Translation guide
The state of being watchful and alert to danger or difficulties. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through nouns, verbs, and set phrases that emphasize careful observation, preparedness, and caution.
Expressing the idea of staying alert and watchful to prevent problems or detect threats.
The most common and general term for vigilance, alertness, or being on guard against potential danger. Used in contexts like security, disaster prevention, and everyday caution.
警察は警戒を強めた。
The police increased their vigilance.
台風に備えて警戒が必要だ。
Vigilance is necessary in preparation for the typhoon.
Carefulness or precaution, often used in daily life to mean being on one's guard against mishaps, theft, or personal safety. Slightly more personal and less formal than 警戒.
夜道は用心してください。
Please be vigilant on the road at night.
火の用心。
Be careful with fire. (A common phrase for fire prevention)
Attention, caution, or alertness. Often used in warnings or instructions to be vigilant about specific things. Can be less intense than 警戒.
足元に注意してください。
Please watch your step. (Be vigilant about your footing)
注意を怠るな。
Don't let your vigilance slip.
To pay attention to, to be vigilant about, to keep an eye on things. Implies distributing one's attention carefully.
周囲に気を配ってください。
Please be vigilant of your surroundings.
Emphasizing continuous alertness, often in monitoring or guarding situations.
Surveillance, monitoring, or watch. Implies a systematic and often prolonged observation, like security cameras or border patrol.
監視カメラが24時間作動している。
Surveillance cameras are operating 24 hours a day.
容疑者は警察の監視下にある。
The suspect is under police surveillance.
Watch, lookout, or guard duty. Often refers to a person assigned to keep watch, like a sentry or a lookout.
Focusing on the cognitive aspect of being ready to respond to unexpected events.
Negligence or unpreparedness. Often used in negative commands or warnings to mean 'don't let your guard down' or 'be vigilant'. The positive form is less common; the concept is usually expressed as avoiding 油断.
Don't lose focus, stay sharp. A casual but strong way to tell someone to remain vigilant.
最後まで気を抜くな。
Stay vigilant until the very end.
To have a sense of vigilance or wariness. 警戒心 is the psychological state of being on guard.
常に警戒心を持つことが大切だ。
It's important to always maintain vigilance.
Expressing vigilance in formal, written, or literary contexts.
Night watch, vigil. Literally 'sleepless watch', often used in historical or literary settings.
城の不寝番が火事を見つけた。
The castle's night watch spotted the fire.
Caution, wariness, vigilance. A more formal or literary synonym for 警戒心, often used in written language.
警戒 (keikai) is the strongest, implying active guarding against a threat. 用心 (yōjin) is personal caution, often used in daily life. 注意 (chūi) is general attention or caution, and can be used in warnings. For 'vigilance' in the sense of security or disaster preparedness, 警戒 is the best fit.
While 警戒 is a noun, Japanese often expresses the concept of vigilance through verbs and phrases like 警戒する, 気を配る, or negative commands like 油断するな. Using the noun alone can sound stiff or incomplete.
常に警戒が必要です。
Constant vigilance is required.
警備員は一晩中警戒を続けた。
The guard maintained his vigilance throughout the night.
警戒を緩めてはいけない。
We must not let our vigilance slip.
To post a lookout.
彼は夜通し見張りを続けた。
He kept vigil all night.
To keep a sharp watch, to be vigilant. Literally 'to make one's eyes shine', it implies a keen, watchful attitude.
警察は違法行為に目を光らせている。
The police are keeping a sharp eye out for illegal activities.
One must not neglect vigilance.