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地下鉄 (ちかてつ, chikatetsu) Japanese meaning: subway | Kotomora

地ち下か鉄てつ

ち

か

て

つ

Common word›JLPTN5›Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

subway; metro; underground railway

abbreviation

Abbreviation of 地下鉄道. Refers to an urban underground railway system.

See also: 地下鉄道

東とう京きょうの地

ち

下か

鉄てつ

は

とても

便べん

利り

です

。

The Tokyo subway is very convenient.

地ち下か鉄てつで会かい社しゃに行いきます。

I go to work by subway.

Usage patterns

地ち下か鉄てつに乗のるto ride the subway
毎まい朝あさ地ち下か鉄てつに乗のって会かい社しゃに行いきます。
I ride the subway to work every morning.
地ち下か鉄てつで〈場ば所しょ〉に行いくto go somewhere by subway
地ち下か鉄てつで新しん宿じゅくに行いきました。
I went to Shinjuku by subway.
地ち下か鉄てつが止とまるfor the subway to stop running (e.g. due to trouble)
事じ故こで地ち下か鉄てつが止とまってしまった。
The subway stopped running because of an accident.

Kanji

地ground, earth
下below, down, descend
鉄iron

Related words

地ち下か鉄てつ道どう
地下鉄道 is the full, formal term for an underground railway, while 地下鉄 is the common everyday abbreviation used in speech and writing.
電でん車しゃN5
電車 refers to electric trains in general, including above-ground lines, while 地下鉄 specifically means an underground subway system.
メトロ
地下鉄 is the everyday Japanese word for a subway system, while メトロ is used mainly in brand names or when referring to European-style metro systems.
市し営えい地ち下か鉄てつ
地下鉄 is the general word for any subway, while 市営地下鉄 specifically identifies a subway system that is owned and run by a city government.

Don't confuse with

電でん車しゃN5
地下鉄 specifically means a subway/underground train, while 電車 is the general word for an electric train that may run above or below ground.
地ち下か街がいN1
地下街 refers to an underground shopping area, whereas 地下鉄 is the underground railway (subway) system used for transportation.
私し鉄てつN3
私鉄 and 地下鉄 sound similar and both can describe urban train lines, but 私鉄 specifies private ownership while 地下鉄 just means 'subway' regardless of who runs it.

Counted with

本ほんN5
This isn't the standard way to count subway lines or trains; 本 here treats 地下鉄 like a long, line-shaped route.

Word family

市し営えい地ち下か鉄てつ
municipal subway
地ち下か鉄てつサリン事じ件けん
Tokyo subway sarin attack

Built from

地ち下か+鉄てつ

Etymology

Abbreviation of 地下鉄道 (underground railway), from 地下 (underground) + 鉄道 (railway).