通行

• Reading: つうこう
• Romaji: tsuukou
• Kanji breakdown: 通 (tsuu/tooru) — pass through, commute; 行 (kou/iku) — go, travel
• Pronunciation: /tsɯː.koː/

Meaning

Passage; traffic; passing through. The movement of people or vehicles along a route.

A noun that functions as a suru verb (通行する). Used for pedestrian and vehicle traffic: 通行止め (road closed/no passage), 通行人 (passerby), 通行料 (toll fee). More formal than 通る. Common on road signs and in official announcements about road conditions or restrictions.

Examples

1. 工事のためこの道は通行止めになっている。 This road is closed due to construction.
2. 通行人に道を聞いた。 I asked a passerby for directions.
3. 大雪で道路の通行ができなくなった。 Heavy snow made it impossible to travel on the roads.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, road signs, news

Tone: informative

Origin & History

Compound of 通 (tsuu, to pass through) and 行 (kou, to go/travel). Together, 'passing and going' — the general movement of traffic through a given area or route.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal