How to say "convoy" in Japanese

• 護衛ごえいJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers 'convoy' as the act of protecting: escorting ships or people against attack. Think of warships escorting merchant vessels — 護衛 names the guarding itself, not the group of ships.
  彼かれは多数たすうの護衛ごえいを連つれて旅行りょこうした。↗

  He traveled with a large escort.
• コンボイCommon
  nounThe katakana loanword for 'convoy': a group of ships or vehicles traveling together, often for protection. Reach for it when you want the English term as-is rather than a native word.
• 船団せんだんCommon
  nounThe group of ships itself: a convoy or fleet of vessels sailing together, whether naval, fishing or merchant. Choose this when 'convoy' means the ships, not the act of guarding them.
• 護送ごそうCommon
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbCovers 'convoy' in the sense of escorting a person under guard — for example, transporting a prisoner between facilities. It is about guarded conveyance of people, not about fleets of ships.

For the act of protecting, use 護衛; for the group of ships itself, 船団; for guarded transport of a person, 護送; 「コンボイ」 is the direct loanword for a convoy of vehicles or ships.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 護衛ごえいguard
• コンボイconvoy
• 船団せんだんfleet (fishing, naval, etc.)
• 護送ごそうescort (e.g. under guard)
• 護送船団ごそうせんだんconvoy (of ships)
• 車列しゃれつcolumn of cars