A user-friendly article identifying device capable of retaining voice data associated with a tag. The device contains a tag reading section; a voice data input section; a storage section; a determining section; a voice data replay section; and a controller for governing all the sections above. First, the tag reading section reads a tag having a specific identifier, and then the voice data input section accepts voice data. Storage section, which contains a voice data table, a tag/address table, and a memo data table, stores voice data from the input section so as to associate with the specific identifier of a tag. The determining section judges whether the tag identifier read by tag reading section is retained in the storage section. Voice data replay section replays the voice data associated with the identifier according to the judgment by the determining section.