警察
jǐngchá
The English phrase police means 警察 (jǐngchá) in Chinese. Wiktionary also lists 警方 (jǐngfāng) and 公安 (gōng'ān).
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 警察 | jǐngchá |
| 警方 | jǐngfāng |
| 公安 | gōng'ān |
The term is used to describe local or general law enforcement agencies. To refer specifically to a physical police station, you add 局 (bureau/office) to the end of the term to form 警察局.
Which one should you use?
警察 refers to the police as individuals or the profession in general. In contrast, 警方 is used in news reports and formal statements to refer to the police force as a collective organization or 'the police side'. 公安 refers specifically to the Public Security Bureau and is the standard term used in official government contexts in mainland China to mean public security.
How does it change in a sentence?
警察 can be used as a singular or plural noun depending on the context, as Chinese nouns do not change form for number.
How do you pronounce it?
jǐngchá
Did you know?
- The term 警察 is actually a Japanese-made word that was later imported into Chinese. It was created during the Meiji era to provide a modern equivalent for the Western concept of a police force.
- The individual characters in 警察 mean 'to warn' and 'to observe'. Together, they describe the function of the police as those who provide warnings and maintain vigilance.
- In mainland China, the term 公安 (Public Security) encompasses roles that in English-speaking countries are split between police and internal intelligence agencies.
Examples in context
- 警察会来吗？Will the police come?This sentence is useful for asking if the police will arrive using 警察.Tatoeba #426428 by GlossaMatik, translation #426427 by CM
- 警察在外面。The police are out there.This sentence is useful for stating the location of the police using 警察.Tatoeba #13847490 by LeviHighway, translation #5744500 by CM
- 警察局在哪里？Where is the police station?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of a police station using 警察.Tatoeba #1738120 by sadhen, translation #238250 by CK
- 我需要报警，请带我去找警察。I need to report a crime, please take me to the police.
- 警察正在调查这起案件。The police are investigating this case.
- 95 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Zihan see a car accident on the street.
- 志强 Zhiqiang快看，警察来了！Kuài kàn, jǐngchá lái le!Look quickly, the police are here!
- 梓涵 Zihan他们会处理这件事吗？Tāmen huì chǔlǐ zhè jiàn shì ma?Will they handle this matter?
- 志强 Zhiqiang警察肯定会帮忙的。Jǐngchá kěndìng huì bāngmáng de.The police will definitely help.
- 梓涵 Zihan太好了，梓涵这就放心了。Tài hǎo le, Zǐhán zhè jiù fàngxīn le.That's great, now Zihan feels relieved.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 警察, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
