歩ほ道どう

ほ

ど

う

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

A paved path for pedestrians alongside a road. In Japanese traffic contexts, 歩道 is the legally designated pedestrian area, distinct from the 車道 (roadway).

歩ほ道どうを

歩ある

い

て

いる

とき

に

、

自じ

転てん

車しゃ

が

後うし

ろ

から

来き

た

。

While I was walking on the sidewalk, a bicycle came up from behind.

この通とおりは歩ほ道どうが広ひろくて歩あるきやすい。

This street has wide sidewalks and is easy to walk on.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉を歩ほ道どうが通とおるa sidewalk runs along (a place)
その川かわ沿ぞいを歩ほ道どうが通とおっている。
A sidewalk runs along the riverbank.
歩ほ道どうを歩あるくto walk on the sidewalk
子こ供どもたちは歩ほ道どうを歩あるいて学がっ校こうに行いった。
The children walked to school on the sidewalk.
歩ほ道どうが狭せまい／広ひろいthe sidewalk is narrow / wide
この道みちは歩ほ道どうが狭せまくて歩あるきにくい。
This street's sidewalk is narrow and hard to walk on.

Expressions

動うごく歩ほ道どうmoving walkway; moving sidewalk; travelator

Kanji

歩walk, counter for steps
道road-way, street, district

Related words

人じん道どうN1
歩道 is the everyday word for a sidewalk, while 人道 sounds more formal or official, common in traffic-law or signage contexts.

Opposites

車しゃ道どうN1
車道 is the roadway reserved for vehicles, while 歩道 is the paved area reserved for pedestrians.

Don't confuse with

路ろ肩かた
路肩 is the narrow shoulder at the edge of a road (often unpaved and not meant for walking), whereas 歩道 is a proper paved sidewalk for pedestrians.
歩ほ行こう者しゃ天てん国ごくN1
歩道 is a permanent sidewalk running alongside a road, whereas 歩行者天国 is an entire street temporarily closed to all vehicle traffic.
道みち端ばたN1
歩道 is a paved sidewalk built for pedestrians, whereas 道端 is simply the unspecified area along a road, paved or not.

Word family

歩ほ道どう橋きょうN3
footbridge; pedestrian overpass
横おう断だん歩ほ道どうN1
pedestrian crossing; crosswalk
長ちょう距きょ離り自し然ぜん歩ほ道どう
long-distance nature trail

Etymology

Compound of 歩 (walking) and 道 (path, road). The word is a straightforward modern coinage for a pedestrian walkway.