How to say “police” in Chinese

jǐngchá
police

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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Word by word

jǐng
to warn / alert
chá
to inspect

Tone tip

Dip on 警, rise on 察. 警察 is the everyday word for the police or a police officer; a police station is 派出所 (pàichūsuǒ), and the mainland emergency number for police is 110.

In a sentence

Kuài jiào jǐngchá!

Call the police, quick!

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say "police" in Chinese?+

"police" in Mandarin Chinese is 警察, pronounced jǐngchá. Dip on 警, rise on 察. 警察 is the everyday word for the police or a police officer; a police station is 派出所 (pàichūsuǒ), and the mainland emergency number for police is 110.

What does 警察 mean literally?+

警察 breaks down as 警 (jǐng) = to warn / alert, 察 (chá) = to inspect. Together it means "police".

How do I get the tones right in jǐngchá?+

Dip on 警, rise on 察. 警察 is the everyday word for the police or a police officer; a police station is 派出所 (pàichūsuǒ), and the mainland emergency number for police is 110.

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See all the phrases on the how to say things in Chinese index, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.