通 行 人(つうこうにん)

つうこうにん

noun

passerby; pedestrian

1. passerby; pedestrian; person passing through

A person walking along a street or path. Often used in news reports about incidents involving uninvolved bystanders or witnesses on the road.

通行人(つうこうにん)に道(みち)を聞(き)いた。

I asked a passerby for directions.

事故(じこ)の現場(げんば)に多(おお)くの通行人(つうこうにん)が集(あつ)まった。

Many passersby gathered at the accident scene.

倒(たお)れていた男性(だんせい)を通行人(つうこうにん)が助(たす)け、すぐに救急車(きゅうきゅうしゃ)を呼(よ)んだ。

A passerby helped the man who had collapsed and immediately called an ambulance.

Compound of 通行(つうこう) (passing through) + 人(にん) (person). Refers to people happening to be on a road or street at a given time — often appears in news, police reports, and witness contexts.

Common collocations

通行人(つうこうにん)に声(こえ)をかける: to call out to a passerby
通行人(つうこうにん)に道(みち)を聞(き)く: to ask a passerby for directions
通行人(つうこうにん)が助(たす)ける: a passerby helps
通行人(つうこうにん)役(やく): extra (in TV/film, playing a passerby)

Similar words

歩行者(ほこうしゃ): pedestrian — formal/legal term, used in traffic rules (歩行者(ほこうしゃ)天国(てんごく))
道行(みちゆ)く人(ひと): people walking the street — literary/descriptive
人通(ひとどお)り: foot traffic — refers to the flow of people, not individuals

Related Words

Compare: 歩行者(ほこうしゃ) (pedestrian)

general

Added 2026.6.2 11:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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