Translation guide
A curfew is a rule requiring people to be indoors or off the streets by a certain time, or the time itself. In Japanese, different words are used depending on whether it's a legal/public order, a family rule, or the time period.
What time is your curfew?
The city imposed a curfew.
To refer to an official order restricting movement during certain hours, often for public safety or emergencies.
Literally 'nighttime going-out prohibition order'. This is the standard term for an official curfew imposed by authorities, such as during a state of emergency or military rule.
The government issued a curfew.
Martial law. A curfew is often part of martial law, but this term implies military control over civilian life, not just a curfew.
To talk about the specific time a person must be back, often used in family or school contexts.
To refer to laws prohibiting minors from being in public places during late-night hours.
Literally 'restriction on youth nighttime going out'. This is the standard term for legal curfews targeting minors, often discussed in the context of local ordinances.
To describe a situation where people are asked or ordered to stay home, not necessarily only at night.
Literally 'request for self-restraint from going out'. This is a common term in Japan for non-binding requests to stay home, such as during a pandemic. It is not a legally enforced curfew, but functions similarly.
門限 is for personal rules (family, dorm), while 夜間外出禁止令 is for official government orders. Using 門限 for a legal curfew would sound strange, and using 夜間外出禁止令 for a teenager's curfew would be overly dramatic.
My daughter's curfew is 10 o'clock.
夜間外出禁止令は午後10時から午前5時までです。
The curfew is from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
A more general 'going-out prohibition order', which can apply to any time of day. Often used in news reports.
The city is considering a curfew to prevent the spread of infection.
Under martial law, going out at night was prohibited.
Literally 'gate time'. This is the most common word for a personal curfew, such as one set by parents, a school dormitory, or a boarding house. It refers to the time by which you must be home.
My curfew is 10 p.m.
I'm going to be late for curfew!
Literally 'time to return home'. A more neutral term that can be used in rules or schedules, but less idiomatic than 門限 for a strict curfew.
The dorm curfew is 11 p.m.
この地域では青少年の夜間外出制限がある。
There is a curfew for minors in this area.
Literally 'late-night loitering'. This term is often used in legal contexts regarding minors being out late without a valid reason. It's not 'curfew' itself, but the act that curfews aim to prevent.
He was taken into custody for violating curfew (late-night loitering).
During the state of emergency, there is a request to refrain from going out (a de facto curfew).
The English loanword 'lockdown'. Often used in news to describe strict stay-at-home orders in other countries, which may include curfews. In Japan, true lockdowns were rare, so this word carries a foreign connotation.
Overseas, lockdowns include curfews.
The military declared a curfew.
The direct loanword カーフュー exists but is rarely used and may not be understood. Stick to the Japanese terms above.