トンネル
tonneru[tõ̞nːe̞ɾɯ̟]
The English word 'tunnel' can be translated into Japanese as トンネル (tonneru), 隧道 or 坑道.
Meaning: an underground or underwater passage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| トンネル | tonneru | [tõ̞nːe̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 隧道 | suidō | [d͡zɨido̞ː] (narrow) [sɨido̞ː] (narrow) |
| 坑道 | kōdō | [ko̞ːdo̞ː] (narrow) |
The term refers to an underground or underwater passage.
Which one should you use?
トンネル is the most common way to say 'tunnel' in everyday conversation and is a loanword from English. 隧道 is a highly formal or technical term for a tunnel, often used in engineering or historical contexts. 坑道 specifically refers to a tunnel or passage within a mine.
How do you pronounce it?
tonneru
Did you know?
- The kanji in 隧道 are not typically taught as standard vocabulary to students and are often treated as 'difficult' characters that require a phonetic reading guide.
- In Japanese, トンネル can be used metaphorically to describe a period of hardship or a 'dark tunnel' of depression that one must pass through to reach the light.
- When traveling through Japan, many tunnel names are not just numbers or locations but are written in kanji that evoke the specific mountain or geography they pierce.
Examples in context
- 汽車はトンネルを通り抜けた。The train traversed a tunnel.This sentence shows how to use トンネル to describe a train traversing a tunnel.Tatoeba #183136 by bunbuku, translation #20258 by Objectivesea
- 世界で一番長いトンネルは何でしょうか？What's the longest tunnel in the world?This sentence uses トンネル to ask a question about the longest tunnel in the world.Tatoeba #12589190 by bunbuku, translation #9705805 by CK
- 私達の乗った列車は長いトンネルを通過した。Our train went through a long tunnel.This sentence demonstrates how to use トンネル when describing a train going through a long tunnel.Tatoeba #151954 by bunbuku, translation #247495 by CK
- トンネルの向こうBeyond the tunnel
- 地下道の中Inside the underground passage
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people are driving through the mountains.
- 結衣 Yuiこのトンネルはとても暗いね。Kono tonneru wa totemo kurai ne.This tunnel is very dark, isn't it?
- 蓮 Ren本当だ。ライトを点けておこう。Hontō da. Raito o tsukete okō.You're right. Let's keep the lights on.
- 結衣 Yui蓮君は運転に慣れているの？Ren-kun wa unten ni narete iru no?Ren, are you used to driving?
- 蓮 Ren大丈夫だよ、安心して。Daijōbu da yo, anshin shite.It's okay, don't worry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tunnel” translations and entries トンネル, 隧道, 坑道, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
