Translation guide
The English word "junction" refers to a point where things join or meet. In Japanese, the translation depends heavily on context: physical intersections (roads, railways), electrical connections, or abstract joining points. This guide covers the most common and useful Japanese expressions for each meaning.
A place where roads, highways, or railway lines meet or cross.
The most common word for a road intersection or crossing. Used for city streets and general road junctions.
Turn right at the next junction.
That junction has many accidents.
Literally 'branching point'. Used for junctions where a road or railway splits, like a fork or turnout.
Specifically a merging point where traffic streams join, such as a highway on-ramp junction.
Loanword from English, used mainly for large highway interchanges or complex junctions. Often seen on road signs.
A point where electrical wires or circuits are connected.
General term for a connection point in electrical or electronic contexts.
Please check the cable junction.
Refers to a joint or junction part, often in hardware or physical connections.
This junction is loose.
Also used in electronics, e.g., 'PN junction' is PNジャンクション. Technical term.
A point where two or more things are joined, such as in anatomy, geography, or metaphorical contexts.
A point of contact or junction, often used abstractly (e.g., junction of ideas, cultures) or in geometry.
Explore the junction of two cultures.
A joining part, used in anatomy (e.g., junction of bones) or mechanical contexts.
The junction between bones is called a joint.
Do not use ジャンクション for ordinary street intersections; it sounds unnatural. Use 交差点 instead.
交差点 is a general crossing. 分岐点 is where a road splits. 合流点 is where roads merge. Choose based on the type of junction.
The accident happened at the junction.
高速道路の分岐点で間違えないように注意してください。
Be careful not to make a mistake at the highway junction.
There is a junction ahead.
東名高速の横浜町田ジャンクションはよく渋滞する。
The Yokohama-Machida junction on the Tomei Expressway is often congested.
PNジャンクションの特性を測定する。
Measure the characteristics of the PN junction.
Specifically a confluence or junction of rivers.
There is a town at the junction of the two rivers.