通行止め（つうこうどめ、tsuukoうdome）
- road closed

The Japanese word 通行止め通行止め means "road closed," "no through traffic," or "traffic prohibited." It indicates that a road, path, or area is not accessible to vehicles or pedestrians. This closure can be due to various reasons, such as construction, accidents, natural disasters, or other safety concerns. It is a critical warning sign that drivers and pedestrians must heed to avoid danger or legal penalties.

⚫︎この道は現在、通行止めです。 Translation: This road is currently closed. ⚫︎台風の影響で、多くの道路が通行止めになりました。 Translation: Many roads were closed due to the typhoon. ⚫︎工事のため、明日から一週間、通行止めになります。 Translation: Due to construction, it will be closed to traffic for a week starting tomorrow.

通行止め通行止め is used when you want to inform someone that passage through a specific area is not allowed. This can be in a formal context, such as a road sign, or in a more informal conversation. You might use it to tell someone about a detour, inform them of a closed route, or to report road conditions. It’s crucial to use 通行止め通行止め to warn others about potential hazards or inaccessibility.

通行止め通行止め is typically written using the kanji 通行 (meaning "passage" or "traffic") followed by the kanji 止 and the hiragana め (meaning "stop" or "prohibition"). It is also sometimes written entirely in hiragana (つうこうどめ), especially in less formal settings. There are no variations in okurigana for this word.

There are no direct synonyms to use.

The opposite of 通行止め通行止め would be a situation where traffic is allowed. There is no single direct antonym but rather phrases that imply that the road is open.

事故のため、高速道路が通行止めになっています。迂回してください。 ・Translation: Due to an accident, the highway is closed to traffic. Please take a detour. ・Explanation: This sentence explains the reason for the road closure (an accident) and advises drivers to take an alternative route.

この先、土砂崩れのため通行止めです。 ・Translation: Ahead, the road is closed due to a landslide. ・Explanation: This sentence informs about the specific cause of the closure (a landslide).

The word 通行止め通行止め is derived from the combination of the kanji 通行 (つうこう) and the verb 止める (とめる) in the て-form 止めて (めて), plus the particle め. 通行 means "passage" or "traffic," and 止める means "to stop" or "to prohibit". The noun 止め is derived from the verb 止める. Therefore, the word literally means "stopping passage" or "prohibiting traffic".