1.
no passage; road closed; traffic prohibited
A prohibition on passage through a particular road, path, or area. Seen on road signs, barriers, and announcements about road closures due to construction, disasters, or events.
この道は通行禁止です。
This road is closed to traffic.
工事のため、明日から一週間通行禁止になる。
Due to construction, the road will be closed for a week starting tomorrow.
土砂崩れで山道が通行禁止になり、住民は迂回路を使わなければならなくなった。
A landslide closed the mountain road, and residents had to use a detour.
Composed of 通行 (passage, traffic) and 禁止 (prohibition). One of the most common regulatory phrases seen on Japanese road signs and barriers. The sign is a red circle with a horizontal white bar — recognizable to anyone who drives or walks in Japan.
USAGE:
Often appears as a noun phrase on signs, or with になる to describe a road being closed. Can apply to vehicles, pedestrians, or both depending on context. Temporary closures for festivals or construction are extremely common in Japanese cities.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 通行禁止になる: to become closed to traffic
- 通行禁止区間: road-closed section
- 車両通行禁止: no vehicle traffic
- 歩行者通行禁止: no pedestrian traffic
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 通行止め: road closure — a more colloquial variant; commonly seen on electronic road signs and in casual speech
- 進入禁止: no entry — prohibits entering from a specific direction; a different traffic sign
- 立入禁止: no trespassing — prohibits entering an area entirely, not just passage through it
- 通行規制: traffic restriction — partial restrictions rather than a complete closure