Translation guide
A police vehicle used for patrolling. In Japanese, the most common term is パトカー (patokā), a loanword from 'patrol car'. There are also more formal terms like パトロールカー and native Japanese terms like 巡視車, but パトカー is by far the most natural in everyday speech.
patrol car
Referring to a marked police car used for patrolling streets and responding to incidents.
The standard, everyday term for a patrol car. It is a loanword from English 'patrol car' and is understood by all Japanese speakers.
A patrol car is driving with its siren on.
There's a patrol car parked over there.
A more formal or full version of パトカー. Used in official contexts or writing, but less common in casual speech.
Police patrol cars are patrolling the area.
A native Japanese term for a patrol car, literally 'inspection vehicle'. It is rarely used in everyday conversation and sounds formal or bureaucratic.
Patrol cars regularly go around this area.