岐路(きろ)

きろ
noun
crossroads, turning point
formalabstract
1. crossroads, fork in the road
A point where a road branches into two or more paths.
岐路(きろ)で立(た)ち止(ど)まった。
I stopped at the fork in the road.
道(みち)が岐路(きろ)に分(わ)かれている。
The road splits at a fork.
山道(やまみち)の岐路(きろ)で右(みぎ)の道(みち)を選(えら)んだ。
I chose the right path at the fork in the mountain trail.
2. turning point, critical juncture
A decisive moment in life or a situation where an important choice must be made.
人生(じんせい)の岐路(きろ)に立(た)つ。
To stand at a crossroads in life.
会社(かいしゃ)は今(いま)、重要(じゅうよう)な岐路(きろ)に立(た)たされている。
The company now finds itself at a critical juncture.
転職(てんしょく)するかどうか、人生(じんせい)の岐路(きろ)で悩(なや)んでいる。
I'm agonizing at a crossroads in life over whether to change jobs.

Literally a place where a road branches. Most commonly used figuratively to describe a critical decision point in life, career, or events.

Common collocations

Usage

The figurative sense (sense 2) is far more common than the literal one. The phrase 人生(じんせい)の岐路(きろ)に立(た)つ is a set expression frequently used when discussing major life decisions.

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 分岐点(ぶんきてん) (branching point)
Compare: 分(わ)かれ道(みち) (forked road)
Compare: 転機(てんき) (turning point)
general
Added 2026.3.27 11:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
19500/19820_kiro