警察官
keisatsukan[ke̞ːsa̠t͡sɨ̥kã̠ɴ]
The Japanese phrase for "policeman" is 警察官 (keisatsukan).
警察官 refers to a member of the police force responsible for maintaining public order and enforcing the law. Unlike the English word "policeman", this term is gender-neutral and can be used to refer to both male and female officers.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 警察 (keisatsu), meaning 'police' and 官 (kan), meaning 'official'.
Which one should you use?
While 警察官 is the standard term for the profession, the word 警察 (keisatsu) is often used colloquially to refer to the police force or the police in general.
How do you pronounce it?
keisatsukan
Did you know?
- Japanese 警察官 are famous for their efficiency in recovering lost items. Japan has one of the highest lost-and-found return rates in the world, with millions of items handed over to the police annually.
- In Japan, you will often see 警察官 working in kōban, which are small neighborhood police boxes. These kiosks act as community hubs where officers provide directions and store lost property for the public.
- The word 警察 (keisatsu) can be used as a verb in slang to mean 'policing' or 'monitoring' someone's behavior, such as when a parent strictly watches a child's internet usage.
Examples in context
- トムは警察官です。Tom is a policeman.This sentence is useful for identifying someone's profession using 警察官.Tatoeba #8875312 by small_snow, translation #5902903 by CK
- 私は警察官に道を尋ねた。I asked a policeman for directions.This sentence is useful for describing an interaction with a 警察官.Tatoeba #10673180 by bunbuku, translation #257163 by CK
- 警察官がその泥棒を逮捕した。The policeman arrested the thief.This sentence is useful for describing an action performed by a 警察官.Tatoeba #176087 by bunbuku, translation #238139 by CK
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are watching a police car drive by.
- 蓮 Renあの警察官はとても真面目そうですね。Ano keisatsukan wa totemo majime sō desu ne.That policeman looks very serious.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、蓮さんは警察官になりたいんですか？Hai, Ren-san wa keisatsukan ni naritai n desu ka?Yes, Ren, do you want to become a policeman?
- 蓮 Renいえ、ただの興味です。Ie, tada no kyōmi desu.No, I'm just interested.
- 陽葵 Himariそうですか。Sō desu ka.I see.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 警察官, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
