Japanese Vocabulary for Taking the Train

07/06/2020Updated 04/05/20233 min read

Translated from the Vietnamese original. View the original.

Japanese Vocabulary for Taking the Train
Here is a set of Japanese vocabulary for travelling by train
We hope the words above are useful to you.
Good luck with your studies and your exam.

Part 1:

  1. Vocabulary:

上る(のぼる)ー下る(くだる): to go up – to go down (as nouns, 上りー下り)

階段(かいだん)を上るー下る: to go up – down the stairs

階段を上(あ)がるー下(お)りる: to go up – down the stairs

エスカレーターの上りー下り: the up and down escalators

上り電車(のぼりでんしゃ): a train heading to the big city (mainly Tokyo) =地方(ちほう)から中央(特に東京)に向(む)かう電車

下り電車(くだりでんしゃ): a train heading away from the big city (Tokyo)

方面(ほうめん): the direction of travel (towards a given station)

東京方面: a train heading in the direction of Tokyo

青森(あおもり)方面: a train heading in the direction of Aomori

行き(ゆき): bound for a station, with that station as the terminus (方面 also means heading towards a station and stopping there, but it need not be the last stop)

東京行き: a train bound for Tokyo, with Tokyo as the terminus

東京方面行き: a train heading towards Tokyo, with Tokyo as the terminus (this is what you will see at the station)

  1. Extra: 列車(れっしゃ)の時刻(じこく)を調べる: to check the train timetable

・ 時刻表(じこくひょう): timetable

東京発(とうきょうはつ)横浜行き(よこはまゆき): a train departing Tokyo, bound for Yokohama

私鉄(してつ): private railway

新幹線(しんかんせん): shinkansen, bullet train

座席(ざせき)を指定(してい)する: to reserve a seat

指定席(していせき): reserved seat

自由席(じゆうせき): unreserved seat

* There are two options when buying a shinkansen ticket: ① 指定席(していせき)is a reserved ticket with a seat number, and ② 自由席(じゆうせき)is an unreserved ticket with no seat number, as on an ordinary train. A shinkansen usually has about three unreserved carriages.

窓側(まどがわ): window seat

通路側(つうろがわ): aisle seat

乗車券(じょうしゃけん): train ticket

片道切符(かたみちきっぷ): single ticket

往復切符(おうふくきっぷ): return ticket

特急券(とっきゅうけん): limited express (Tokkyu) ticket

特急料金(とっきゅうりょうきん): limited express (Tokkyu) fare

回数券(かいすうけん): book of tickets (usually cheaper than buying singly)

定期券(ていきけん): season ticket

改札口(かいさつぐち)を通(とお)る: to pass through the ticket barrier

切符(きっぷ)を払(はら)い戻(もど)す: to get a refund on a ticket

・ 払(はら)い戻(もど)し: refund

  1. (プラット)ホームが混雑(こんざつ)している。The platform is crowded.

(プラット)ホーム: platform

混雑(こんざつ)する: to be crowded

  1. 白線(はくせん)/ 黄色い線(きいろいせん)の内側(うちがわ)に下(さ)がる: Stand back behind the white / yellow line (the line separating the track from where passengers wait)

内側(うちがわ): the inside

外側(そとがわ): the outside

  1. 特急(とっきゅう)が通過(つうか)する: The limited express will pass through. (it does not stop here)

特急: limited express

通過する: to pass through

  1. 乗車(じょうしゃ)する: to board the train
  2. 下車(げしゃ)する: to get off the train
  3. 発車(はっしゃ)する: to depart (when the train leaves the station)
  4. 電車の中はがらがらだ. The train is empty. (空っぽ: からっぽ: empty)
  5. 満員電車(まんいんでんしゃ)で通勤(つうきん)する: to commute on a packed train

満員電車(まんいんでんしゃ): a packed train (no room left)

  1. 電車がゆれる: the train shakes, sways
  2. 始発(しはつ)(電車): the first train of the day
  3. 終電(しゅうでん): the last train of the day
  4. 始発駅(しはつえき)から乗(の)る: to board at the station the first train starts from
  5. 終点(しゅうてん)で降(お)りる: to get off at the terminus
  6. 急行(きゅうこう)から各駅停車(かくえきていしゃ)に乗(の)り換(か)える: to change from an express to a local train (stopping at every station)

各駅停車(かくえきていしゃ): a train stopping at every station

  1. 乗(の)り遅(おく)れる: to miss the train
  2. 乗(の)り過(す)ごす: to miss your stop (to go past the station)
  3. 乗(の)り越(こ)す: to miss your stop (to go past the station)
  4. 運賃(うんちん)を精算(せいさん)する: to settle the fare difference
  5. 車掌(しゃしょう)が車内アナウンスをする: the conductor makes an announcement on board
  6. 携帯電話(けいたいでんわ)の使用(しよう)を控(ひか)える: to refrain from using a mobile phone

使用(しよう): use

控える(ひかえる): to refrain

  1. お年寄り(おとしより)/ 老人(ろうじん)に席(せき)をゆずる: to give up your seat to an elderly person
  2. 優先席(ゆうせんせき): priority seat
  3. 体(からだ)の不自由(ふじゆう)な人: a disabled person
  4. ちかんにあう: to be groped, to be harassed
  5. 駅(えき)の売店(ばいてん): the station shop (usually a kiosk)

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