Translation guide
A person walking past a particular place. In Japanese, the most common and neutral word is 通行人. Other options exist for specific contexts, such as emphasizing the act of passing by or referring to people on the street in general.
The most general meaning: someone who happens to be walking by a location.
The standard, neutral word for a passerby. Used in both spoken and written Japanese.
I asked a passerby for directions.
A passerby helped me when I had the accident.
Literally 'a person passing by'. Slightly more conversational and emphasizes the incidental nature of the encounter.
A passerby called out to me.
A more literary or formal term for a pedestrian or passerby. Often seen in written language or signs.
There were few passersby.
Referring to passersby collectively, often in the context of a street scene or public space.
Emphasizing the anonymity or randomness of the person, often in a narrative or when describing an unexpected interaction.
Means 'a person who happened to pass by'. Highlights the chance nature of the encounter.
A passerby who happened to be there picked up my lost item.
Literally 'an unknown passerby'. Used when you want to stress that the person was a stranger.
While 通行人 is the direct equivalent, Japanese often uses descriptive phrases like 通りすがりの人 or 道行く人 depending on context. Using 通行人 in every situation can sound stiff or overly formal in casual speech.
In Japanese, if the context already implies someone passing by, you can often omit the word entirely and just use 人 (person) or 誰か (someone). For example, 'A passerby helped me' can simply be 誰かが助けてくれた if the situation is obvious.
The passersby on the street stopped.
A stranger (passerby) suddenly spoke to me.