Japanese dictionary
How to say "police officer" in Japanese
警察官けいさつかん · keisatsukan
"Police officer" in Japanese is 警察官 (keisatsukan). In everyday speech, people say お巡りさん (omawarisan), a friendly word.
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Ways to say "police officer" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 警察官けいさつかん · keisatsukan | Police officer. |
| お巡りさんおまわりさん · omawarisan | Police officer (friendly). |
| 警官けいかん · keikan | Police officer (short, news). |
How to use it
Officers at neighborhood police boxes, 交番, often help with directions.
News reports use the short form 警官 (keikan).
Example sentences
- お巡りさんに道を聞きました。Omawarisan ni michi o kikimashita.I asked a police officer for directions.
- 父は警察官でした。Chichi wa keisatsukan deshita.My father was a police officer.
- 交番に警察官がいませんでした。Kōban ni keisatsukan ga imasen deshita.There was no officer at the police box.
- 警察官が事故の話を聞いています。Keisatsukan ga jiko no hanashi o kiite imasu.A police officer is taking a statement about the accident.
- お巡りさん、落とし物を届けに来ました。Omawarisan, otoshimono o todoke ni kimashita.Officer, I came to turn in something I found.
- 将来は警察官になりたいです。Shōrai wa keisatsukan ni naritai desu.I want to be a police officer in the future.
Questions
What is お巡りさん?
お巡りさん (omawarisan) is a friendly, everyday word for a police officer, literally "one who patrols."
How do you turn in a lost item in Japan?
Take it to a 交番 (police box) and say 落とし物を拾いました (I found a lost item).
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.