消防

• Reading: しょうぼう
• Romaji: shoubou
• Kanji breakdown: 消 (shou) — extinguish, erase; 防 (bou) — prevent, protect
• Pronunciation: /ɕoː.boː/

Meaning

Fire fighting; fire prevention; fire department. The system and services for preventing and extinguishing fires.

A noun referring to the organized effort of fire prevention and response. 消防 is commonly used in compounds rather than standalone. Key collocations include 消防車 (fire engine), 消防士 (firefighter), 消防署 (fire station), and 消防訓練 (fire drill). It covers both the act of fire fighting and the institutions responsible for it.

Examples

1. 消防車がサイレンを鳴らして走っていった。 A fire truck raced by with its siren blaring.
2. 消防士になるのが子供のころからの夢だった。 Becoming a firefighter has been my dream since I was a kid.
3. 学校で消防訓練が行われた。 A fire drill was held at school.

Usage Guide

Context: emergency services, safety, public services

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 消 (extinguish, erase) and 防 (prevent, protect). Together they mean to extinguish and prevent fires.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal