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Apsny

Meaning: Abkhazia

Script: Abkhaz Cyrillic

Country: Georgia

Category: region · Difficulty: medium

Abkhaz uses special Cyrillic letters; often appears beside Russian.

Abkhaziya

Meaning: Abkhazia in Russian

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Georgia

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Russian + Black Sea coast + Абхазия points to Abkhazia.

Aqwa

Meaning: Sukhumi

Script: Abkhaz Cyrillic

Country: Georgia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: hard

Abkhaz name for Sukhumi; contains visually distinctive ҟ/ә.

Adyge

Meaning: Adyghe / Circassian

Script: Extended Caucasian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: etnonimo · Difficulty: medium

May appear in Adygea or Circassian context.

Aynu Mosir

Meaning: land of the Ainu

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: cultura · Difficulty: hard

Ainu can use small final katakana like ㇼ; strongly associated with Hokkaido.

Sapporo

Meaning: Sapporo, place name of Ainu origin

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: toponimo · Difficulty: hard

Many Hokkaido place names come from Ainu and are written in katakana/kanji.

Upopoy

Meaning: Upopoy, Ainu national museum/park

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Ainu cultural name visible in Hokkaido.

halal

Meaning: halal / permissible

Script: Arabic

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Appears on Muslim restaurants across China, especially the northwest and Hui neighborhoods.

halal

Meaning: halal / permissible

Script: Religious Arabic in the Caucasus

Country: Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

In the Muslim Caucasus it appears on restaurants and butcher shops, but does not identify the country alone.

masjid

Meaning: mosque

Script: Arabic

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

If it appears with 清真寺, it is Islamic signage in China.

masjid

Meaning: mosque

Script: Religious Arabic in the Caucasus

Country: Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Combines with local Cyrillic or Latin in Dagestan, Chechnya, Azerbaijan or Adjara.

bank

Meaning: bank

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Loanword visible on financial signs.

chanaparh

Meaning: road / way

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

Useful on route signs and warnings.

deghatun

Meaning: pharmacy

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Very useful on Armenian urban storefronts.

dproc

Meaning: school

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Short word; appears on school buildings.

Gyumri

Meaning: Gyumri

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Large city in northwestern Armenia.

Hayastan

Meaning: Armenia

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: pais · Difficulty: easy

Հայաստան is a direct clue; Armenian script is angular with hooks.

hivandanoc

Meaning: hospital

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Common medical sign.

hyuranoc

Meaning: hotel

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Common in tourism and on roads.

mutk

Meaning: entrance

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Useful pair with ելք.

poghoc

Meaning: street

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Key word on Armenian street plaques.

poghota

Meaning: avenue

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Appears on urban avenues in Armenia.

Sevan

Meaning: Sevan

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Clue for Lake Sevan / central Armenia.

Vanadzor

Meaning: Vanadzor

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Common place name on northern Armenian routes.

vostikanutyun

Meaning: police

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Long word common on official buildings and police vehicles.

yelk

Meaning: exit

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Very visible in buildings and transport.

Yerevan

Meaning: Yerevan

Script: Armenian

Country: Armenia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Capital of Armenia; very visible on road signs.

Asom

Meaning: Assam

Script: Bengali

Country: India

Category: region · Difficulty: medium

Key Assam name in Bengali-Assamese script.

poth

Meaning: path / road

Script: Bengali

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: hard

Assamese uses the Bengali-Assamese family; you need Assam context.

Dagistan

Meaning: Dagestan in Avar

Script: Extended Caucasian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: hard

Avar uses signs like гъ; visible in Dagestan beside Russian.

aptek

Meaning: pharmacy

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Common on storefronts; Russian/Soviet legacy.

Azərbaycan

Meaning: Azerbaijan

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: pais · Difficulty: easy

The letter ə is the strongest visual clue for Azerbaijani.

Bakı

Meaning: Baku

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Dotless ı is typical of Azerbaijani/Turkish; Bakı is Azerbaijan's capital.

bank

Meaning: bank

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Not enough alone; combine with Bakı, Azərbaycan or ə.

çıxış

Meaning: exit

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

ç + dotless ı + ş: very strong Azerbaijani/Turkish clue; in Azerbaijan it is usually Azerbaijani.

dayan

Meaning: stop

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

May appear as stop text; STOP signs also use STOP.

Gəncə

Meaning: Ganja

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Contains ə and local c; strong Azerbaijan clue.

giriş

Meaning: entrance

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Very visible in buildings; same as Turkish, confirm by country/context.

küçə

Meaning: street

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

The combination ü + ç + ə is very Azerbaijani.

məktəb

Meaning: school

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Repeated ə is a strong Azerbaijani clue.

polis

Meaning: police

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Same as Turkish; confirm with Azerbaijani place names.

prospekt

Meaning: avenue

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Soviet legacy visible in avenue names.

Sumqayıt

Meaning: Sumqayit

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Urban place name near Baku; contains ı.

Şuşa

Meaning: Shusha / Şuşa

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Ş and ı/ə often point to Azerbaijani; sensitive Karabakh place name.

xəstəxana

Meaning: hospital

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

x + multiple ə letters: very recognizable as Azerbaijani.

yol

Meaning: road / way

Script: Azerbaijani Latin

Country: Azerbaijan

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

Also exists in Turkish; use surrounding ə/Azerbaijani clues to confirm Azerbaijan.

bank

Meaning: banco

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: banco · Difficulty: medium

Grupo consonántico bengalí distintivo.

bas stand

Meaning: parada de bus

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo inglés mezclado con bengalí.

bazar

Meaning: mercado

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en letreros comerciales.

bidyaloy

Meaning: escuela

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: escuela · Difficulty: easy

Bengalí suele verse como letras colgantes.

bimanbondor

Meaning: aeropuerto

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Literalmente puerto aéreo.

bishshobidyaloy

Meaning: universidad

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: escuela · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga de señales académicas.

cha

Meaning: té

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Muy corto y común en tiendas.

Dhaka

Meaning: Daca

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital de Bangladés.

dokan

Meaning: tienda

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Palabra de fachada muy común.

dokkhin

Meaning: sur

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Muy parecido al hindi por origen, pero visual bengalí.

gram

Meaning: pueblo

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Frecuente en zonas rurales de Bangladés.

hashpatal

Meaning: hospital

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo reconocible escrito en bengalí.

hotel

Meaning: hotel

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: hotel · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo inglés en bengalí.

karjaloy

Meaning: oficina

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Frecuente en oficinas públicas.

mondir

Meaning: templo

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: templo · Difficulty: medium

Templo en escritura bengalí.

mosjid

Meaning: mezquita

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: templo · Difficulty: easy

Clave visual frecuente en Bangladés.

nogor

Meaning: ciudad

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Similar a ‘nagar’, pero con forma bengalí redondeada.

oushodhaloy

Meaning: farmacia

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: hospital · Difficulty: hard

Caracteres bengalíes curvos; útil en tiendas médicas.

pani

Meaning: agua

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Palabra muy común en Bangladés.

probesh

Meaning: entrada

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal de entrada.

prosthan

Meaning: salida

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Señal formal de salida.

pulish

Meaning: policía

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo parecido a ‘police’.

rasta

Meaning: calle / carretera

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Bengalí con formas redondeadas y línea superior colgante.

rel steshon

Meaning: estación de tren

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Común en estaciones.

restora

Meaning: restaurante

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: restaurante · Difficulty: medium

Préstamo adaptado; muchas curvas.

sorok

Meaning: carretera

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Letras más curvas que devanagari.

thana

Meaning: comisaría

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en Bangladés.

uttor

Meaning: norte

Script: Bengali

Country: Bangladesh

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Dirección cardinal.

Kolkata

Meaning: Kolkata

Script: Bengali

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key West Bengal place name.

rasta

Meaning: road

Script: Bengali

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Bengali: headline with curvier letters than Devanagari; West Bengal/Tripura.

shohor

Meaning: city

Script: Bengali

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

The শ shape and Bengali style help separate it from Devanagari.

Chechnya

Meaning: Chechnya

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Strong North Caucasus regional place name.

Daimoxk

Meaning: homeland

Script: Extended Caucasian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

May appear in Chechen cultural names; requires local context.

Noxçiyn

Meaning: Chechen / of Chechnya

Script: Extended Caucasian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: etnonimo · Difficulty: hard

Chechen uses extended Cyrillic; also look for Грозный or Чечня.

jīchǎng

Meaning: airport, Simplified Chinese

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: South Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: hard

Tourist multilingual signage clue; does not identify Korea without nearby Hangul.

Shǒu'ěr zhàn

Meaning: Seoul Station, Simplified Chinese

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: South Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: hard

In Korea it appears as tourist translation, usually beside 서울역 and Seoul Station.

chūkǒu

Meaning: exit

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: Japan, China, Singapore

Category: señal · Difficulty: hard

Same as Japanese kanji for this word; you need multilingual context.

chēzhàn

Meaning: station

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: Japan, China, Singapore

Category: transporte · Difficulty: hard

车 is simplified; in Japanese you usually see 車 or 駅.

cāntīng

Meaning: restaurant

Script: Traditional Chinese

Country: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong

Category: comercio · Difficulty: hard

Complex traditional characters; more likely in Chinatown or signs for Chinese-speaking tourists.

Zhōnghuá jiē

Meaning: Chinatown

Script: Traditional Chinese

Country: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong

Category: toponimo · Difficulty: hard

Also used in Japanese as Chūkagai; visible in Yokohama, Kobe, Nagasaki.

apteka

Meaning: pharmacy

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Very common in the post-Soviet space.

bank

Meaning: bank

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Common financial sign.

bolnitsa

Meaning: hospital

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Common Russian medical sign.

Cherkessk

Meaning: Cherkessk

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Karachay-Cherkessia; Circassian 'Cherkes' root.

doroga

Meaning: road

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

Common word on Russian road signs and warnings.

gostinitsa

Meaning: hotel

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Common on Russian/Caucasian roads and cities.

Groznyy

Meaning: Grozny

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Capital of Chechnya; strong North Caucasus clue.

Kavkaz

Meaning: Caucasus

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Russian word for Caucasus; appears in regional and business names.

Magas

Meaning: Magas

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Ingushetia.

Makhachkala

Meaning: Makhachkala

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Capital of Dagestan; strong North Caucasus clue.

Maykop

Meaning: Maykop

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Adygea, in the northwestern Caucasus.

Nalchik

Meaning: Nalchik

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Kabardino-Balkaria.

politsiya

Meaning: police

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Visible on vehicles and official buildings.

prospekt

Meaning: avenue

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Soviet urban legacy; visible in Caucasian capitals too.

Rossiya

Meaning: Russia

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: pais · Difficulty: easy

Russian Cyrillic; for North Caucasus you need local place names in addition to Russia.

shkola

Meaning: school

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Very common Russian school word.

STOP

Meaning: stop

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

STOP written with visually similar Cyrillic/Latin letters.

ulitsa

Meaning: street

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Russian street label; common across the North Caucasus.

vkhod

Meaning: entrance

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Visual pair with выход.

Vladikavkaz

Meaning: Vladikavkaz

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Name contains Kavkaz; capital of North Ossetia-Alania.

vykhod

Meaning: exit

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Very frequent indoors and in transport.

aptiaki

Meaning: pharmacy

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Very common storefront sign; key word for Georgia.

banki

Meaning: bank

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

International loanword written in Georgian.

Batumi

Meaning: Batumi

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Strong clue for Georgia's Black Sea coast.

gamziri

Meaning: avenue

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Appears in urban avenue names.

gasasvleli

Meaning: exit

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Common in buildings, metro and indoor signage.

Gori

Meaning: Gori

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Short place name frequent on central Georgian routes.

gza

Meaning: road / way

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Very useful on road signs: გზა.

kucha

Meaning: street

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Common word on Georgian street plaques.

Kutaisi

Meaning: Kutaisi

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Large city in western Georgia.

politsia

Meaning: police

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Common on police cars and police buildings.

Rustavi

Meaning: Rustavi

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

City near Tbilisi; useful on eastern road signs.

saavadmyopo

Meaning: hospital

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Long word for hospital; appears on medical buildings.

Sakartvelo

Meaning: Georgia

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: pais · Difficulty: easy

Georgian has unique curves; საქართველო is a direct Georgia clue.

sastumro

Meaning: hotel

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Frequent in tourist areas and on roads.

skola

Meaning: school

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Recognizable loanword, but in Georgian script.

Tbilisi

Meaning: Tbilisi

Script: Georgian Mkhedruli

Country: Georgia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Capital of Georgia; very frequent on road signs.

Ahmedabad

Meaning: Ahmedabad

Script: Gujarati

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key Gujarat place name.

maarg

Meaning: road / route

Script: Gujarati

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

માર્ગ can appear on avenues and roads.

police

Meaning: police

Script: Gujarati

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

English loanword in Gujarati; no headline.

rasto

Meaning: road / way

Script: Gujarati

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Gujarati resembles Devanagari without the top bar; Gujarat.

shaala

Meaning: school

Script: Gujarati

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Common word on Gujarat school signs.

gali

Meaning: lane / street

Script: Gurmukhi

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Short word common in urban addresses.

haspataal

Meaning: hospital

Script: Gurmukhi

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Hospital word in Punjabi; straight headline.

Punjab

Meaning: Punjab

Script: Gurmukhi

Country: India

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

State/region name in Gurmukhi.

pulis

Meaning: police

Script: Gurmukhi

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Police in Gurmukhi; look for Punjab Police.

sarak

Meaning: road

Script: Gurmukhi

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Gurmukhi: headline like Devanagari, but simpler letters; Punjab.

annae

Meaning: information / guide

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Common on maps, information centers and public signs.

bangmyeon

Meaning: toward / direction

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

Appears on direction signs: city + 방면.

beoseu

Meaning: bus

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Loanword written in Hangul; appears at bus stops and bus lanes.

Busan

Meaning: Busan

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

South Korean port city; two Hangul blocks.

byeongwon

Meaning: hospital / clinic

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Common medical sign; useful on urban storefronts.

chulgu

Meaning: exit

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Exit; very visible in subway and public buildings.

churip geumji

Meaning: no trespassing / no entry

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Another common phrase with 금지; appears on doors, construction sites and property signs.

Daegu

Meaning: Daegu

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Major inland southeastern city name.

Daehanminguk

Meaning: Republic of Korea

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Official name of South Korea; clear Hangul blocks.

Daejeon

Meaning: Daejeon

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Central South Korea; common on highways and rail signs.

daero

Meaning: main avenue / boulevard

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Large-road suffix; frequent on urban road signs.

doro

Meaning: road

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

도 + 로; generic word for road.

eunhaeng

Meaning: bank

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Common in bank names: 국민은행, 신한은행.

gil

Meaning: path / small street

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Block shaped ㄱ + ㅣ + ㄹ; very common in addresses.

gonghang

Meaning: airport

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Appears on signs toward airports: 인천공항, 김포공항.

gosokdoro

Meaning: expressway / highway

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: carretera · Difficulty: easy

Look for 고속 before 도로 on blue/green road signs.

gukdo

Meaning: national road

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

국 = national; 도 = road/route in this context.

Gwangju

Meaning: Gwangju

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Initial block 광 with ㅘ; major southwestern place name.

gyeongchal

Meaning: police

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Look for 경찰 on police stations, cars and notices.

hakgyo

Meaning: school

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Appears at schools, school zones and children-warning signs.

Hanguk

Meaning: Korea / South Korea

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: pais · Difficulty: easy

한국 is a direct South Korea clue.

hotel

Meaning: hotel

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

International loanword; very common on urban signs.

hwajangsil

Meaning: toilet / restroom

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Very common in stations, parks, restaurants and service areas.

ipgu

Meaning: entrance

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Entrance; useful on buildings, stations and attractions.

Incheon

Meaning: Incheon

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Frequent near the international airport.

jeongji

Meaning: stop

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Korean word for STOP; may appear with the red octagon.

jihacheol

Meaning: subway / metro

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

지하 = underground; 철 = railway.

jinip geumji

Meaning: no entry

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

금지 means prohibition; very useful on red signs.

Chosŏn

Meaning: Korea / Joseon, North Korean usage

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: North Korea

Category: pais · Difficulty: medium

조선 in modern context often points to North Korea or historical usage.

Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk

Meaning: Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: North Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Long North Korean official name; starts with 조선.

Juche

Meaning: Juche, North Korean ideology

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: North Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Very strong ideological clue for North Korea.

jucha geumji

Meaning: no parking

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

주차 = parking; 금지 = prohibited.

kape

Meaning: cafe

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Not katakana: this is Hangul; ㅋ + ㅏ, ㅍ + ㅔ.

hakgyo

Meaning: school

Script: Korean Hangul in China

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Hangul + simplified Chinese on a school may indicate a Korean area of Yanbian.

P'yŏngyang

Meaning: Pyongyang

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: North Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

North Korean capital; two Hangul blocks with ㅍ and ㅇ.

pyeonuijeom

Meaning: convenience store

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Common on 24h stores; may appear beside brands like CU or GS25.

ro

Meaning: road / street / avenue suffix

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Short suffix in road names: 세종대로, 강남대로.

seobiseu

Meaning: service

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

English loanword written in Hangul; typical final -스.

Seoul

Meaning: Seoul

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Very frequent place name; ㅅ + ㅓ + 울.

sikdang

Meaning: restaurant

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Common food sign; blocks 식 + 당.

ucheguk

Meaning: post office

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Korean post office; common on public buildings.

wiheom

Meaning: danger

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Very useful on construction, electricity, warnings and barriers.

yakguk

Meaning: pharmacy

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Often appears with green crosses or medical signs.

Yeonbyeon

Meaning: Yanbian

Script: Korean Hangul in China

Country: China

Category: region · Difficulty: medium

Hangul inside China: look for 延边 in Jilin/Yanbian.

Yeongil

Meaning: Yanji

Script: Korean Hangul in China

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Yanji is a Korean city in Jilin; often appears with 延吉.

ryŏgwan

Meaning: hotel / inn, North Korean spelling

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: North Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: hard

North Korea keeps initial ㄹ in 려-, where South Korea often writes 여-.

yeogwan

Meaning: inn / budget lodging

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Older or budget lodging sign in South Korea.

yeok

Meaning: station

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: South Korea, North Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Very common metro/rail suffix: 서울역, 부산역.

Daehan

Meaning: Great Han / Korean, in formal names

Script: Hanja / Korean Chinese characters

Country: South Korea

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Formal Hanja; common in institutional or historical names.

Hanguk

Meaning: Korea / South Korea in Hanja

Script: Hanja / Korean Chinese characters

Country: South Korea

Category: pais · Difficulty: medium

Chinese characters, but Korean context is often accompanied by Hangul.

Seoul

Meaning: Seoul in Chinese characters

Script: Hanja / Korean Chinese characters

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: hard

Can appear in tourist Chinese; it does not look like Hangul.

Běijīng

Meaning: Beijing

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Capital city; 北 north + 京 capital.

chāoshì

Meaning: supermarket

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Very frequent storefront sign.

Chéngdū

Meaning: Chengdu

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Sichuan; frequent on western/southwestern signs.

yī èr sān sì wǔ liù qī bā jiǔ shí

Meaning: Chinese numerals 1-10

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: numero · Difficulty: medium

Useful on floors, exits, lines, route names and traditional prices.

Chóngqìng

Meaning: Chongqing

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

庆 is simplified; in traditional it would be 慶.

chūkǒu

Meaning: exit

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Very common in metro, highways, buildings and parking lots.

dàdào

Meaning: avenue / boulevard

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Large-road suffix; appears in modern cities.

dìtiě

Meaning: metro / subway

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Simplified 铁; very visible in large cities.

fàndiàn

Meaning: restaurant / hotel depending on context

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

饭 = meal; 店 = shop/place.

gāosù gōnglù

Meaning: expressway / motorway

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: carretera · Difficulty: easy

高速 = high speed; clear clue on Chinese road signage.

gōng'ān

Meaning: public security / police

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

More common than just 'police' in mainland China: 公安局.

gōngjiāochē

Meaning: public bus

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Simplified 车; appears at stops and lanes.

gōnglù

Meaning: highway / road

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: carretera · Difficulty: easy

公 + 路; common in route and highway names.

Guǎngzhōu

Meaning: Guangzhou / Canton

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

South China; simplified 州 is frequent in place names.

guódào

Meaning: national highway

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

国 national + 道 route; appears on G-route signs.

Hángzhōu

Meaning: Hangzhou

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

州 appears in many Chinese place names.

Hūhéhàotè

Meaning: Hohhot

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Inner Mongolia; look for vertical Mongolian nearby.

huǒchē zhàn

Meaning: railway station

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

站 = station; 车 is simplified.

jīchǎng

Meaning: airport

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

机 and 场 are simplified; common on highways and transport.

jiē

Meaning: street

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Another frequent street or shopping-street suffix.

jǐngchá

Meaning: police

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Also visible on vehicles and police stations.

jìnzhǐ

Meaning: prohibited

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Key word on red prohibition signs.

jiǔdiàn

Meaning: hotel

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Very common on lodging buildings.

Lāsà

Meaning: Lhasa

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

In Tibet it often appears beside Tibetan.

Lìjiāng

Meaning: Lijiang

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Yunnan; may appear with Naxi/Dongba aesthetics.

lù

Meaning: road / street

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Very common street suffix: 南京路, 人民路.

nán

Meaning: male / men's

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Seen on restrooms and changing rooms.

Nánjīng

Meaning: Nanjing

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

南 south + 京 capital; visual pair with 北京.

Nánníng

Meaning: Nanning

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Guangxi; may be seen with Zhuang in Latin script.

nǚ

Meaning: female / women's

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Seen on restrooms and changing rooms.

Qīngdǎo

Meaning: Qingdao

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

岛 is simplified; in traditional it would be 島.

qīngzhēn

Meaning: halal / Islamic

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

On restaurants it indicates halal/Muslim food.

qīngzhēnsì

Meaning: mosque

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

清真 = Islamic/halal; 寺 = temple/mosque in this compound.

rénmín

Meaning: people / people's

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Very common in official names: 人民政府, 人民医院.

rùkǒu

Meaning: entrance

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Pair of 出口; very common in urban signage.

shāngchǎng

Meaning: shopping mall

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

场 is simplified; in traditional it would be 場.

Shànghǎi

Meaning: Shanghai

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Very common urban place name on signs, trains and banks.

shěngdào

Meaning: provincial road

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

省 = province; useful on S-routes.

Shēnzhèn

Meaning: Shenzhen

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Southern city; near Hong Kong but mainland China uses simplified characters.

Tiānjīn

Meaning: Tianjin

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Municipality near Beijing.

tíng

Meaning: stop

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Common character on stop, parking and stopping signs.

Wūlǔmùqí

Meaning: Ürümqi / Urumqi

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital of Xinjiang; often appears beside Uyghur Arabic script.

wèishēngjiān

Meaning: toilet / restroom

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Common in stations, parks and malls.

wēixiǎn

Meaning: danger

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

危 + 险; very useful on construction and electricity warnings.

Wǔhàn

Meaning: Wuhan

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

汉 is key: Han river/Han Chinese; city in Hubei.

Xī'ān

Meaning: Xi'an

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Two simple characters: west + peace; city in Shaanxi.

xuéxiào

Meaning: school

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Appears in school zones and school names.

yàodiàn

Meaning: pharmacy / drugstore

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

药 is simplified; in traditional it would be 藥.

yínháng

Meaning: bank

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Common on Bank of China, ICBC, rural banks, etc.

yīyuàn

Meaning: hospital

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

院 appears in many institutional buildings.

Zhōngguó

Meaning: China

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: pais · Difficulty: easy

中国 is the most direct clue; simplified Han characters.

Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó

Meaning: People's Republic of China

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Long official name; strong mainland China clue.

zhùyì

Meaning: attention / caution

Script: Simplified Chinese

Country: China

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Common in warnings: 注意安全.

lóng

Meaning: dragon in traditional characters

Script: Traditional Chinese

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: hard

Traditional version of 龙; common in traditional aesthetics.

Zhōngguó

Meaning: China in traditional characters

Script: Traditional Chinese

Country: China

Category: pais · Difficulty: hard

Traditional 國 is much more complex than simplified 国.

aspataal

Meaning: hospital

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Devanagari + health word; typical on official signs.

bank

Meaning: banco

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: banco · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo inglés escrito en devanagari.

bas adda

Meaning: estación de bus

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

बस es préstamo reconocible.

bazaar

Meaning: mercado

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Común en India y fácil por contexto comercial.

chai

Meaning: té

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en puestos de té.

dakshin

Meaning: sur

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Palabra direccional india.

dawakhana

Meaning: clínica / dispensario

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: hospital · Difficulty: medium

Puede aparecer en zonas hindi.

Dilli

Meaning: Delhi

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Ciudad clave de India.

dukaan

Meaning: tienda

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en fachadas.

gaon

Meaning: pueblo / aldea

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Letras bajo una línea superior; nasalización frecuente.

havai adda

Meaning: aeropuerto

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Literalmente aeródromo; útil en India.

hotel

Meaning: hotel

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: hotel · Difficulty: easy

Se reconoce por préstamo y escritura devanagari.

karyalaya

Meaning: oficina

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Frecuente en oficinas públicas.

maarg

Meaning: camino / vía

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

El techo horizontal conecta varias letras.

mahavidyalaya

Meaning: colegio / universidad

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: escuela · Difficulty: medium

Palabra académica larga en señales.

mandir

Meaning: templo hindú

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: templo · Difficulty: easy

Palabra clave de India: mandir.

masjid

Meaning: mezquita

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: templo · Difficulty: medium

Préstamo árabe escrito con techo devanagari.

nagar

Meaning: ciudad

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Palabra muy común en nombres urbanos indios.

nikaas

Meaning: salida

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal de salida en edificios.

paani

Meaning: agua

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Palabra básica que puede verse en tiendas.

pulis

Meaning: police

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Very common word; notice the headline and hanging strokes.

pravesh

Meaning: entrada

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal muy útil: entrada.

pulis

Meaning: policía

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo reconocible; techo devanagari.

relve steshan

Meaning: estación de tren

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Mezcla de préstamo inglés con devanagari.

restaraan

Meaning: restaurante

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: restaurante · Difficulty: medium

Préstamo moderno adaptado a devanagari.

sadak

Meaning: road

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Devanagari: continuous top headline; north and central India.

thana

Meaning: comisaría

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Muy útil en letreros oficiales indios.

uttar

Meaning: norte

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

También aparece en Uttar Pradesh.

vidyalaya

Meaning: school

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Often appears on public schools and education signs.

arigatō

Meaning: thank you

Script: Hiragana

Country: Japan

Category: saludo · Difficulty: easy

Rounded hiragana; recognizable from り, が, と, う.

irasshaimase

Meaning: welcome

Script: Hiragana

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Almost pure hiragana; shop/restaurant greeting.

kudasai

Meaning: please, Japanese

Script: Hiragana

Country: South Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: hard

Curved hiragana; in Korea only as tourist translation or multilingual notice.

omotenashi

Meaning: hospitality

Script: Hiragana

Country: Japan

Category: turismo · Difficulty: medium

Soft hiragana; common in tourism and service contexts.

Ghalghai

Meaning: Ingush

Script: Extended Caucasian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: etnonimo · Difficulty: hard

The palochka Ӏ is a strong clue for North Caucasian languages.

Ingushetiya

Meaning: Ingushetia

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Direct North Caucasus clue.

kūkō

Meaning: airport

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Two kanji; common on highways and train lines to airports.

banchi

Meaning: lot number / address number

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: direccion · Difficulty: hard

Address term; you do not need to read it, just recognize the pattern.

ginkō

Meaning: bank

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Appears in bank names: 三菱UFJ銀行, みずほ銀行.

basutei

Meaning: bus stop

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Katakana バス + kanji 停; typical at bus stops.

chūi

Meaning: caution / attention

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Very common on danger, construction, and platform signs.

deguchi

Meaning: exit

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Key sign in stations and buildings.

dōri / tōri

Meaning: street / avenue

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Kanji 通 + hiragana り; urban street word.

higashiguchi

Meaning: east exit

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: direccion · Difficulty: easy

East + exit; appears at urban stations.

eki

Meaning: station

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Key station kanji: 新宿駅, 東京駅, 京都駅.

Haneda Kūkō

Meaning: Haneda Airport

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Tokyo airport; appears on highways and trains.

Hokkaidō

Meaning: Hokkaido

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Three kanji: north + sea + way; northern island of Japan.

byōin

Meaning: hospital

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Common on urban maps and blue/green signs.

iriguchi

Meaning: entrance

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Two simple kanji; common at shops, stations, and buildings.

Kansai Kūkō

Meaning: Kansai Airport

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

関西 identifies the Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe region.

kendō

Meaning: prefectural road

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

県 = prefecture; 道 = road/route.

kiken

Meaning: danger

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Two dense kanji; Japanese danger sign.

kinshi

Meaning: prohibited

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Often accompanies pictograms for no smoking, no entry, no parking.

kōban

Meaning: police box

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Very Japan-specific word for small police boxes.

kokudō

Meaning: national highway

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: carretera · Difficulty: easy

Two kanji on route signs; often appears with a number.

Sōru-eki

Meaning: Seoul Station, Japanese

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: South Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: hard

Katakana ソウル + kanji 駅; in Korea appears on tourist signage.

ku

Meaning: ward / administrative district

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: administrativo · Difficulty: medium

Common in large cities: 新宿区, 渋谷区, 中央区.

Kyōto

Meaning: Kyoto

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Historic place name; shares 京 with 東京.

machi / chō

Meaning: town / neighborhood / district

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: administrativo · Difficulty: medium

Very common in addresses and local place names.

mae

Meaning: in front of / before

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Common in stop names: 駅前 means in front of the station.

michi / dō

Meaning: road / way

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Road/way kanji; also appears in 北海道.

Naha

Meaning: Naha

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Okinawa place name; the second kanji 覇 is distinctive.

Narita Kūkō

Meaning: Narita Airport

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Major airport near Tokyo, in Chiba.

kita / hoku

Meaning: north

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: direccion · Difficulty: medium

Common at station exits: 北口 = north exit.

ichi ni san shi go roku nana hachi kyū jū

Meaning: numbers 1-10 in kanji

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: numero · Difficulty: medium

Japan uses Arabic numerals on streets, but these kanji appear in addresses, shops, and names.

Okinawa

Meaning: Okinawa

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Distinctive kanji 縄; subtropical southern island.

itchōme

Meaning: first city block/district subdivision

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: direccion · Difficulty: hard

丁目 appears in Japanese urban addresses.

Ōsaka

Meaning: Osaka

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Major Kansai place name; simple and frequent kanji.

chūshajō

Meaning: parking lot

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Three kanji; appears on blue signs, shops, and buildings.

yakkyoku

Meaning: pharmacy

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Pharmacy kanji; common in neighborhoods and stations.

keisatsu

Meaning: police

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Police kanji; at small police boxes you will also see 交番.

yūbinkyoku

Meaning: post office

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Three kanji; very common on red/white Japan Post buildings.

ken

Meaning: prefecture

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: administrativo · Difficulty: medium

Regional suffix: 長野県, 静岡県, 福岡県.

Sapporo

Meaning: Sapporo

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Main city of Hokkaido; useful with snow, wide roads, or Ainu names.

gakkō

Meaning: school

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Appears on school-zone signs and institution names.

shi

Meaning: city / municipality

Script: Kanji / Japanese Han

Country: Japan

Category: administrativo · Difficulty: medium

Municipal suffix: 大阪市, 京都市, 横浜市.

shinkansen

Meaning: bullet train / Shinkansen

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Three kanji strongly associated with large Japanese stations.

minamiguchi

Meaning: south exit

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: direccion · Difficulty: easy

Very common at stations: south + mouth/exit.

tachiiri kinshi

Meaning: no entry / keep out

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Restricted access sign at construction sites, properties, and tracks.

takushī

Meaning: taxi

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Katakana with long vowel mark ー; visible on stands and vehicles.

toire

Meaning: toilet / restroom

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Short and very common katakana in stations, parks, and shops.

Tōkyō

Meaning: Tokyo

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Two very common kanji; appears on signs, stations, and addresses.

tomare

Meaning: stop

Script: Hiragana

Country: Japan

Category: señal · Difficulty: easy

Japanese STOP road sign; mix of kanji 止 + hiragana まれ.

nishiguchi

Meaning: west exit

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: direccion · Difficulty: easy

West + exit; typical station pattern.

en

Meaning: yen / Japanese currency

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: numero · Difficulty: easy

Appears in prices: 100円, 500円.

yūbin kigō

Meaning: Japanese postal mark

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: simbolo · Difficulty: easy

Japanese postal mark, very visible on addresses and post offices.

Kabardino-Balkariya

Meaning: Kabardino-Balkaria

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: medium

Direct clue for a Caucasus republic with capital Nalchik.

aaspatre

Meaning: hospital

Script: Kannada

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Hospital word in Kannada; useful on urban signs.

beedi

Meaning: street

Script: Kannada

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Appears in street names; rounded Karnataka script.

Bengaluru

Meaning: Bengaluru

Script: Kannada

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key Karnataka place name.

police

Meaning: police

Script: Kannada

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

English loanword in Kannada; common on official signs.

raste

Meaning: road

Script: Kannada

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Kannada: rounded but more compact than Telugu; Karnataka.

konbini

Meaning: convenience store

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Everyday Japanese katakana word; short for convenience store.

doraggu sutoa

Meaning: drugstore / pharmacy

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Long angular katakana; English loanword.

hoteru

Meaning: hotel

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Katakana loanword; seen on facades and tourist signs.

hoteru

Meaning: hotel, Japanese

Script: Katakana

Country: South Korea

Category: comercio · Difficulty: hard

Angular katakana; if it appears beside 호텔, you are seeing multilingual signage.

resutoran

Meaning: restaurant

Script: Katakana

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Angular katakana; recognizable English loanword.

Qazaq

Meaning: Kazakh

Script: Kazakh in Chinese Arabic script

Country: China

Category: etnonimo · Difficulty: hard

Arabic-script Xinjiang writing; visually similar to Uyghur, needs context.

akasayanadthan

Meaning: aeropuerto

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga de aeropuerto.

aosoth sthan

Meaning: farmacia

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: hospital · Difficulty: hard

Khmer formal, denso y ornamental.

bai

Meaning: arroz / comida

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en comida.

chenh

Meaning: salida / salir

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal corta de salida.

cheung

Meaning: norte

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: dirección · Difficulty: hard

Dirección puede variar por contexto; útil visualmente.

chol

Meaning: entrada / entrar

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Palabra corta en accesos.

hang

Meaning: tienda

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Corto y común en fachadas.

kariyalay

Meaning: oficina

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Señal administrativa.

mohavithei

Meaning: avenida

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Letras complejas con curvas decorativas.

montir pet

Meaning: hospital

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en letreros oficiales.

phlov

Meaning: calle / camino

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Khmer se ve ornamental, denso y curvo.

Phnom Penh

Meaning: Nom Pen

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital de Camboya.

phochaniyathan

Meaning: restaurante

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: restaurante · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga, densa y formal.

phsar

Meaning: mercado

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Phsar es pista camboyana muy fuerte.

phum

Meaning: pueblo / aldea

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Común en direcciones rurales camboyanas.

polis

Meaning: policía

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo reconocible escrito en khmer.

post polis

Meaning: puesto de policía

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: policía · Difficulty: medium

Puede aparecer en controles y comisarías.

sakalvityalay

Meaning: universidad

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: escuela · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga en señal académica.

sala rien

Meaning: escuela

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: escuela · Difficulty: easy

សាលា = escuela/sala.

santhakear

Meaning: hotel

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: hotel · Difficulty: easy

Común en turismo camboyano.

sthani lan krong

Meaning: estación de bus

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

ឡានក្រុង = bus.

sthani rot phleung

Meaning: estación de tren

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

រថភ្លើង = tren.

tboung

Meaning: sur

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: dirección · Difficulty: hard

Dirección cardinal camboyana.

thanakear

Meaning: banco

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: banco · Difficulty: medium

Palabra bancaria formal.

tikrong

Meaning: ciudad

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Khmer con grupos compactos.

tuk

Meaning: agua

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Palabra básica camboyana.

vihear

Meaning: templo / iglesia

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: templo · Difficulty: medium

Palabra religiosa frecuente.

wat

Meaning: templo budista

Script: Khmer

Country: Cambodia

Category: templo · Difficulty: easy

Wat camboyano en escritura khmer.

ipgu

Meaning: entrance

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: Japan, South Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Hangul blocks with circle ㅇ; in Japan appears on multilingual signs.

chulgu

Meaning: exit

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: Japan, South Korea

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Square Hangul blocks; common on station and airport signage.

Sin-Okubo

Meaning: Shin-Okubo written in Korean

Script: Korean Hangul

Country: Japan, South Korea

Category: toponimo · Difficulty: hard

Hangul in Japan often appears in Korean neighborhoods, K-pop shops, or tourist signage.

ban

Meaning: pueblo / aldea

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Pista rural fuerte en Laos.

han ahan

Meaning: restaurante

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: restaurante · Difficulty: easy

Tienda de comida.

han kha

Meaning: tienda

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

ຮ້ານ suele indicar tienda.

han khai ya

Meaning: farmacia

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: hospital · Difficulty: medium

ຮ້ານ = tienda; ຢາ = medicina.

hong haem

Meaning: hotel

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: hotel · Difficulty: easy

Similar a Thai hotel, pero lao.

hong hian

Meaning: escuela

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: escuela · Difficulty: easy

ໂຮງ se parece a Thai โรง.

hong kan

Meaning: oficina

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Común en oficinas.

hong mo

Meaning: hospital

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

Literalmente casa de médicos.

khao

Meaning: entrada / entrar

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal de acceso.

khao

Meaning: arroz

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

También puede significar entrar según contexto.

maha vithanyalai

Meaning: universidad

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: escuela · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga de educación.

matsayit

Meaning: mezquita

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: templo · Difficulty: hard

Menos común, pero útil como préstamo religioso.

mueang

Meaning: ciudad / distrito

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en Laos.

nam

Meaning: agua

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Palabra básica.

nuea

Meaning: norte

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Dirección cardinal.

ok

Meaning: salida

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Palabra corta de salida.

sanam bin

Meaning: aeropuerto

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Señal de aeropuerto en Laos.

sathani lot fai

Meaning: estación de tren

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

ລົດໄຟ = tren.

sathani tamluat

Meaning: estación de policía

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: policía · Difficulty: medium

ສະຖານີ = estación.

tai

Meaning: sur

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Dirección cardinal.

talat

Meaning: mercado

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en señales comerciales.

tamluat

Meaning: policía

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Parecida a Thai ตำรวจ, pero Lao.

thanakhan

Meaning: banco

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: banco · Difficulty: medium

Palabra bancaria formal.

thang

Meaning: camino / vía

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Trazos redondeados con menos detalles que Thai.

thang luang

Meaning: autopista / carretera principal

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Letras lao redondas y aireadas.

thanon

Meaning: calle / carretera

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Lao se parece al thai, pero más redondo y simple.

Viangchan

Meaning: Vientián

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital de Laos.

wat

Meaning: templo budista

Script: Lao

Country: Laos

Category: templo · Difficulty: easy

Wat también existe en Lao.

No Parking

Meaning: no parking

Script: Latin in India

Country: India

Category: señal · Difficulty: medium

Common sign in Indian cities, often with local translation underneath.

Police

Meaning: police

Script: Latin in India

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Pan-Indian word on buildings, uniforms and police vehicles.

Road

Meaning: road

Script: Latin in India

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

English appears very often in India, usually alongside a regional script.

Dōri

Meaning: street / avenue in rōmaji

Script: Latin / rōmaji in Japan

Country: Japan

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Common street-sign suffix: Chuo-dori, Meiji-dori.

Ekimae

Meaning: in front of the station

Script: Latin / rōmaji in Japan

Country: Japan

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Common rōmaji in bus stop, bank, and shop names near stations.

Shinjuku

Meaning: Shinjuku

Script: Latin / rōmaji in Japan

Country: Japan

Category: toponimo · Difficulty: medium

Very common Tokyo place name on stations and urban signs.

Tokyo

Meaning: Tokyo in rōmaji

Script: Latin / rōmaji in Japan

Country: Japan

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Latin in Japan often accompanies kanji/kana on bilingual signs.

Gangnam-daero

Meaning: Gangnam-daero, avenue

Script: Korean Latin / romanization

Country: South Korea

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Korean romanization with hyphen and road suffix; frequent under Hangul.

Incheon International Airport

Meaning: Incheon International Airport

Script: Korean Latin / romanization

Country: South Korea

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Typical Korean bilingual sign on highways and transport.

Sejong-daero

Meaning: Sejong-daero, avenue in Seoul

Script: Korean Latin / romanization

Country: South Korea

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Romanized suffix -daero corresponds to 대로.

Seoul

Meaning: Seoul

Script: Korean Latin / romanization

Country: South Korea

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Official romanization very visible on Korean bilingual signs.

Beijing

Meaning: Beijing

Script: Latin / Chinese pinyin

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Official pinyin; normally appears beside 北京.

G2 Jinghu Expressway

Meaning: G2 Beijing-Shanghai Expressway

Script: Latin / Chinese pinyin

Country: China

Category: carretera · Difficulty: medium

Jinghu often abbreviates Beijing + Shanghai; Chinese road format.

Renmin Road

Meaning: Renmin Road

Script: Latin / Chinese pinyin

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Renmin usually corresponds to 人民; very common in Chinese cities.

Zhongshan Road

Meaning: Zhongshan Road

Script: Latin / Chinese pinyin

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Zhongshan Road is a very common street name in China.

Gvangjsih

Meaning: Guangxi in Zhuang

Script: Zhuang Latin alphabet

Country: China

Category: region · Difficulty: medium

Latin that does not look like pinyin; Gvangjsih often accompanies 广西.

minzcuz

Meaning: ethnic group / nationality

Script: Zhuang Latin alphabet

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Zhuang spelling with z/c; may appear in names of universities or autonomous institutions.

Nanzningz

Meaning: Nanning in Zhuang

Script: Zhuang Latin alphabet

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Final z is typical Zhuang spelling, not Mandarin pinyin.

lezgi

Meaning: Lezgian

Script: Extended Caucasian Cyrillic

Country: Azerbaijan, Russia

Category: etnonimo · Difficulty: hard

Caucasian language visible in Dagestan and northern Azerbaijan; usually needs context.

awas

Meaning: cuidado / peligro

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: señal vial · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en señales viales.

balai polis

Meaning: estación de policía

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Balai = estación/sala; clave GeoGuessr.

bandar

Meaning: ciudad

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Común en nombres urbanos de Malasia.

bank

Meaning: banco

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: banco · Difficulty: easy

Puede aparecer junto a Bahasa Melayu e inglés.

daerah

Meaning: distrito

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Palabra administrativa.

dilarang

Meaning: prohibido

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: señal vial · Difficulty: easy

Señal de prohibición.

farmasi

Meaning: farmacia

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

Grafía malaya de farmacia.

hentian bas

Meaning: parada de bus

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Hentian = parada; bas = bus.

hospital

Meaning: hospital

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

Igual que en inglés, pero contexto malayo.

hotel

Meaning: hotel

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: hotel · Difficulty: easy

Alfabeto latino con otros términos malayos alrededor.

jalan

Meaning: calle / camino

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Malayo moderno usa alfabeto latino; Jalan es pista fuerte de Malasia/Indonesia.

jalan

Meaning: Jawi: calle / camino

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: calle · Difficulty: hard

Extra cultural: jawi árabe-malayo; no es la forma principal moderna.

kampung

Meaning: pueblo / aldea

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Pista rural fuerte en Malasia e Indonesia.

kedai

Meaning: tienda

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Palabra comercial clave.

keluar

Meaning: salida / salir

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal de salida muy fuerte.

klinik

Meaning: clínica

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en Malasia.

Kuala Lumpur

Meaning: Kuala Lumpur

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Capital de Malasia.

lapangan terbang

Meaning: aeropuerto

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Literalmente campo de vuelo.

lebuh raya

Meaning: autopista

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Muy útil en señales viales de Malasia.

lorong

Meaning: callejón / carril

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Común en direcciones urbanas malayas.

majlis perbandaran

Meaning: consejo municipal

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Majlis aparece mucho en Malasia.

masjid

Meaning: mezquita

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: templo · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en Malasia por mayoría musulmana.

masuk

Meaning: entrada / entrar

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal de entrada.

negeri

Meaning: estado

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Común en nombres estatales malayos.

pasar

Meaning: mercado

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

También en Indonesia; usa contexto.

pejabat

Meaning: oficina

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: easy

Muy útil en edificios públicos.

polis

Meaning: policía

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Pista malaya clara en estaciones oficiales.

restoran

Meaning: restaurante

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: restaurante · Difficulty: easy

Grafía malaya sin -te final.

sekolah

Meaning: escuela

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: escuela · Difficulty: easy

Palabra malaya clave en letreros.

simpang

Meaning: cruce / intersección

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Muy útil en carreteras malayas.

stesen kereta api

Meaning: estación de tren

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Kereta api = tren.

surau

Meaning: sala de oración

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: templo · Difficulty: medium

Pista religiosa muy malaya.

tandas

Meaning: baño

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: servicio · Difficulty: easy

Pista muy útil en espacios públicos.

universiti

Meaning: universidad

Script: Latin (Malay)

Country: Malaysia

Category: escuela · Difficulty: easy

Grafía malaya con -ti.

aashupathri

Meaning: hospital

Script: Malayalam

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Hospital word in Kerala; many closed curves.

police

Meaning: police

Script: Malayalam

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

English loanword written in Malayalam.

road

Meaning: road

Script: Malayalam

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Malayalam: many circles and curls; Kerala.

theruvu

Meaning: street

Script: Malayalam

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Dense loops separate Malayalam from Tamil.

Thiruvananthapuram

Meaning: Thiruvananthapuram

Script: Malayalam

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key Kerala place name.

manju

Meaning: Manchu

Script: Manchu

Country: China

Category: patrimonio · Difficulty: hard

Vertical like Mongolian; in mainland China it appears more as a northeastern historical clue than everyday signage.

Pune

Meaning: Pune

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key Maharashtra place name written in Devanagari.

rasta

Meaning: road / way

Script: Devanagari

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Devanagari but the word rasta points to Marathi; Maharashtra.

Imphal

Meaning: Imphal

Script: Meetei Mayek

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: hard

Capital of Manipur; manually review due to low frequency on street signage.

Manipur

Meaning: Manipur

Script: Meetei Mayek

Country: India

Category: region · Difficulty: hard

Meetei Mayek: separate geometric strokes; Northeast India.

Meitei

Meaning: Meitei

Script: Meetei Mayek

Country: India

Category: idioma · Difficulty: hard

Cultural/language identifier; do not confuse it with Bengali.

Kökeqota

Meaning: Hohhot

Script: Traditional vertical Mongolian

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Place name of the capital of Inner Mongolia.

Öbür Monggol

Meaning: Inner Mongolia

Script: Traditional vertical Mongolian

Country: China

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Vertical Mongolian + simplified Chinese = Inner Mongolia.

jam

Meaning: road / way

Script: Traditional vertical Mongolian

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Short word in vertical Mongolian; read in columns.

surγaγuli

Meaning: school

Script: Traditional vertical Mongolian

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Visible on bilingual schools in Inner Mongolia.

Dongba sample

Meaning: tourist Dongba sample, verify exact meaning

Script: Naxi Dongba

Country: China

Category: turismo · Difficulty: hard

Pictograms, not normal letters; if paired with 丽江, think Naxi/Lijiang.

Bhubaneswar

Meaning: Bhubaneswar

Script: Odia

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Capital of Odisha written in Odia.

daktarakhana

Meaning: hospital / clinic

Script: Odia

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Literally 'doctor house'; can appear in medical contexts.

gali

Meaning: lane / street

Script: Odia

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Odia's round form separates it from Bengali.

police

Meaning: police

Script: Odia

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

English loanword written in Odia.

rasta

Meaning: road

Script: Odia

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Odia: bubble/circle-like letters; Odisha.

Ol Chiki

Meaning: Ol Chiki

Script: Ol Chiki

Country: India

Category: idioma · Difficulty: hard

Regional Santali script; limited visibility in eastern India.

Santali

Meaning: Santali

Script: Ol Chiki

Country: India

Category: idioma · Difficulty: hard

If you see Ol Chiki, think Santali areas of Jharkhand/Odisha/West Bengal.

Iryston

Meaning: Ossetia

Script: Extended Caucasian Cyrillic

Country: Georgia, Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: medium

Ossetian clue; may appear in North or South Ossetia.

Dagestan

Meaning: Dagestan

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Direct clue for Dagestan / eastern North Caucasus.

Severnaya Osetiya

Meaning: North Ossetia

Script: Russian Cyrillic

Country: Russia

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Direct clue for a Russian Caucasus republic.

haisai

Meaning: hello in Okinawan

Script: Hiragana

Country: Japan

Category: saludo · Difficulty: hard

Local Okinawan greeting; appears in shops, tourism, and local culture.

mensōre

Meaning: welcome in Okinawan

Script: Hiragana

Country: Japan

Category: saludo · Difficulty: medium

Okinawa tourism phrase; hiragana with long mark ー.

Okinawa soba

Meaning: Okinawa soba

Script: Japanese mixed script

Country: Japan

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Kanji 沖縄 + hiragana そば; very common at Okinawan restaurants.

apanashalava

Meaning: restaurante / cafetería

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: restaurante · Difficulty: medium

Frecuente en comida y servicios.

athulveema

Meaning: entrada

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal de acceso.

aushadha shalava

Meaning: farmacia

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: hospital · Difficulty: hard

Se ve muy redondeado y complejo.

bankuva

Meaning: banco

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: banco · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo bancario en Sinhala.

bas navathuma

Meaning: parada de bus

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Bus escrito con Sinhala.

bath

Meaning: arroz cocido / comida

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en comida esrilanquesa.

dakuna

Meaning: sur

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Dirección cardinal.

dumriya sthanaya

Meaning: estación de tren

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

දුම්රිය = tren.

gama

Meaning: pueblo

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Palabra corta muy común.

guwanthotupala

Meaning: aeropuerto

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga, muy redondeada.

hotalaya

Meaning: hotel

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: hotel · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo inglés redondeado.

kadaya

Meaning: tienda

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Palabra corta de tienda.

karyalaya

Meaning: oficina

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Palabra administrativa.

Kolamba

Meaning: Colombo

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Capital comercial de Sri Lanka.

margaya

Meaning: camino / carretera

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Sinhala es muy redondeado, con bucles amplios.

nagaraya

Meaning: ciudad

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Formas redondeadas, sin línea superior.

palliya

Meaning: iglesia / mezquita

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: templo · Difficulty: medium

Contextual; útil en señales religiosas.

pansala

Meaning: templo budista

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: templo · Difficulty: easy

Palabra religiosa típica de Sri Lanka.

pasala

Meaning: escuela

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: escuela · Difficulty: easy

Una de las palabras más útiles para Sri Lanka.

pitaveema

Meaning: salida

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Señal de salida.

polis sthanaya

Meaning: estación de policía

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: policía · Difficulty: medium

Puede aparecer junto a inglés y tamil.

polisiyā

Meaning: policía

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Préstamo reconocible en Sinhala.

rohala

Meaning: hospital

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en señales sanitarias.

uthura

Meaning: norte

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Dirección cardinal.

velandapola

Meaning: mercado

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: tienda · Difficulty: medium

Largo y muy redondeado.

vidiya

Meaning: calle

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Bucles redondos típicos de Sri Lanka.

vishvavidyalaya

Meaning: universidad

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: escuela · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga con muchos bucles.

wathura

Meaning: agua

Script: Sinhala

Country: Sri Lanka

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Palabra básica.

Chennai

Meaning: Chennai

Script: Tamil

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key Tamil Nadu place name.

kaaval

Meaning: guard / police

Script: Tamil

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Can appear on police signage as part of longer expressions.

maruthuvamanai

Meaning: hospital

Script: Tamil

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Long hospital word; medical signs in Tamil Nadu.

saalai

Meaning: street / road

Script: Tamil

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Tamil: rounded curves, no headline; South India.

teru

Meaning: street

Script: Tamil

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Common in street names; very rounded letters.

aasupatri

Meaning: hospital

Script: Telugu

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Hospital word in Telugu; useful on medical signs.

Hyderabad

Meaning: Hyderabad

Script: Telugu

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key Telangana place name; may also appear with Urdu/English.

police

Meaning: police

Script: Telugu

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

English loanword written in Telugu; seen on stations and vehicles.

rahadari

Meaning: road / route

Script: Telugu

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Telugu: rounded with small upper hooks; Andhra/Telangana.

veedhi

Meaning: street

Script: Telugu

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Very common in addresses; notice Telugu loops.

changwat

Meaning: provincia

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Muy común en mapas y señales oficiales.

khao

Meaning: entrar / entrada

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Se ve en señales de acceso.

khao

Meaning: arroz / comida

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Clave de puestos de comida.

Krung Thep

Meaning: Bangkok

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Nombre tailandés de Bangkok.

mahāwitthayalai

Meaning: universidad

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: escuela · Difficulty: medium

Palabra larga con ritmo tailandés.

masyit

Meaning: mezquita

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: templo · Difficulty: medium

Puede aparecer en el sur de Tailandia.

mueang

Meaning: ciudad

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Palabra frecuente en distritos tailandeses.

nam

Meaning: agua

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: comida · Difficulty: easy

Palabra básica en tiendas.

nuea

Meaning: norte

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

Dirección cardinal.

ok

Meaning: salida

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: dirección · Difficulty: easy

Palabra corta de salida.

ran ahan

Meaning: restaurante

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: restaurante · Difficulty: easy

ร้าน + comida.

ran kha

Meaning: tienda

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

ร้าน suele iniciar nombres de tiendas.

ran ya

Meaning: farmacia

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

ร้าน = tienda; ยา = medicina.

rong phayaban

Meaning: hospital

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: hospital · Difficulty: easy

โรง + medicina; muy común.

rong raem

Meaning: hotel

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: hotel · Difficulty: easy

โรง aparece también en escuela/hospital.

rong rian

Meaning: escuela

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: escuela · Difficulty: easy

โรง aparece en escuela, hospital, hotel.

samnakngan

Meaning: oficina

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: gobierno · Difficulty: medium

Común en edificios administrativos.

sanam bin

Meaning: aeropuerto

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: transporte · Difficulty: easy

Señales de aeropuerto en Thai.

sathani rot fai

Meaning: estación de tren

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: transporte · Difficulty: medium

สถานี = estación, รถไฟ = tren.

sathani tamruat

Meaning: estación de policía

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: policía · Difficulty: medium

สถานี = estación.

soi

Meaning: callejón / calle lateral

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Soi es pista urbana muy fuerte de Tailandia.

tai

Meaning: sur

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: dirección · Difficulty: medium

También se ve en región sur.

talat

Meaning: mercado

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: tienda · Difficulty: easy

Muy común en zonas comerciales.

tamruat

Meaning: policía

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: policía · Difficulty: easy

Palabra oficial de policía en Thai.

thanakhan

Meaning: banco

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: banco · Difficulty: medium

Palabra bancaria formal.

thang luang

Meaning: autopista / carretera principal

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Thai de señal vial; muchas letras redondeadas.

thanon

Meaning: calle / carretera

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Thai con pequeños círculos y trazos elegantes.

wat

Meaning: templo budista

Script: Thai

Country: Thailand

Category: templo · Difficulty: easy

Wat es una pista cultural fortísima de Tailandia.

Bod

Meaning: Tibet / Tibetan

Script: Tibetan

Country: China

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Tibetan with headline; very different from Chinese Han.

sman khang

Meaning: hospital / clinic

Script: Tibetan

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

May appear at hospitals in Tibetan areas beside 医院.

Lha sa

Meaning: Lhasa

Script: Tibetan

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Key Tibet place name; often accompanies 拉萨.

lam

Meaning: road / path

Script: Tibetan

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Short word frequent in Tibetan-Chinese bilingual road names.

slob grwa

Meaning: school

Script: Tibetan

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: hard

Tibetan consonant stacks and headline.

çıkış

Meaning: exit in Turkish

Script: Turkish Latin

Country: Georgia, Azerbaijan

Category: señal · Difficulty: hard

Very similar to Azerbaijani çıxış; Azerbaijani uses x where Turkish uses k in this word.

giriş

Meaning: entrance in Turkish

Script: Turkish Latin

Country: Georgia, Azerbaijan

Category: señal · Difficulty: hard

May appear in Turkish business or tourism; do not automatically confuse with Azerbaijani.

bazaar

Meaning: market

Script: Perso-Arabic / Urdu

Country: India

Category: comercio · Difficulty: easy

Very recognizable on shop and market signs.

Dehli / Delhi

Meaning: Delhi

Script: Perso-Arabic / Urdu

Country: India

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: medium

Delhi place name in Urdu; may appear with English and Hindi.

haspataal

Meaning: hospital

Script: Perso-Arabic / Urdu

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Hospital word in Urdu; connected letters and dots.

police

Meaning: police

Script: Perso-Arabic / Urdu

Country: India

Category: institucion · Difficulty: easy

Common loanword in bilingual signage.

sarak

Meaning: road

Script: Perso-Arabic / Urdu

Country: India

Category: calle · Difficulty: easy

Urdu: right-to-left cursive script; dots and connected letters.

ashxana

Meaning: restaurant / dining hall

Script: Uyghur Arabic script

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

Food sign in Uyghur areas.

dukan

Meaning: shop

Script: Uyghur Arabic script

Country: China

Category: comercio · Difficulty: medium

May be seen on Uyghur storefronts.

mektep

Meaning: school

Script: Uyghur Arabic script

Country: China

Category: institucion · Difficulty: medium

Visible on bilingual education signs in Xinjiang.

Ürümchi

Meaning: Ürümqi

Script: Uyghur Arabic script

Country: China

Category: ciudad · Difficulty: easy

Direct Xinjiang clue; often paired with 乌鲁木齐.

Shinjang

Meaning: Xinjiang

Script: Uyghur Arabic script

Country: China

Category: region · Difficulty: easy

Uyghur Arabic + simplified Chinese = Xinjiang.

yol

Meaning: road / way

Script: Uyghur Arabic script

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: medium

Short Uyghur word for road; look for simplified Chinese nearby.

Liangshan

Meaning: Liangshan

Script: Yi / Nuosu

Country: China

Category: region · Difficulty: hard

Yi place name associated with Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture.

Nuosu

Meaning: Nuosu / Yi

Script: Yi / Nuosu

Country: China

Category: etnonimo · Difficulty: easy

Yi has very distinctive square symbols; they are not Han.

lu

Meaning: road / way, usage to review

Script: Yi / Nuosu

Country: China

Category: calle · Difficulty: hard

Included as visual Yi clue; verify exact usage on local signs.