Translation guide
In Japanese, the most common word for a police car is パトカー (patokā), a loanword from 'patrol car'. There are also more formal terms like 警察車両 (keisatsu sharyō) for police vehicles in general, and 白バイ (shirobai) specifically for police motorcycles. This guide covers how to refer to police cars naturally in different contexts.
police car
Referring to a marked police patrol car in everyday conversation.
The most common and natural word for a police car in Japanese. It is a loanword from 'patrol car' and is used in both casual and formal contexts.
A police car came.
There's a police car parked over there.
A more formal term meaning 'police vehicle'. It can refer to any vehicle used by the police, including cars, vans, and motorcycles. Often used in news reports or official contexts.
Police vehicles arrived at the scene.
The full loanword 'patrol car'. Less common than パトカー, but sometimes used in formal or written contexts.
A patrol car is patrolling.
Specifically referring to a police motorcycle, often white.
Literally 'white bike', this is the standard term for a police motorcycle in Japan. They are typically white and used for traffic patrol.
A police motorcycle is cracking down on speeding.
Referring to an undercover or unmarked police vehicle.
Literally 'masked patrol car', this is the common term for an unmarked police car used for traffic enforcement or surveillance.
I got caught by an unmarked police car.
パトカー is the go-to word for any marked police car. It's understood by everyone and used in daily speech. You don't need to use longer terms like 警察車両 unless you're in a very formal setting or writing a report.
パトカー specifically refers to a patrol car, while 警察車両 is a broader term that includes all police vehicles (cars, vans, buses, etc.). Use パトカー for the typical sedan-type police car you see on the street.