn rì tè jià) – Today’s special price
排队等候 (pái duì děng hòu) – Wait in line
Example sentence:
门口的牌子写着营业时间是早上九点到晚上十点 (mén kǒu de pái zi xiě zhe yíng yè shí jiān shì zǎo shàng jiǔ diǎn dào wǎn shàng shí diǎn) – The sign at the entrance says the business hours are from 9 AM to 10 PM.
Reading Safety and Warning Signs
Safety signs (安全标志, ān quán biāo zhì) are very important to prevent accidents and maintain order. Examples include:
小心地滑 (xiǎo xīn dì huá) – Caution, slippery floor
当心车辆 (dāng xīn chē liàng) – Watch out for vehicles
禁止入内 (jìn zhǐ rù nèi) – No entry
佩戴安全帽 (pèi dài ān quán mào) – Wear a safety helmet
Example sentence:
这个工地的标志上写着必须佩戴安全帽 (zhè ge gōng dì de biāo zhì shàng xiě zhe bì xū pèi dài ān quán mào) – The construction site sign says helmets must be worn.
Reading Informational Notices in Public Spaces
Public notices (公共通知, gōng gòng tōng zhī) in parks, schools, hospitals, and government offices provide instructions and updates. Phrases to recognize include:
请保持安静 (qǐng bǎo chí ān jìng) – Please keep quiet
禁止拍照 (jìn zhǐ pāi zhào) – No photography
请勿乱扔垃圾 (qǐng wù luàn rēng lā jī) – Do not litter
如有疑问请咨询 (rú yǒu yí wèn qǐng zī xún) – If you have questions, please inquire
Example sentence:
医院大厅的通知写着请保持安静 (yī yuàn dà tīng de tōng zhī xiě zhe qǐng bǎo chí ān jìng) – The hospital notice says please keep quiet.
Tips for Reading Signs Quickly
- Look for keywords (关键词, guān jiàn cí) – Words like 出口, 禁止, 小心, 请 help you understand the main message.
- Use pinyin and radicals (拼音和偏旁, pīn yīn hé piān páng) – Even if you forget a character, pinyin helps with pronunciation and understanding.
- Observe colors and shapes (颜色和形状, yán sè hé xíng zhuàng) – Red often means danger or prohibition, green means safe or go.
- Practice reading aloud (大声朗读, dà shēng lǎng dú) – Helps improve recognition and memory.
- Combine with gestures (手势, shǒu shì) – Vendors or staff often use gestures to support the written message.
Sample Full Conversation Reading a Notice
A: 这个标志是什么意思? (zhè ge biāo zhì shì shén me yì si) – What does this sign mean?
B: 写着禁止吸烟, 也就是不可以抽烟 (xiě zhe jìn zhǐ xī yān, yě jiù shì bù kě yǐ chōu yān) – It says no smoking, which means smoking is not allowed.
A: 明白了, 谢谢! (míng bái le, xiè xiè) – Got it, thank you!
New Words
- 标志 (biāo zhì) – Sign
- 通知 (tōng zhī) – Notice
- 出口 (chū kǒu) – Exit
- 入口 (rù kǒu) – Entrance
- 禁止吸烟 (jìn zhǐ xī yān) – No smoking
- 营业时间 (yíng yè shí jiān) – Business hours
- 小心地滑 (xiǎo xīn dì huá) – Caution, slippery floor
- 请排队 (qǐng pái duì) – Please line up
- 拼音 (pīn yīn) – Pinyin
- 关键词 (guān jiàn cí) – Keyword