Road signs near Aberdeen Tunnel of Hong Kong

Road signs in Hong Kong are standardised by the Transport Department.^[1] Due to being a former British territory, the road signage in Hong Kong is similar to road signs in the United Kingdom, with the addition of Traditional Chinese characters.

Design and language

Latest road signs with Transport typeface (2015)

Road signs in Hong Kong closely follow those used in the United Kingdom, and complies with the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, a legacy of the city's previous British overseas territory status. Signs normally use the Transport Medium typeface on dark backgrounds or Transport Heavy on light backgrounds, which is identical to the use in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and most of the current and previous British Overseas Territories.

Road signs placed in the 2000s to 2010s commonly use Arial Narrow or Helvetica, with or without a modified letter 'L'; street signs sometimes also use Helvetica. The newest signs built after 2016 have increasingly resumed the use of Transport; some signs on recently completed expressways use Transport Heavy on dark backgrounds.

Writing system on the traffic signs comprises British English and traditional Chinese, two official languages of Hong Kong, in an order of English above Traditional Chinese.

Warnings

Signs warning of hazardous conditions or dangerous situations (e.g. "Intersection" or "Steep incline ahead" bear a black-on-white symbol inside a red-bordered triangle (point uppermost).^[2]

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  Stop or give way ahead (with distance to line ahead given below)
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  Distance to 'Give way' line
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  Distance to 'Stop' line
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  Bend to left ahead (right if symbol reversed)
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  Double bend ahead first to right (symbol may be reversed)
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  Dual carriageway ends ahead
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  Roundabout ahead
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  Road narrows on right ahead (left if symbol reversed)
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  Road narrows on both sides ahead
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  Reduce speed now
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  Sharp deviation of route to left (may be used with amber border, right if symbol reversed)
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  Traffic lights ahead
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  Steep hill upwards ahead
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  Steep hill downwards ahead
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  Use low gear
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  Use low gear for distance shown
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  Keep in low gear
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  Single file traffic ahead
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  Cyclists to keep left
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  Cyclists to walk on steep road
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  Traffic Accident blackspot ahead
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  Pedestrian Accident blackspot ahead
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  Cross roads ahead
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  Staggered junction ahead (symbol may be reversed)
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  Side road to right ahead (left if symbol reversed)
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  T-junction ahead (symbol may be reversed)
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  Traffic merging from left (right if symbol reversed)
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  Merging into main traffic on right (left if symbol reversed)
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  Overhead electric cable ahead
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  Disabled persons ahead
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  Visually impaired persons ahead
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  Level crossing with barrier ahead
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  Quay-side or river bank ahead
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  Restricted headroom ahead
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  Pedestrian crossing ahead
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  Children ahead
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  Risk of falling or fallen rocks ahead (symbol may be reversed)
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  Horses ahead
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  Cattle ahead
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  Fog or mist ahead
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  Bus lane ahead (Franchised buses)
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  Bus lane ahead (Franchised buses)
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  Bus lane (Franchised buses) on major road ahead
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  Warning to pedestrians crossing road with bus lane
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  Light rail vehicles or trams ahead
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  Light rail vehicle lane or tram lane ahead
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  Light rail vehicle lane or tram lane on major road ahead
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  Pedestrian on or crossing road ahead
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  Cycleway ahead (cyclists on or crossing road ahead)
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  Cyclists ahead
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  Low-flying aircraft or noise ahead
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  Uneven road surface ahead
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  Road hump ahead
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  Two-way traffic across a one-way road ahead
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  Two-way traffic ahead
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  Red light/speed camera ahead
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  Red light camera control zone
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  Plate used to state the safe height
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  School ahead
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  Playground ahead
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  Distance as shown to hazard
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  Distance as shown to hazard
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  Pedestrians Ahead

Regulatory

With the exception of the special shapes used for "Stop" and "Give Way" signs (respectively, an octagon and a downward-pointing triangle), signs giving orders are circular and are of two kinds:^[3]

Prohibitory signs (e.g. "No left turn") take the form of a black-on-white symbol inside a red-bordered circle, sometimes with the addition of a red slash through the symbol. Mandatory signs (e.g. "Turn right only") bear a white symbol on a blue disk.

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  Give way to traffic on major road
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  Stop and give way
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  Ahead only
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  Keep left (right if symbol reversed)
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  Turn left (right if symbol reversed)
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  Turn left at junction ahead (right if symbol reversed)
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  No stopping
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  No parking
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  No entry for all vehicles
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  One way traffic
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  Vehicles must stop at the sign (sign used by police)
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  Vehicles must stop at the sign (sign used by school crossing patrol)
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  Segregated pedestrian and bicycle/tricycle route. No motor vehicles
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  Bicycle/tricycle route. No motor vehicles
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  Cycling restriction – cyclists must dismount and push their cycles
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  End of cycling restriction
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  Light rail vehicles and trams only
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  Dual carriageway ahead
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  Direction in which the prohibition or restriction applies (symbol may be reversed)
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  Prohibition or restriction applies in both directions
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  Prohibition or mandatory order applies to vehicle class shown
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  One way road ahead
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  No stopping between 7AM-12AM
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  No stopping between 7AM-7PM
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  No stopping between 8-10AM and 5-7PM
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  No stopping at any time
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  End of 'no stopping' restriction
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  No stopping for public light buses between 7AM-12AM
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  End of public light buses 'no stopping' restriction
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  Restriction does not apply to vehicle classes shown to pick up or drop off passengers (wording may be varied to loading/unloading goods)
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  Pedestrian priority zone
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  Vehicles prohibited as indicated by supplementary plate
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  No motor vehicles
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  No motor vehicles except motor cyclists and motor tricycles
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  No motor cycles or motor tricycles
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  No buses and coaches
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  No public light buses
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  No goods vehicles
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  No learner drivers
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  No left-turn (No right-turn if symbol reversed)
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  No U-turn (symbol may be reversed)
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  No pedestrians
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  No pedestrians, rickshaws and handcarts
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  No pedestrians, pedestrian controlled vehicles, bicycles and tricycles
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  No bicycles
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  No use of horn
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  No overtaking
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  No vehicles over width shown (including load)
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  No vehicles or combinations of vehicles over length shown (including load)
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  No vehicles over height shown (including load)
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  No vehicles over gross vehicle weight shown (including load)
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  No vehicles over axle weight shown (including load)
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  Speed limit (in km/h)
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  Variable speed limit (in km/h)
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  Prohibitation does not apply to vehicles gaining access to premises adjacent to the road
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  Prohibitation does not apply to vehicles holding relevant licenses
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  Prohibitation or mandatory order applies to vehicles over the length shown
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  Prohibitation or mandatory order applies to vehicles over the gross vehicle weight shown
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  Prohibitation or mandatory order does not apply to vehicle classes shown
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  Time plate
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  Time plate
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  Day plate
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  Prohibitation or mandatory order does not apply to vehicle classes and time shown
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  Length over which the prohibition or hazard exists
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  End of the prohibition, restriction or warning
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  Left lane shows bus lane for franchised buses only during the time and date shown
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  Bus lane for franchised buses only
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  Contra-flow bus lane for franchised buses only
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  End of bus lane
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  End of rail only lane for light rail vehicles
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  No vehicles carrying dangerous goods of specified categories
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  Indicating the categories of dangerous goods
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  Psrking place for vehicles other than medium and heavy goods vehicles, buses, coaches, motor cycles and pedal cycles
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  Parking place for goods vehicles only
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  Parking place for buses and coaches only
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  Parking place for motor cycles only
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  Parking place for pedal cycles only
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  Start and continuation of an expressway
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  End of an expressway
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  Taxi stand
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  End of New Territories taxis operating area
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  End of Lantau taxis operating area
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  Green minibus stand
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  Red minibus stand
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  Vehicles must use the left most lane except when overtaking
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  Vehicles must use the right most lane except when overtaking
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  Hard shoulder – do not use except in an emergency
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  Cyclists must dismount and use crossing to cross the road
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  Way out for vehicles
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  No exit for vehicles
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  Way in for vehicles
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  No entry for vehicles

Temporary/Construction

Temporary road signs (e.g. Red rectangular signs with instructions in white)^[4]

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  Right lane closed ahead (Red bar indicates that lanes are closed)
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  Right lane closed ahead (Red bar indicates that lanes are closed)
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  Left lane only ahead (Red bar indicates that lanes are closed)
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  Left lane only ahead on two-way road (Red bar indicates that lanes are closed)
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  Road works ahead
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  Divert to another carriageway to right ahead (direction may be reversed)
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  Keep right (keep left if symbol reversed)
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  Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination
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  Road narrows on left ahead (right if symbol reversed)
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  End of road works
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  Used to indicate line painting (wording may be varied to suit nature of road work)
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  Temporary closure of lane or road
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  Temporary sharp deviation to left (right if symbol reversed)
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  Manually operated ʻStop/Goʼ sign ahead
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  Manually operated temporary ʻStopʼ sign
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  Manually operated temporary ʻGoʼ sign
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  Ramp or sudden change of road level ahead
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  Ramp or sudden change of road level
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  Temporary traffic cylinder
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  Traffic signals ahead
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  Road ahead closed to vehicles
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  Road closed to vehicles
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  Temporary routes for vehicles
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  Temporary route for pedestrians (arrow may be reversed)
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  Temporary route for pedestrians (both directions)
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  Used with temporary traffic signals. Vehicles must not proceed beyond the sign when red light shows.
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  Temporary closure of pedestrian crossing
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  Slippery road ahead
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  Loose chippings ahead
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  Uneven road surface ahead
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  Slow (Sign used by police in emergency)
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  Warn of road surfacing works (wording may be varied to suit specific hazard)
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  Other danger ahead (used with plate to describe the hazard)
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  Plate describing the hazard (wording maybe varied)
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  Single file traffic ahead (wording may be varied to 'Single track road')

Guide

Guide signs are generally rectangular (sometimes pointed at one end in the case of direction signage).^[5]

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  Direction sign
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  Direction sign
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  Direction sign for roundabout
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  Pointed direction sign
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  Route number along strategic route
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  Tunnel ahead
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  Hong Kong Cross Harbour Tunnel
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  Western Harbour Tunnel
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  Eastern Harbour Tunnel
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  Urban taxi pick up and drop off only
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  New Territories taxi pick up and drop off only
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  Lantau taxi pick up and drop off only
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  Direction to parking place
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  Direction to vehicular ferry pier
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  Direction to Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Station
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  Vehicles may pass either side to reach same destination
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  No through road
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  No through road on left
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  No through road on right
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  300m Countdown markers used to indicate the distance to an exit on the left side of a road (Background in green if on expressway) (Symbols may be reversed to indicate exit on right)
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  200m Countdown markers used to indicate the distance to an exit on the left side of a road (Background in green if on expressway) (Symbols may be reversed to indicate exit on right)
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  100m Countdown markers used to indicate the distance to an exit on the left side of a road (Background in green if on expressway) (Symbols may be reversed to indicate exit on right)
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  Sign showing lane indication arrows for each lane or temporary lane closure at junction ahead
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  Start of dual carriageway ahead
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  Passing place
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  Sign at start of single track road
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  For use by police at accident site
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  Prepare to stop if signalled to do so
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  Stop at 'Census point'
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  Census point
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  Get in lane
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  Street direction sign
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  Street direction sign with numbers

Obsolete

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Road signs in Hong Kong.