サイン

• Reading: サイン
• Romaji: sain
• Pronunciation: /sa.iɴ/

Meaning

Autograph; signature; sign; signal. A written name, a celebrity autograph, or a visual indicator.

A loanword from English 'sign' that also functions as a suru verb (サインする, to sign/autograph). Has multiple distinct uses: celebrity autographs (サインをもらう), signing documents (契約書にサインする), baseball signals (サインを送る), and road signs (though 標識 is more common). Very versatile in daily Japanese.

Examples

1. 好きな選手にサインをもらって嬉しかった。 I was thrilled to get an autograph from my favorite player.
2. この書類にサインしてください。 Please sign this document.
3. キャッチャーがピッチャーにサインを出した。 The catcher signaled to the pitcher.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, business, sports

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From English 'sign,' via Latin signum (mark, token). The autograph meaning developed specifically in Japanese, as English typically uses 'autograph' for that sense.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal