Japanese Signs Survival Guide: Entrance vs. Exit & Open vs. Closed

If you ever stand inside a Japanese elevator while someone rushes toward the doors, you have about half a second to decide whether to press 開 or 閉. And when walking through a crowded train station, you constantly scan for 入口 (Entrance) and 出口 (Exit). Here is how to lock all four signs into instant visual memory.

1. Entrance (入口 — いりぐち) vs. Exit (出口 — でぐち)

Both signs end with 口 (くち kuchi / ぐち guchi), which means "mouth" or "opening." Everything comes down to the first kanji: 入 (Enter) vs. 出 (Exit):

• 入 (Enter — はい / い / にゅう): Shaped like the peaked flap of a new (にゅう nyū) tent with an eagle (い i) design — make sure to say "hi" (はい hai) when entering! Add 口 and you get 入口 (いりぐち iriguchi — Entrance).
• 出 (Exit — で / だ / しゅつ): Two stacked mountain peaks that our cornered hero is desperately trying to exit while pleading: "I'm exiting! Don't shoots-u (しゅつ shutsu)!" while the dark (だ da) samurai wants him dead (で de). Add 口 and you get 出口 (でぐち deguchi — Exit).

2. Elevator & Train Doors: Open (開) vs. Closed (閉)

Both 開 (Open) and 閉 (Closed) use the Gate (門) frame on the outside. To tell them apart in a split second, look at what is happening between the gate doors: