noun
The chemical element iron. Used in scientific, industrial, and everyday contexts.
鉄は熱いうちに打て。
Strike while the iron is hot.
この鍋は鉄でできている。
This pot is made of iron.
noun
Often used loosely to refer to steel, especially in compounds. Compare with 鋼 (はがね), which specifically means steel.
See also: 鋼
鉄の橋が川にかかっている。
A steel bridge spans the river.
noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun
Metaphorical use for something strong, unyielding, or strict. Often used as a no-adjective.
彼は鉄の意志で難病に立ち向かった。
He faced his serious illness with an iron will.
このチームは鉄の規律で知られている。
This team is known for its iron discipline.
noun, noun, used as a suffix, noun, used as a prefix
Abbreviation of 鉄道 (てつどう). Used as a prefix or suffix in compounds like 私鉄 (private railway) or 国鉄 (national railway).
See also: 鉄道
私鉄で通勤している。
I commute by private railway.
国鉄が民営化された。
The national railway was privatized.
noun, used as a suffix
Colloquial suffix, short for 鉄道ファン. Often used in compounds like 撮り鉄 (railway photographer) or 乗り鉄 (person who enjoys riding trains).
彼は撮り鉄で、休日はいつも駅で写真を撮っている。
He's a railfan photographer, always taking pictures at stations on his days off.
乗り鉄の彼は、日本全国の路線を制覇した。
As a travel-oriented railfan, he has conquered railway lines all over Japan.
The kanji 鉄 is a simplified form of 鐵, which originally depicted metal and a phonetic component. The word てつ is a Sino-Japanese reading (on'yomi) derived from Middle Chinese.