How do you say "signpost" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "signpost" is 道しるべ (michishirube). It is a noun pronounced "mee-chee-shee-roo-beh".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Pronunciation

道しるべ is written in kanji and hiragana. Romanised as michishirube, it sounds roughly like "mee-chee-shee-roo-beh" to an English ear.

Example sentence

道路の標識を見ながら目的地に向かいます。

Douro no hyoushiki wo minagara mokutekichi ni mukaimasu.

I head to my destination while reading the road signs.

Usage notes

Hyoushiki (標識) means sign or signpost. Road signs in Japan follow international standards with Japanese text, making them useful even for learners who know hiragana.

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Questions about 道しるべ

How do you pronounce 道しるべ?

道しるべ is romanised as michishirube. Say it roughly like "mee-chee-shee-roo-beh" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 道しるべ formal or casual?

道しるべ is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 道しるべ written in Japanese?

道しるべ is written using kanji and hiragana. Kanji characters carry the core meaning; any hiragana or katakana that follow show grammatical endings.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.