Translation guide
The act of moving around an area to guard it, maintain order, or inspect it. Japanese uses different words depending on who is patrolling and why.
Moving around an area to protect it or maintain security, often by police, security guards, or military.
General term for patrolling, used for police, security guards, or any regular rounds to check on things.
警察が夜の巡回を強化した。
The police increased their night patrols.
警備員が建物を巡回している。
A security guard is patrolling the building.
Loanword from English, commonly used for police patrols or neighborhood watch. Slightly more casual than 巡回.
Formal or literary term for police patrol. Rarely used in everyday speech.
Volunteers or residents walking around to keep the neighborhood safe, often at night.
Specifically refers to night patrols by community members, often with wooden clappers to remind people about fire safety.
町内会で夜回りをしています。
We do neighborhood night patrols with the residents' association.
Crime prevention patrol, often done by volunteers or parents around schools.
子供たちの下校時に防犯パトロールを行っている。
We conduct crime prevention patrols when children are leaving school.
Soldiers moving through an area to gather information or maintain control.
Military patrol, especially by ships or aircraft. Also used for reconnaissance missions.
哨戒機が領海をパトロールしている。
A patrol aircraft is patrolling the territorial waters.
Reconnaissance or scouting, often overlapping with patrolling in military contexts.
Checking equipment, facilities, or areas as part of a job, like a night watchman or maintenance worker.
Going around to check on things, often used for guards, caretakers, or teachers checking classrooms.
夜間の見回りで異常はなかった。
There was nothing unusual during the night inspection rounds.
Also used for routine inspection rounds, like a technician checking machines.
巡回 is the standard Japanese word for patrolling and can be used in most contexts. パトロール is a loanword that feels slightly more casual and is often associated with police or community patrols. In formal writing, 巡回 is preferred.
警察が巡回している。
The police are patrolling.
パトロールカーが通った。
A patrol car passed by.
While パトロール is common, it may sound out of place for military patrols or formal inspection rounds. Use 哨戒 for military contexts and 巡回 or 見回り for routine checks.
警備員が敷地内を巡回しています。
The guard is patrolling the premises.
毎晩、町内で夜回りをしています。
We organize a neighborhood patrol every night.
哨戒艇が海域を巡回している。
The patrol boat is checking the waters.
パトロール中の警官が不審者を見つけた。
An officer on patrol spotted a suspicious person.
A police officer on patrol discovered an incident.
偵察部隊が敵陣を巡回した。
The reconnaissance unit patrolled the enemy lines.
工場の機械を定期的に巡回点検する。
We regularly patrol and inspect the factory machines.