パスポート
pasupōto[pa̠sɨ̥po̞ːto̞]
The Japanese word for passport is パスポート (pasupōto). If unsure, use パスポート. Wiktionary also lists 旅券 (ryoken).
Meaning: official document for foreign travel (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| パスポート | pasupōto | [pa̠sɨ̥po̞ːto̞] (narrow) |
| 旅券 | ryoken | [ɾʲo̞kẽ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
The term refers to an official document used for foreign travel.
Which one should you use?
旅券 is a more formal, technical or legal term for 'passport' often used in official documents or news reports.
How do you pronounce it?
pasupōto
Did you know?
- While パスポート is a loanword, the native word 旅券 reflects an era when travel was strictly controlled by the shogunate via physical permits.
- The term 旅券 is shared with Chinese, where it also means 'passport', showing the historical influence of classical written Chinese on Japanese legal terminology.
- The formal term 旅券 is composed of the characters for 'travel' and 'ticket/coupon', suggesting a historical conceptualization of a passport as a 'travel voucher'.
Examples in context
- パスポートは持った？Do you have your passport?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has their パスポート.Tatoeba #198090 by small_snow, translation #35279 by CK
- パスポートは持ってるよ。I have my passport.This sentence is useful for stating that you have your パスポート.Tatoeba #9307887 by small_snow, translation #35271 by CK
- パスポートを盗まれました。Someone stole my passport.This sentence is useful for saying that your パスポート was stolen.Tatoeba #198080 by KK_kaku_, translation #35269 by CK
- すみません、パスポートを見せていただけますか？Excuse me, could you please show me your passport?
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are checking their bags before a trip to the airport.
- 結衣 Yuiパスポートは鞄に入れた？pasupōto wa kaban ni ireta?Did you put your passport in the bag?
- 陽太 Yotaうん、ちゃんと入ってるよ。un, chanto haitteru yo.Yeah, it is in there properly.
- 結衣 Yuiよかった。パスポートを忘れたら大変だね。yokatta. pasupōto o wasuretara taihen dane.That's good. It would be a disaster if we forgot our passports.
- 陽太 Yota大丈夫、準備はバッチリだよ。daijōbu, junbi wa bacchiri dayo.Don't worry, we are all set.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “passport” translations and entries パスポート, 旅券, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
