Usage patterns 電でん 車しゃ に 乗の る to get on/ride a train
I take the seven o'clock train every morning.
電でん 車しゃ を 降お りる to get off a train
Please get off the train at the next station.
電でん 車しゃ で 行い く to go by train
電でん 車しゃ が 遅おく れる for a train to be delayed
The train is delayed because of an accident.
電でん 車しゃ を 乗の り 換か える to transfer/change trains
I change trains at Shinjuku.
電でん 車しゃ が 来く る for a train to arrive
The train will arrive soon.
Related words 列車 is a broader term covering any train including long-distance, freight, or steam trains, while 電車 specifically means an electric train, typically for commuter or urban travel.
汽車 originally meant a steam train and now sounds old-fashioned or literary, whereas 電車 is the standard modern word for an electric train.
電車 is the everyday, standard word for an electric train, while トレイン is a stylistic loanword usually seen in brand names or compounds.
電車 refers to electric trains in general, including above-ground lines, while 地下鉄 specifically means an underground subway system.
Don't confuse with· 6 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.
電話 means 'telephone', while 電車 means 'train'; the two share the kanji 電 and a similar sound pattern, which can trip up beginners.
電車 refers specifically to electric commuter trains, while 鉄道 denotes the whole railway system including tracks, stations, and operations.
Show 3 more Show fewer 電車 is the general word for any electric train, whereas 新幹線 refers specifically to the bullet train system.
電車 is an electric train made of self-propelled cars, whereas 機関車 is the separate locomotive that hauls unpowered cars.
電車 refers to the electric train itself or its service, while 電鉄 refers to the railway system or company that operates it.
Word family· 29 Show 5 more Show fewer railcar depot; train depot
train fare
street with tramline; railroad track · railroading the opponent straight out of the ring
second-to-last train of the day
out-of-service train; deadhead train
See all 29 in Explore →
Etymology Compound of 電 (den, 'electricity') and 車 (sha, 'vehicle'). The term became common with the spread of electric railways in the early 20th century.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
