Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| おまわりさん | o-mawari-san | [o̞ma̠β̞a̠ɾʲisã̠ɴ] (narrow) | colloquial |
| 察 | satsu | [sa̠t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
The terms provided refer to a police officer. While some forms are colloquial or slang, the standard professional term is 警察官.
What does it mean word for word?
The term おまわりさん is composed of the honorific prefix o-, the verb mawaru which means to go around or patrol and the polite suffix -san.
Which one should you use?
おまわりさん is a colloquial and friendly way to refer to an officer, whereas 警察官 is the standard, formal and professional term. The term 察 is a highly abbreviated slang form used in internet or very casual contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
おまわりさん is a colloquial and friendly term often used by children or in casual conversation. For a more polite and courteous way to refer to a person from the police, you can use 警察の方. The formal terms are 警察官 and 巡査. Finally, 察 is slang and should only be used in very casual or internet contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
o-mawari-san
Did you know?
- In Japan, the image of the おまわりさん is often associated with the 'Koban' or police box, small neighborhood stations where officers provide directions and help lost children.
- While おまわりさん is friendly, using the slang 察 in a real-life confrontation with an officer could be seen as extremely dismissive or provocative.
- The slang term 察 is a 'clipping', a common linguistic trend in Japanese internet culture where long words like 警察 (keisatsu) are shortened to a single character for speed.
Examples in context
- トムは警察官です。Tom is a cop.This sentence is useful for using the slang term 察.Tatoeba #8875312 by small_snow, translation #2272780 by CK
- あの警察官はとても親切でした。That police officer was very kind.
- 犯人は巡査に逮捕されました。The perpetrator was arrested by a police officer.
- 警察の方にお世話になりました。I received help from a police officer.
- 昨日、ポリスに止められちゃったよ。I got stopped by a cop yesterday.
- お巡りさんが街をパトロールしているよ。The cop is patrolling the streets.
- おまわりさんに道を尋ねました。Omawari-san ni michi o tazunemashita.I asked a cop for directions.
- あそこに、おまわりさんがいます。Asoko ni, omawari-san ga imasu.There is a cop over there.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two siblings are walking in the park when they see a police officer.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵、あそこに、おまわりさんがいるよ。Himari, asoko ni, omawari-san ga iru yo.Himari, there is a cop over there.
- 陽葵 Himari本当だ。優しそうなおまわりさんだね。Honto da. Yasashisou na omawari-san da ne.You're right. He looks like a kind cop.
- 陽太 Yota迷子を助けているのかもしれないね。Maigo o tasukete iru no kamo shirenai ne.Maybe he is helping a lost child.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太兄ちゃん、かっこいいと思うよ。Youta niichan, kakkoii to omou yo.I think he's cool, Youta.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cop” translations and entries おまわりさん, 察, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries おまわりさん, 察, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
