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軌道 (きどう, kidou) Japanese meaning: orbit | Kotomora

軌き道どう

き

ど

う

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

orbit; trajectory

astronomy›physics›

Used in astronomy and physics for the path of a celestial body or projectile.

人じん工

こう

衛えい

星せい

は

地ち

球きゅう

の

軌き

道どう

を

回まわ

っ

て

いる

。

The artificial satellite is orbiting the Earth.

2

railroad track; rail

Refers to the physical rails or track structure for trains.

台たい風ふうで軌き道どうが寸すん断だんされた。
The railroad track was severed by the typhoon.

3

right track; proper course

Figurative use, often in the phrase 軌道に乗る meaning to get on the right track or proceed smoothly as planned.

See also: 軌道に乗る

新しん事じ業ぎょうがようやく軌き道どうに乗のった。
The new business has finally gotten on the right track.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉が軌き道どうを回まわるfor an object to orbit (something)
人じん工こう衛えい星せいが地ち球きゅうの周まわりの軌き道どうを回まわっている。
The artificial satellite is orbiting the Earth.
軌き道どうを敷しくto lay down railroad tracks
この地ち区くには新あたらしく軌き道どうが敷しかれる予よ定ていだ。
New tracks are scheduled to be laid in this district.
軌き道どうを修しゅう正せいするto correct one's course or plan
計けい画かくが失しっ敗ぱいしかけたので、軌き道どうを修しゅう正せいすることにした。
軌き道どうから外はずれるto go off track; to deviate from the intended course
議ぎ論ろんが本ほん来らいの軌き道どうから外はずれてしまった。
The discussion ended up straying off its intended course.

Expressions

軌き道どうに乗のるbe on track; go according to plan · enter orbit
軌き道どうに乗のせるput on track; get on the right track; make go smoothly · put into orbit; send into orbit

Kanji

軌rut, wheel, track
道road-way, street, district

Related words

線せん路ろN3sense 2
線路 is the common, everyday word for railway tracks, while 軌道 is the more technical or formal term used in engineering and physics contexts.
弾だん道どう
軌道 is the general word for a path or orbit (like a planet's or train's), while 弾道 specifically means the trajectory of a projectile such as a bullet or missile.
レール
軌道 is a more technical term that can mean railway track or an orbit, whereas レール is the everyday word for the physical rail bars.
軌き跡せき
軌道 refers to a course or orbit something follows, while 軌跡 refers to the trace or path actually left behind as it moved.

Don't confuse with

軌き跡せき sense 1
軌跡 refers to a trace or locus left behind by movement (often used abstractly or mathematically), whereas 軌道 refers to a planned or fixed path such as an orbit or track.
機き動どう
軌道 (also read きどう) means orbit or track, and is easily confused with 機動 despite having an unrelated meaning.

Word family· 33

無む軌き道どう
trackless; without rails · reckless; dissipated; unrestrained
低てい軌き道どう
low orbit; low Earth orbit; LEO
円えん軌き道どう
circular orbit
極きょく軌き道どう
polar orbit

Etymology

Compound of 軌 (ki, 'rut, wheel track') and 道 (dō, 'way, path'). The astronomical sense is a Meiji-era calque from Western languages.

Since the plan was starting to fail, we decided to correct course.

軌き道どう上じょう

in orbit; on orbit

Show 6 more

軌き道どう線せん
railway line; tramway line
軌き道どう船せん
orbiter
軌き道どう車しゃ
track-maintenance car; inspection car
軌き道どう面めん
orbital plane
人じん車しゃ軌き道どう
handcar railroad; handcar railway
併へい用よう軌き道どう
rail track laid on a road; street-running track

See all 33 in Explore →