警察署
keisatsusho[ke̞ːsa̠t͡sɨɕo̞]
The English phrase 'police station' in Japanese is 警察署 (keisatsusho). Wiktionary also lists 交番 (kōban).
Meaning: building of police force (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 警察署 | keisatsusho | [ke̞ːsa̠t͡sɨɕo̞] (narrow) |
| 交番 | kōban | [ko̞ːbã̠ɴ] (narrow) |
警察署 is the standard and most widely used term for a police station in Japan. It refers to a building of police force.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 警察署 is composed of 警察 (keisatsu), meaning 'police' and 署 (sho), meaning 'office' or 'station'.
Which one should you use?
While 警察署 refers to a larger, central police station, 交番 refers to a small neighborhood police box used for community policing. You should use 交番 when looking for a small, local station to report lost items or ask for directions.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing movement toward a police station, the particle に (ni) or へ (e) is used after 警察署.
How do you pronounce it?
keisatsusho
When do people say it?
In Japan, the emergency hotline number to reach the police is 110.
Did you know?
- The term 交番 literally means 'switching turns', referring to the historical practice of officers rotating their shifts at these small posts.
- The term 警察 (keisatsu) uses the characters for 'inspect' and 'observe', reflecting the historical role of monitoring public order.
- In Japan, people often visit a 交番 not to report crimes, but to turn in lost wallets or umbrellas, which the police meticulously catalog and store.
Examples in context
- 泥棒は警察署に連行された。The thief was marched off to the police station.This sentence shows how to use 警察署 when describing someone being taken to a station.Tatoeba #125349 by tommy__san, translation #278643 by CM
- 消防署は警察署の隣にあります。The fire station is next to the police station.This sentence uses 警察署 to describe the location of a building relative to another.Tatoeba #146390 by small_snow, translation #268172 by Dejo
- 向こうの交番で聞いてください。Ask at the police station over there.This sentence shows how to use 交番 when directing someone to a local police box.Tatoeba #173841 by tommy__san, translation #1584073 by CK
- Keisatsu-sho wa doko desu ka? (けいさつしょはどこですか？)Where is the police station?
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are looking for the nearest police station in a city.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さん、近くに警察署はありますか？Kenta-san, chikaku ni keisatsusho wa arimasu ka?Kenta, is there a police station nearby?
- 健太 Kentaはい、あそこに警察署が見えますよ。Hai, asoko ni keisatsusho ga miemasu yo.Yes, I can see the police station over there.
- 美咲 Misakiあそこまで歩いて行けますか？Asoko made aruite ikemasu ka?Can we walk there?
- 健太 Kentaええ、すぐそこですよ。Ee, sugu soko desu yo.Yes, it's right there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police station” translations and entries 警察署, 交番, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 警察署, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
