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An exit sign is a sign, often illuminated, placed near the exits of buildings. It is intended to assist escape in the event of a fire. There are three main variations of exit signs: the red text EXIT on a white background, the white text EXIT on a green background, and the white-and-green ideogram of a man running out of a door on a green background. Most countries outside of the US and Canada use the ideogram-based signage in newer buildings. Many Anglophone countries, prior to adopting the ideographic signs, used the white text EXIT on a green background, and these signs can often be found in older buildings. Some areas, such as Hong Kong and French Canada, used variants with the text EXIT along with the word for exit in the country's native or secondary language. For example, signs in Hong Kong often read EXIT 出.