What's the meaning and the reading of 通行人?

Question

I have the following translation I need to do for my introductory Japanese class.

最近、交通事故が多いので、左に曲がる時は、自転車や、通行人に気をつけなければなりませんよ。

So far I have the following.

Recently there have been a lot of traffic accidents so when you turn left, you have to watch out for bicycles and _____ and things like that (I'm telling you).

I am not sure what 通行人 means. I think 通行 means traffic (though how is that different than 交通?) And 人 means person. So, traffic person. I can imagine this meaning either a pedestrian or a car driver. Or maybe even a traffic directing cop.

Also, how would you pronounce this word? That is, what is the hiragana? Is it just the combination of the two parts? こうつうにん?

Answer 1

As a dictionary would tell you, it's 通行人【つうこうにん】. As kanji represent the meaning of a word, one way to understand kanji compounds is by changing each into its own word. In this case, 通行人 becomes 通【とお】り行【い】く人【ひと】 -- a person who goes by crossing.

Which is to say, a pedestrian.

Answer 2

通行人 means "pedestrians" and nothing else and it is read つうこうにん.

交通 means "traffic" whereas 通行 mostly means "passing". In other words, 交通 is more general and abstract, and 通行 is more specific and is used to describe the flow of the traffic in a limited area and/or for a limited time frame. Macro vs. micro, so to speak, though with some overlap.