Semiotics in Japan

Tomonori Toyama

pp. 323-342

in: Thomas Sebeok, Jean Umiker-Sebeok (eds), The semiotic sphere, Berlin, Springer, 1986

Abstract

The word sign is usually translated into Japanese as kigō. The word kigō, however, originated in Chinese and was introduced into Japanese a long time ago. We call such Sino-Japanese words kango, whereas native Japanese words are called wago. In wago, kigō is shirushi. Shirushi is usually translated as mark in English.