Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 非常時 | hijōji |
| 緊急事態 | kinkyū-jitai |
These terms are used to describe situations requiring urgent assistance. 非常時 is often used when discussing general preparedness or periods of crisis, such as when talking about emergency supplies or drills. In contrast, 緊急事態 describes a specific, immediate emergency situation or a state of emergency.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 非常時 is composed of 非常 (hijō), meaning 'extraordinary' or 'unusual' and 時 (ji), meaning 'time'. The term 緊急事態 is composed of 緊急 (kinkyū), meaning 'urgent' and 事態 (jitai), meaning 'situation' or 'state of affairs'.
Which one should you use?
非常時 is used to refer to the general concept of 'emergency times' or 'periods of crisis', such as in the context of disaster preparedness. 緊急事態 is used to describe a specific, immediate 'emergency situation' or 'state of emergency'.
How do you pronounce it?
hijōji
When do people say it?
In Japan, the emergency number for the police is 110 and the emergency number for ambulance services is 119.
Did you know?
- The phrase 非常口 (hijōguchi) is what you will see on glowing green signs in buildings. It literally means 'extraordinary exit', which is the Japanese way of saying 'emergency exit'.
- Japanese emergency alerts on mobile phones are called 緊急速報メール (kinkyū sokuhō mēru). These bypass silent mode to play a distinct, jarring sound that is recognized nationwide.
- When reporting an emergency to 110 or 119, Japanese speakers often start with the phrase 助けてください (tasukete kudasai), which means 'please save me'.
Examples in context
- 緊急事態なのです。This is an emergency.This sentence is useful for stating that something is an emergency using 緊急事態.Tatoeba #179934 by bunbuku, translation #236828 by CK
- 非常時の備えはしていますか？Are you prepared for an emergency?This sentence is useful for asking about preparedness during 非常時.Tatoeba #11796805 by bunbuku, translation #6062358 by CK
- 緊急事態だ。It's an emergency!This sentence is useful for expressing that a situation is an emergency using 緊急事態.Tatoeba #2171797 by Blanka_Meduzo, translation #2171985 by nanioitte
- 私は緊急の医療が必要です。I need emergency medical care.
- 非常事態です、すぐに警察を呼んでください。It's an emergency, please call the police immediately.
- ピンチです！助けてください！It's an emergency! Please help!
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hina and Yota are discussing their home safety kit.
- 陽葵 Himari非常時の持ち物リストを作ったよ。Hijōji no mochimono risuto o tsukutta yo.I made a list of things for an emergency.
- 陽太 Yotaいい考えだね。何を入れたの？Ii kangae da ne. Nani o ireta no?That's a good idea. What did you put in it?
- 陽葵 Himari水と懐中電灯など、非常時に必要なものだよ。Mizu to kaichūdentō nado, hijōji ni hitsuyō na mono da yo.Water and flashlights, things needed during an emergency.
- 陽太 Yota準備しておくと安心だね。Junbi shite oku to anshin da ne.It's reassuring to be prepared.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “emergency” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
