Some of our favorite Engrish signs found at home and abroad…


Photo: Augapfel (creative commons)


Photo: Shamam (creative commons)


Photo: Stardog Champion (creative commons)


Photo: xiaming (creative commons)


Photo: sproing (creative commons)


Photo: jj look (creative commons)


Photo: jgalvan (creative commons)


Photo: xiaming (creative commons)

Feature photo: xiaming (creative commons)

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About The Author

Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator currently in New York, formerly of Mexico City and San Juan. She is Matador's managing editor and is the lead faculty member of MatadorU's travel writing program.

  • Brandon Mendelson

    Well, I'm sure glad white trash is welcomed there… Nice collection.

  • Reader

    Hahaha this is some of the best Engrish I’ve seen. Especially the second one, made me laugh out loud :D

  • http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/honor Honor Baldry

    Love the office of Mayhem evaluation.. think we need one of those in our office :)

  • Margitravelling

    While in Salta, Argentina, I caught the cable car to the top of Cerro San Bernardo and the sign inside the Cable car cabin made me laugh: ” Don’t leaning out or extract the arms out of the windows”
    The spanish version made more sense – No Asomarse ni sacar los brazos por la ventanilla.

    I love this sort of thing – allows you to feel better about speaking the local language poorly.

  • Pingback: Broken English Signs | WorldFriends Blog

  • http://onceatraveler.com Turner

    Right next to that White Trash store is one called “Three Minutes Happiness”

  • Nikki

    Haha, has anyone noticed that they spelled ‘Emergency’ wrong in the fifth picture!? At times I wonder if this how the Japanese see things when English Speakers try to write in Japanese. Oh…removing my bowels sounds dreadful, all I wanted was one of those tummy heaters…

  • tracy

    okay, these signs are funny. but isn’t it kinda unnecessary to make fun by repeatedly using the word “engrish”? the unique melding of some foreign language consonant pronunciations within the English language is simply a matter of linguistics. just sayin… some might find this hurtful.

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