警官

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 警官 (けいかん) is a noun for a police officer responsible for public safety and law enforcement.
• Basic usage: It identifies an officer asked for directions or one directing vehicles at an intersection.
  • 道に迷って近くの警官に尋ねた。 — I was lost, so I asked a nearby police officer.
  • 警官が交差点で車を誘導している。 — An officer is directing traffic at the intersection.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Individual and organization
  • 警官 identifies an individual officer, while 警察 refers to the police organization or institution as a whole.