While I was doing a Google search for a Japanese name translator I came across this site. While it looked pretty average at first I later ran across an interesting article in which he explains that the Japanese have been using the symbols for ages and that in fact they all have meanings (all except the square).
Here are the explanations of what each symbol is:
Cross (batsu) = “no good”
The meaning of this symbol is more or less the same as in the West. It is sometimes drawn twice to indicate a severe problem.Triangle (sankaku) = “weak” OR “average”
The meaning of this symbol depends on the context. If only 3 symbols are used (Ο, Δ and ×), then this symbol means “average”, but if the double circle (niju maru) symbol also appears, then this symbol means “below average”Circle (maru) = “good” OR “satisfactory”
This symbol is also context-sensitive. If the double circle symbol also appears, then this symbol means “satisfactory”, otherwise it means “good”. Japanese teachers normally draw circles instead of ticks when marking correct answers in students’ test papers.Double circle (niju maru) = “excellent”
This symbol is sometimes called a bullseye. It represents the ideal condition.
For a more detailed explanation click on the “Visit Site” link below.
You know – there are school systems in California that also use symbols. But, they use them as a grading scale versus using the standard A,B,C. It almost sounds like they do something similiar?
Not sure which is better though – a circle, triangle, or a trapazoid.
My Fiance says they use those same characters in the Nintendo DS game “Zookeeper”. X for bad, Triangle for mediocre, Circle and Double Circle for Good and Really Good, respectively.
Interesting.
Those symbols are also used in traffic signs all over the world. Yield signs are triangles, you will never see a round sign that means stop or something bad, and X is fairly universal.
However, Americans and Europeans use X alot to confirm actions in games, and I think that’s due to the different cultures, while in Japan the children learn that X is Bad, in America they learn that X marks the spot or goal.
Or they could just be random symbols.
Which is highly unlikely since of the gamepad configuration in most games.
So what’s the point of the double circle being on here? There’s not one on the PS controller, it’s a square. What does the square mean?
I don’t know what it means, but it’s just probably that they replaced the double circle by the square so they would all have different shapes and be identifiable more easily.
It’s simple, the number of lines of each symbol.
Circle: 1
X: 2
Triangle: 3
Square: 4
It is a universal language