Translation guide
A small police station or booth found in neighborhoods, often for community policing and giving directions.
The small local police stations found throughout Japan, where officers give directions and handle minor incidents.
The standard term for a neighborhood police box in Japan. These are small stations with a few officers who patrol the area and assist locals.
A public telephone or booth for contacting police, historically used in the UK.
Describes a police telephone box, like the classic British TARDIS-style box. Use when referring to the UK context.
イギリスには昔、警察の電話ボックスがたくさんありました。
In the UK, there used to be many police telephone boxes.
交番 (kōban) are small police stations in urban areas, staffed by officers who work in shifts. 駐在所 (chūzaisho) are residential police boxes in rural areas, where a single officer lives with their family. Both serve the community, but 駐在所 is more personal and less common.
If you need directions or help, you can say: すみません、道を教えてください (Excuse me, please tell me the way). Officers at 交番 are used to helping with directions.
交番で道を聞きました。
I asked for directions at the police box.
駅の前に交番があります。
There is a police box in front of the station.
A residential police box in rural areas, where an officer lives with their family and serves the community.
田舎には駐在所が一つだけあります。
There is only one police box in the countryside.
Sometimes used loosely for foreign police boxes, but primarily refers to the Japanese system. May cause confusion.
Not a direct equivalent; use only if the context is clear or you are comparing systems.
ロンドンの交番は電話ボックスみたいです。
London's police boxes look like telephone booths.