Translation guide
An emergency landing is an unplanned landing made by an aircraft in response to a crisis. In Japanese, the most common term is 緊急着陸 (kinkyū chakuriku), but other expressions exist for specific situations like water landings or crash landings.
To refer to any unplanned landing due to an emergency, such as mechanical failure, medical issue, or security threat.
The standard term for an emergency landing. Used in news, official reports, and everyday conversation.
The plane made an emergency landing due to engine trouble.
The flight attendants gave instructions in preparation for an emergency landing.
A slightly more descriptive phrase, literally 'landing of emergency'. Less common as a compound but still natural.
The captain decided on an emergency landing.
To refer specifically to an emergency landing on water.
To refer to an emergency landing that results in significant damage or is uncontrolled.
緊急着陸 emphasizes the emergency nature, while 不時着 simply means an unscheduled landing, which may or may not be an emergency. In news, 緊急着陸 is used when the landing is due to a declared emergency, while 不時着 can be used for any unplanned landing, including minor diversions.
緊急降下 (kinkyū kōka) means 'emergency descent', not 'emergency landing'. It refers to a rapid loss of altitude, not the landing itself.
The pilot attempted an emergency landing on water.
Specifically a belly landing, where the aircraft lands without landing gear. Used in news reports.
Footage of the belly landing was shown on TV.