Every once in a while, you might spot a sign that that requires a double take to make sure what you just read was written correctly.

Japanese painter definitely acha0903_meme and now thousands online definitely did to do that when acha0903_meme shared a TikTok of a startling sign they encountered when walking their cat in a park.

It's common in Japanese parks or places where dogs are often taken for walks for there to be signs that remind visitors to pick up and take home of their dog's poop if they do their business on the park premises. So while that sort of sign wouldn't cause acha0903_meme to bat an eye, a surprising variation of the sign certainly did! acha0903_meme shared a video which shows the strange sign, which reads as follows:

"愛人のフンは必ず持ち帰るようお願いいたします" (Aijin no fun ha kanarazu mochi kaeru you onegai itashimasu), which translates to "make sure to take home your mistress's poop with you."

As you can imagine, it's quite a jarring sign to stumble upon. Just what kind of park is this, one where secret lovers rendezvous and answer the call of nature together?

Fortunately, it's nothing quite so devious. In actually, the sign actually says to take home your dog's poop, but the lettering has become tattered, completely changing the meaning! The kanji for "愛犬" ("aiken", which means pet dog or beloved dog), has faded, and now more closely resembles the word "愛人" ("aijin", a term for an adulterous lover or mistress), thus making for some hilarious confusion!

The transformed sign quickly became a big hit on TikTok, with many wondering how many people would actually take phrase at face value: