Translation guide
The English word 'toll' has several distinct meanings: a fee for using a road or bridge, the number of casualties or damage, the sound of a bell, and a charge for a phone call. This guide covers how to express each of these in natural Japanese.
Express a fee paid for using a road, bridge, tunnel, or similar infrastructure.
The standard term for a toll fee for roads, bridges, and tunnels. It literally means 'passage fee'.
この高速道路の通行料はいくらですか。
How much is the toll for this expressway?
橋を渡るのに通行料がかかります。
There is a toll to cross the bridge.
A general word for 'fee' or 'charge'. Often used in compounds like 高速料金 (expressway toll) or 有料道路 (toll road).
高速料金はETCカードで支払えます。
The expressway toll can be paid with an ETC card.
Means 'toll' or 'fee-charging' as an adjective. Used in signs like 有料道路 (toll road).
この道は有料ですか。
Is this road a toll road?
Express the number of deaths, injuries, or amount of damage caused by a disaster, accident, or war.
Specifically means 'death toll' or 'number of deaths'. Used in news reports.
地震の死者数は100人を超えた。
The death toll from the earthquake exceeded 100.
Means 'number of victims' or 'casualty toll'. Can include injured as well as dead, but often implies deaths.
台風の犠牲者数はまだ不明だ。
The toll of victims from the typhoon is still unknown.
Means 'damage' in a broad sense. Often used in phrases like 被害の大きさ (extent of damage) or 被害総額 (total damage cost). Not a direct count of people.
Means 'number of casualties' (dead and injured). Used in formal reports.
事故の死傷者数は10人に上った。
The toll of dead and injured in the accident reached 10.
Express the sound made by a bell, especially a large one, or the act of ringing it.
Literally 'sound of a bell'. The most natural way to refer to the tolling sound.
教会の鐘の音が聞こえる。
I can hear the toll of the church bell.
Verb meaning 'to ring' or 'to toll' a bell. Use with 鐘を (the bell).
僧侶が鐘を鳴らした。
The monk tolled the bell.
Onomatopoeia for the deep sound of a large bell tolling. Often used in literature or manga.
Express a fee for making a telephone call, especially long-distance.
Standard term for 'call charge' or 'toll' on a phone bill.
国際通話料が高い。
International call tolls are expensive.
General term for 'telephone charges', including basic fees and call tolls.
今月の電話料金はいつもより高い。
This month's phone toll is higher than usual.
通行料 specifically refers to a toll for passage (roads, bridges). 料金 is a broader term for any fee or charge. Use 通行料 when you want to be clear it's a road/bridge toll.
通行料は1000円です。
The toll is 1000 yen.
駐車料金は別です。
The parking fee is separate.
通行料 only means a monetary toll. For death toll, use 死者数 or 犠牲者数. Using 通行料 for casualties would be completely misunderstood.
地震の死者数は500人に達した。
The death toll from the earthquake rose to 500.
この高速道路の通行料はいくらですか。
How much is the toll on this highway?
戦没者のために鐘が鳴らされた。
The bell tolled for the fallen soldiers.
The toll of the flood damage was enormous.
The bell tolled with a deep 'gong' sound.