通報

• Reading: つうほう
• Romaji: tsūhō
• Kanji breakdown: 通 (tsū) — pass through, communicate; 報 (hō) — report, inform
• Pronunciation: /tsɯːhoː/

Meaning

Report; notification; tip-off; alert. The act of formally reporting information to an authority or relevant party.

A compound of 通 (communicate, pass through) and 報 (inform, report). 通報 covers a wide range, from calling the police (警察に通報する) to whistleblowing in an organisation (内部通報). The term is neutral in register but implies urgency or official weight. 内部通報制度 (internal whistleblowing systems) have become legally mandated in Japanese corporations under the 公益通報者保護法 (Whistleblower Protection Act).

Examples

1. 不審な人物を見かけたのですぐに警察に通報した。 I spotted a suspicious individual and immediately reported it to the police.
2. 社員は内部通報制度を利用して不正を告発することができる。 Employees can use the internal whistleblowing system to report misconduct.
3. 火事を発見した住民の通報が迅速な消火活動につながった。 A resident's report upon discovering the fire led to swift firefighting efforts.

Usage Guide

Context: law enforcement, corporate compliance, emergencies, public safety

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 通 (tsū) — to pass through, communicate, and 報 (hō) — to report, inform, repay. The character 報 appears in news (報道), reward (報酬), and information (情報), emphasising the transmission of important facts.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: General