How do you say "traffic jam" in Japanese?

渋滞

juutai

Phrase Kanji

In Japanese, "traffic jam" is 渋滞 (juutai).

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Pronunciation

Say joo-tai, two syllables, the joo is held slightly longer than tai, giving it a heavy, stuck feeling.

Writing and usage

渋滞 is written using kanji. It's a phrase, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.

Example sentence

traffic jam

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How to remember 渋滞

Juutai sounds like 'jew, tie', picture a driver adjusting his tie in frustration, stuck bumper to bumper in traffic.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

Questions about 渋滞

How do you pronounce 渋滞?

Say joo-tai, two syllables, the joo is held slightly longer than tai, giving it a heavy, stuck feeling.

Is 渋滞 formal or casual?

渋滞 is a common everyday expression. Context and tone of voice matter more than the words themselves for how formal it sounds.

How is 渋滞 written in Japanese?

渋滞 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as juutai.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Traffic jam" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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