「この笑顔なくしていいの？」 on a board by the road (photo)


This is a board by the road (similar to
[tobidashibōya](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%A3%9B%E3%81%B3%E5%87%BA%E3%81%97%E5%9D%8A%E3%82%84)).

It should mean "shall I stop smiling?" but seeing this I am not even sure.

Does it really mean that? Why? Is it a warning for drivers? Is it a "manner"
reminder for children? Does it relate to some preconception of 笑顔 or a smiling
girl? Or is it something uniquely odd?

[![この笑顔なくしていいの？](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5TxHW.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/5TxHW.jpg)




I'm pretty sure this is targeted to adults. The board says "Is it OK if you
lost this (=the girl's) smile?" rather than "Can I stop this (=my) smile?" In
other words, I think the board basically says "Don't do **[that]** if you care
for this smile."

But I can't tell what the board actually wants to stop. I bet the average
reaction from native speakers is just like yours, "え、この看板、どういう意味?"

This is my speculation but if this is on a high-traffic road, perhaps it means
"stop speeding, drive carefully". If I saw the same board in
[富士の樹海](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aokigahara), I would interpret it as
"stop committing suicide".

