The Meaning of tsūkō [通行] In Japanese

通行
つうこう
Romaji: tsūkō N4

What does 通行 mean?

Translation and Meaning

passage, transit, traffic, right of way

Definition

通行 means passage or movement through a place, especially the movement of people or vehicles along a route; it denotes access or the ability to go through a space.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • passage through a place or route — tsūkō
  • traffic or flow of people and vehicles on a road — tsūkō
  • the right to use a route or access a space, often appearing in road signs and permits — tsūkō
  • usage in signage and regulations to indicate permissions or restrictions related to movement — tsūkō

Etymology

on'yomi from 通 (tsū) and 行 (kō) forming tsūkō; the readings reflect Sino-Japanese compound formation, with the meaning evolving to denote passage or movement through a space. (tsū, kō, tsūkō)

Composition

  • 通: to go through, pass; on'yomi tsū
  • 行: to go, move; on'yomi kō
  • the combination expresses the concept of a route through which one can go; essence is passage or access

Usage

Used as a neutral noun in formal and everyday contexts to discuss movement, access, and traffic. In signage and official texts it appears in compound forms such as 通行止め (road closed to through traffic) or 通行許可 (passage permit); in everyday language it may describe someone’s route or the act of going through a space, with related verbs like 通る or 通り抜け used for action.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a road where you can pass (通) and go (行) freely; the two kanji together literally encode a path through which you may go.

Variations

  • 通過 tsūka — passing through
  • 通路 tsūro — passageway
  • 交通 kōtsū — traffic
  • 不通 futsū — no passage
  • regional variation: standard usage; no major dialectal alternatives

Example Phrases

  • 今日は通行が混雑しているので、約束に遅れそうだ。
    Kyou wa tsuukou ga konzatsu shite iru node, yakusoku ni okuresou da.
    Today the traffic is congested, so I might be late for the appointment.
    Lista:
    • 今日 (kyou) – today
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 通行 (tsuukou) – traffic
    • が (ga) – subject marker
    • 混雑している (konzatsu shite iru) – is congested
    • ので (node) – because
    • 約束 (yakusoku) – appointment
    • に (ni) – to
    • 遅れそうだ (okuresou da) – looks like I’ll be late
    In this sentence, 「通行」 means traffic/passage and acts as the subject with が in 「通行が混雑している」; the phrase 「混雑している」 expresses ongoing congestion.
通行