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Kotomora

鉄

iron

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · grade 3FrequencyTop 1,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • テツ

Kun'yomi

  • くろがね

Nanori

  • けん
  • てっ

Meaning

鉄 centers on the metal iron, a strong, hard material used for tools and construction.

Most common words using 鉄

22 of 392
  • 鉄てつ
    N2

    iron (Fe)

  • 鉄道てつどう
    N3

    railroad; railway; rail transport

  • 地下鉄ちかてつ
    N5

    subway; metro; underground (railway)

  • 鉄板てっぱん

    iron plate; steel plate

  • 鋼鉄こうてつ

    steel

  • 電鉄でんてつ

    electric railway

  • 国鉄こくてつ
    N1

    national railway

  • 鉄砲てっぽう
    N2

    gun; firearm

  • 鉄鋼てっこう
    N1

    iron and steel

  • 鉄骨てっこつ
    N1

    steel frame; steel beam; steel girder

  • 鉄筋てっきん
    N1

    rebar; (iron) reinforcing bar; reinforcing steel

  • 私鉄してつ
    N3

    private railway

  • 製鉄せいてつ
    N1

    iron manufacture

  • 鉄製てっせい

    made of iron

  • 鉄棒てつぼう
    N1

    iron rod; iron bar; iron club

  • 鉄工てっこう

    ironworking; ironworker

  • 鉄橋てっきょう
    N2

    railway bridge; iron bridge

  • 鉄鉱てっこう

    iron ore

  • 製鉄所せいてつじょ

    ironworks; steelworks

  • 非鉄金属ひてつきんぞく

    non-ferrous metal

  • 銑鉄せんてつ

    pig iron

  • 市営地下鉄しえいちかてつ

    municipal subway

Explore all words using 鉄 →

Study

Etymology

鉄 is the modern simplified form of 鐵. The older form combines 金 (metal) with a phonetic component that contributed the sound. The modern 失 shape is a simplification and should not be treated as the original historical component.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 金 means metal, and the right side 失 looks like a person losing something. Imagine losing a piece of iron metal: 鉄 is iron.

Reading mnemonic

For テツ, picture a heavy iron weight that makes a loud 'tets' sound when it drops: tets -> テツ, and the iron clangs on the floor.