Travel to Japan ! Cai A-Ga teaches you 10 “essential Chinese characters” to learn

For Taiwanese people, neighboring Japan is a great choice for overseas travel ! Plus, it’s currently the season when cherry blossoms and wisteria are in full bloom in Japan, and the hearts of many “Japanophiles” are already itching to go ! Internet celebrity Cai A-Ga also loves traveling to Japan, proudly claiming that his frequency of visiting Japan is as casual as walking into the kitchen, and even his honeymoon trip was spent traveling in Japan !

Cai A-Ga recently launched a new video on his 《YouTube》 channel, introducing 10 Chinese characters that are quite useful when traveling in Japan. These 10 characters are very common on the streets of Japan and extremely practical, although at first, Taiwanese people may not immediately understand them. Many netizens who watched the video said the content was great and that they could actually use it during their next trip to Japan.

1、无料 → Free

无料 doesn’t mean that the attraction is “not worth seeing”, but rather “free”. However, a “无料案内所” isn’t simply what the literal meaning suggests—it’s a place that provides guided tours of adult entertainment venues.

2、替玉 → Add an extra portion of noodles

Taiwanese people love eating “ramen” when they go to Japan, and at ramen shops you’ll often see “替玉”, but this doesn’t mean adding an egg. “替玉” refers to adding an extra portion of noodles, and “替玉无料” means getting an extra portion of noodles for free.

3、激安 → Very cheap

When you see “激安”, you can start shopping like crazy ! It means very cheap, super cheap.

4、N ! 替 → Currency exchange

“外货 N ! 替” is a place where you can exchange foreign currency. Apart from banks, you can also find these in popular tourist spots in some major Japanese cities.

5、放题 → All-you-can-eat

It means all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink. For example, “烧肉放题” means you can eat as much grilled meat as you want.

6、税 ? ／税拔 → Tax included ／ Tax excluded

When shopping in Japan, there is an 8% consumption tax. Product prices will indicate either “税 ? ” or “税拔”. “税 ? ” means “tax included”—you don’t need to pay any more tax, while “税拔” means the tax is not included.

7. 见本 → Sample

In drugstores, you often see “见本”, which means sample. Just take the “见本” to the counter to check out, and the staff will give you a new actual product.

8、仕度中 → Preparing

If you see “仕度中” outside a restaurant or café, it means the shop is taking a break or is still preparing ! This is also commonly seen in Japanese restaurants in Taiwan.

9、精算机 → Fare adjustment machine

When traveling on the subway on your own, you’ll always see a “精算机” at the station. Cai A-Ga reminds us that the 精算机 is a machine used to top up your fare. If your ticket isn’t enough and you’re too shy to ask a station attendant, you can use the 精算机 to pay the difference.

10、注文 → Order

When dining at a restaurant, you’ll often see the word “注文”. It means to place an order.