How to Say ‘Subway’ in Japanese
地下鉄
chika tetsu
[chee-kah teh-tsu]
💬 Usage Tip: [地下鉄] literally means “underground iron.” In some cities people also say [メトロ], but [地下鉄] is widely understood.
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Tokyo, many lines are run by different companies, but people still casually call it all [地下鉄].
Phrase Breakdown
地下
chika
[chee-kah]
underground; basement (as in underground)
地下 means “underground.” Combined with 鉄, it forms 地下鉄 (“subway/metro”). Used when asking how to get to the metro.
地下鉄の駅はどこですか。
Where is the subway station?
鉄
tetsu
[teh-tsu]
iron; railway (short form used in compounds)
鉄 literally means “iron,” and in transport words it relates to railways. In 地下鉄, it contributes the meaning “railway,” i.e., “subway.”
地下鉄は便利です。
The subway is convenient.
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