Translation guide
A curfew is a rule requiring people to be indoors or off the streets by a certain time, or the time itself. In Japanese, different words are used depending on whether it's a legal/public order, a family rule, or the time period.
門限は何時？
What time is your curfew?
市は夜間外出禁止令を出した。
The city imposed a curfew.
To refer to an official order restricting movement during certain hours, often for public safety or emergencies.
Literally 'nighttime going-out prohibition order'. This is the standard term for an official curfew imposed by authorities, such as during a state of emergency or military rule.
政府は夜間外出禁止令を出した。
The government issued a curfew.
夜間外出禁止令は午後10時から午前5時までです。
The curfew is from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
A more general 'going-out prohibition order', which can apply to any time of day. Often used in news reports.
市は感染拡大を防ぐため外出禁止令を検討している。
The city is considering a curfew to prevent the spread of infection.
Martial law. A curfew is often part of martial law, but this term implies military control over civilian life, not just a curfew.
戒厳令下では夜間外出が禁止された。
Under martial law, going out at night was prohibited.
To talk about the specific time a person must be back, often used in family or school contexts.
Literally 'gate time'. This is the most common word for a personal curfew, such as one set by parents, a school dormitory, or a boarding house. It refers to the time by which you must be home.
うちの門限は夜10時だ。
My curfew is 10 p.m.
門限に遅れそう！
I'm going to be late for curfew!
Literally 'time to return home'. A more neutral term that can be used in rules or schedules, but less idiomatic than 門限 for a strict curfew.
To refer to laws prohibiting minors from being in public places during late-night hours.
Literally 'restriction on youth nighttime going out'. This is the standard term for legal curfews targeting minors, often discussed in the context of local ordinances.
この地域では青少年の夜間外出制限がある。
There is a curfew for minors in this area.
Literally 'late-night loitering'. This term is often used in legal contexts regarding minors being out late without a valid reason. It's not 'curfew' itself, but the act that curfews aim to prevent.
深夜徘徊で補導された。
He was taken into custody for violating curfew (late-night loitering).
To describe a situation where people are asked or ordered to stay home, not necessarily only at night.
Literally 'request for self-restraint from going out'. This is a common term in Japan for non-binding requests to stay home, such as during a pandemic. It is not a legally enforced curfew, but functions similarly.
緊急事態宣言中は外出自粛要請が出ている。
During the state of emergency, there is a request to refrain from going out (a de facto curfew).
The English loanword 'lockdown'. Often used in news to describe strict stay-at-home orders in other countries, which may include curfews. In Japan, true lockdowns were rare, so this word carries a foreign connotation.
門限 is for personal rules (family, dorm), while 夜間外出禁止令 is for official government orders. Using 門限 for a legal curfew would sound strange, and using 夜間外出禁止令 for a teenager's curfew would be overly dramatic.
娘の門限は10時です。
My daughter's curfew is 10 o'clock.
軍が夜間外出禁止令を発令した。
The military declared a curfew.
The direct loanword カーフュー exists but is rarely used and may not be understood. Stick to the Japanese terms above.
寮の帰宅時間は午後11時です。
The dorm curfew is 11 p.m.
海外ではロックダウンで夜間外出禁止令が出ている。
Overseas, lockdowns include curfews.