看板を読もう　「禁止」

Whether warning about hazardous materials or discouraging nuisance behavior, signs telling you what not to do are everywhere.

Key character: 禁 kin (prohibition, ban)

Also found in:

• 禁煙

kin'en (smoking prohibited, non-smoking [restaurant, section, etc.])

• 厳禁

genkin (strictly prohibited)
Eg. 火気厳禁 kaki genkin (no open flame, Caution! Flammable)

• 解禁

kaikin (lifting a ban; opening a season [eg. fishing, hunting, etc.]; publishing something previously secret)

• 18禁

jūhachi kin (restricted to those aged 18 and over)

Key word: 禁止 kinshi (forbidden, prohibited)

Some other expressions with 禁止:

• 立入禁止

tachiiri kinshi (entry prohibited, no entry, keep out)

• 駐車・駐輪禁止

chūsha・chūrin kinshi (parking of cars & bicycles prohibited)

• えさやり禁止

esa yari kinshi (feeding [of birds, stray animals, etc.] prohibited)

• 犬のフン禁止

inu no fun kinshi (dog droppings prohibited)