Signese

I think the additional character is 々 which signifies a repeat of the previous character. In other words, it says 泡泡糖.

 

I can see how you may think the 不 looks like a 又, but I'd say this is pretty standard Chinese handwriting.

泡泡糖 I think are the  first three characters, with the little repeat sign as the second character. The 又 is actually a 不，as you can just make out a little downstroke on the right side, just before the 要, with the character itself just slightly off center.

 

Ten or twelve years ago, during the two years or so leading up to the Olympics, the encouragement in your title first started appearing in urinals in Beijing and Shanghai. I think it was was part of a campaign to improve public manners before the Olympics opened.  I'm sure others had seen it before, but it was the first time I had ever seen it in China.

 

But a similar encouragement in a Japanese police station that took applications for driver's licences from foreigners, had wording in English, "Please step up closer, your Honest John is not as long as you think.(Capitals in the original.)

 

TBZ

18 hours ago, anonymoose said:

I think the additional character is 々 which signifies a repeat of the previous character.

 

Thanks, I've never come across that character before.

 

18 hours ago, TheBigZaboon said:

"Please step up closer, your Honest John is not as long as you think.(Capitals in the original.)

 

Never heard it called an "honest John" before!

2 hours ago, StChris said:

Never heard it called an "honest John" before!

And especially not by a Japanese cop...

2 hours ago, StChris said:

hanks, I've never come across that character before.

 

It's common in Japanese. I'm not sure if it has any official status in Chinese, but you see it occasionally in hand-writing.