1.
public road; local road; ordinary road
A regular road as opposed to an expressway or highway. In Japan, this refers to toll-free roads with intersections and traffic lights, as distinct from toll expressways.
一般道を走る。
To drive on a local road.
高速を使わず一般道で行った。
I went by local roads without using the expressway.
渋滞を避けるため、高速道路を降りて一般道に切り替えた。
To avoid the traffic jam, I exited the expressway and switched to local roads.
一般道 is the common short form of 一般道路. It refers to ordinary, toll-free roads with intersections and traffic lights.
WORD FORMATION:
一般 (general, ordinary) + 道 (road).
CONTRAST:
The key distinction is with 高速道路 (expressway / toll road). In Japan, expressways charge tolls and have no traffic lights, while 一般道 is free and has normal intersections.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 一般道を走る: to drive on local roads
- 一般道に降りる: to exit onto local roads
- 一般道の制限速度: speed limit on local roads
USAGE:
Very common in navigation systems (カーナビ), traffic reports, and driving conversations. The typical speed limit on 一般道 in Japan is 60 km/h in urban areas and 60 km/h outside cities unless otherwise posted.