Signs

1. Entrance

   Usage

   Displayed at the entrance of buildings, stations, and facilities; signs show it as "ENTRANCE"

2. Exit

   Usage

   The exit of a building, station, or facility. On British railway stations the sign usually reads "WAY OUT" instead of "EXIT"

3. Emergency Exit

   Usage

   Shown with a green running-man pictogram; UK and Irish buildings usually label it "FIRE EXIT"

4. Open

   Usage

   The flip sign hanging on a shop door; the other side reads "CLOSED"

5. Closed

   Usage

   The flip sign on a shop door showing it is shut for now

6. Open for Business

   Usage

   English signage normally just says "OPEN"; this longer wording appears on banks, offices, and venues. During building works the sign usually reads "OPEN AS USUAL" or "BUSINESS AS USUAL"

7. Temporarily Closed

   Usage

   English has no exact equivalent of Japanese "junbichuu"; for a short break the sign reads "BACK IN 10 MINUTES", and during cleaning "CLOSED FOR CLEANING"

8. Men

   Usage

   Marks the men's toilet; the UK also uses "GENTS" or "GENTLEMEN". The facility itself is signed "TOILETS" in the UK and "RESTROOM" in the US

9. Women

   Usage

   Marks the women's toilet; the UK also uses "LADIES". The facility itself is signed "TOILETS" in the UK and "RESTROOM" in the US

10. No Entry

    Usage

    Posted on restricted doors and areas; "STAFF ONLY", "AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY", "KEEP OUT", and "PRIVATE" carry the same meaning

11. No Smoking

    Usage

    Posted indoors, in restaurants, and at stations

12. Smoking Area

    Usage

    Marks a designated smoking area at airports and stations; sometimes written "DESIGNATED SMOKING AREA"

13. Stairs

    Usage

    Points the way to stairs in stations and buildings; also written "STAIRWAY" or "STAIRWELL". On the same board the lift is signed "LIFT" in the UK and "ELEVATOR" in the US

14. Push

    Usage

    Sign on a door indicating it should be pushed to open

15. Pull

    Usage

    Sign on a door indicating it should be pulled to open

16. Under Construction

    Usage

    Posted at building sites and closed passages. Roadworks are signed "ROAD WORKS" in the UK and "ROAD WORK AHEAD" in the US; a bypass route is "DIVERSION" in the UK and "DETOUR" in the US

17. Out of Order

    Usage

    Posted on lifts, vending machines, and toilet stalls; the UK writes "LIFT OUT OF ORDER" and the US "ELEVATOR OUT OF ORDER"

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