How to say "fort" in Japanese

• 砦とりでCommon
  nounA fort, stronghold or fortification — a position enclosed with earth, timber or stone for defense. It suggests something smaller and more makeshift than a fortress, like a camp or mountain fort in wartime.
  砦とりでは不意ふいに攻撃こうげきされた。↗

  The fort was attacked by surprise.
• 要塞ようさいCommon
  nounA stronghold or fortification of the large, heavily built kind, designed to withstand sustained attack. Use it when 'fort' means a major military fortress rather than a small or makeshift one.
  そこでまだ要塞ようさい都市としの遺跡いせきをみることができる。↗

  You can still see the remains of the fortress there.
• 砲台ほうだいCommon
  nounPrimarily a gun battery — an emplacement mounting artillery. Its 'fort' sense is a fortified battery position, so it is seldom the word for a fort or stronghold in general.
• 台場だいばCommon
  nounAn abbreviated term whose senses are 'fort' and 'battery'; it points to battery fortifications rather than strongholds in general, so it is seldom the word you want for a fort in general.

For 'fort' in the general sense choose 砦, a smaller often makeshift fort, or 要塞, a large heavily fortified stronghold; use 砲台 or 台場 when the 'fort' is really a gun battery.

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

• 砦とりでfort
• 要塞ようさいfort
• 砲台ほうだい(gun) battery
• 台場だいばfort
• 堡塁ほうるいfort
• 防塞ぼうさいfort
• 館たちsmall castle