Translation guide
A person employed to guard a building or area at night. In Japanese, this role is often expressed with compound words or descriptive phrases, and the specific term depends on the context (e.g., security guard, night patrol, historical watchman).
A person employed to guard a building, construction site, or facility during nighttime hours.
General term for night watchman or night guard. Commonly used for security personnel who patrol or monitor premises at night.
彼は会社の夜警として働いている。
He works as a night watchman for the company.
More formal and specific: 'nighttime security guard'. Often used in official contexts or job titles.
夜間警備員を募集しています。
We are hiring night security guards.
Descriptive phrase: 'security guard at night'. Natural in conversation when the context is clear.
夜の警備員が巡回している。
The night watchman is patrolling.
A person who patrolled streets or neighborhoods at night in pre-modern times, often calling out the time or watching for fires.
Traditional night watchman, especially in the Edo period. Also refers to the act of night watching.
江戸時代には夜番が町を巡回した。
In the Edo period, night watchmen patrolled the town.
Specifically a fire watchman, often stationed in a tower to look out for fires at night. Can be used for historical or traditional contexts.
Night patrol or night watchman, often used for neighborhood watch or historical contexts. Can also refer to the act of patrolling.
A person who stays overnight at a site to guard it, often with a makeshift sleeping arrangement.
Night duty or overnight watch, often implying staying at the workplace. Can refer to the person or the shift.
今夜は宿直の者が見回りをします。
Tonight, the night watchman will do the rounds.
Night-shift security guard. Emphasizes the shift work aspect.
夜勤の警備員が入口に立っている。
The night watchman is standing at the entrance.
夜警 is a more general and common term for a night watchman, while 夜間警備員 is more formal and specific to security guard roles. In everyday conversation, 夜警 is often sufficient.
Avoid directly translating 'night watchman' as 夜の見張り人 (yoru no miharibito). While understandable, it sounds unnatural and is not a standard term.
The night watchman spotted a fire and rang the bell.
The night watchman walked around clapping wooden clappers.