How to Say ‘Subway’ in Japanese
地下鉄
chika tetsu
[chee-kah teh-tsoo]
💬 Usage Tip: [地下] = underground + [鉄] = iron/rail → “underground railway.”
🇯🇵 In Japan: In some cities people may say [地下鉄] or use the company name (e.g., Tokyo Metro). Signs often show an “M” or the word “Subway.”
Phrase Breakdown
地下
chika
[chee-kah]
underground; below ground
In 地下鉄, 地下 means “underground.” Often used in words related to basements, subways, underground passages, etc.
地下鉄は地下を走ります。
The subway runs underground.
鉄
tetsu
[teh-tsoo]
iron; (by extension) rail
鉄 literally means “iron,” and it appears in train/rail words. In 地下鉄 it helps mean “subway/metro.”
地下鉄は鉄の線路を走ります。
The subway runs on iron rails.
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