電でん線せん

で

ん

せ

ん

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

electric wire; power cable

General term for wires or cables that carry electricity, including power lines and electrical wiring.

台たい風ふうで電でん線せんが切きれた。
The power lines were cut by the typhoon.
電でん線せんに触さわらないでください。
Please do not touch the electric wires.

2

telephone line; telegraph wire

Specifically for communication lines; often seen in contexts of old telephone or telegraph infrastructure.

昔むかしは電でん線せんで電でん報ぽうを送おくっていた。
In the past, telegrams were sent over telegraph wires.

See all 66 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

電でん線せんが切きれるfor a power line to snap/break
強きょう風ふうで電でん線せんが切きれて、あたり一いっ帯たいが停てい電でんした。
A power line snapped in the strong wind, and the whole area lost electricity.
電でん線せんに触ふれるto touch a live power line (usually a warning about danger)
電でん線せんに触ふれると感かん電でんする危き険けんがある。
There is a risk of electric shock if you touch a power line.
〈場ば所しょ〉に電でん線せんを張はるto string up power lines in a place
村むらの各かく家いえに電でん線せんを張はる工こう事じが始はじまった。
Work began to string power lines to every house in the village.
電でん線せんが絡からむfor wires to become tangled
屋や根ねの上うえで電でん線せんが絡からんでいるのを直なおしてもらった。
I had someone fix the tangled wires on the roof.

Kanji

電electricity
線line, track

Related words

ケーブル sense 1
ケーブル is a broad loanword for any cable (including data or mechanical cables), while 電線 specifically means an electrical or communication wire.
電でん話わ線せん sense 2
電話線 specifically means a telephone line, a narrower sense that 電線 also covers when referring to communication wiring.
送そう電でん線せん sense 1
送電線 refers specifically to high-voltage power transmission lines, while 電線 is the general term for any electric wire.
配はい線せん sense 1
配線 refers to the wiring layout or circuit installed inside a building or device, while 電線 refers to the physical wire or cable itself.
コードN3
電線 refers to electrical wiring in general, including power lines outdoors, whereas コード specifically means a flexible appliance cord.

Don't confuse with

伝でん線せん
電線 (an electric wire) and 伝線 (a run/tear in stockings) are pronounced identically but refer to completely unrelated things.
電でん柱ちゅうN2
電線 is the electric wire itself, while 電柱 is the pole that holds it up.

Counted with

本ほんN5
For long, thin objects (sticks, stems, wires, bottles); also 'pieces' like films, articles, and phone calls.
筋すじN2
Used especially for long, thin lines/wires; 本 is also natural for cables and wires.

Word family· 7

弱じゃく電でん線せん
weak current line; low-voltage signal line
強きょう電でん線せん
power line; high-current electrical line
給きゅう電でん線せん
feeder; power supply line
饋き電でん線せん
feeder (electric power line)
海かい底てい電でん線せん
undersea cable; submarine cable

Show 2 more

高こう圧あつ電でん線せん
high-voltage power line
公こう衆しゅう電でん線せん網もう
public wireline network

Etymology

Compound of 電 (electricity) and 線 (line, wire).