Japanese word

汽車

Pronunciation

Romajikisha

Meaning

  • nounsteam train

Example

汽車が駅に着きます。ki sha ga eki ni tsu ki ma su

The steam train arrives at the station.

Illustration for 汽車 (steam train)

More examples

子どものころ、祖父と汽車に乗りました。ko do mo no ko ro so fu to ki sha ni no ri ma shi ta

When I was a child, I rode a steam train with my grandfather.

Core concept

Presents a train as being driven by steam rather than electricity or another modern power source.

Common phrases

  • 汽車に乗るki sha ni no ru

    ride a steam train

  • 汽車を降りるki sha o o ri ru

    get off a steam train

Similar words

列車ressha: A train traveling on a railway when its method of propulsion is not specified.
電車densha: A train that receives electric power to move along a railway.

Definition in Japanese

蒸気の力で動く鉄道の車両。jō ki no chikara de ugo ku tetsu dō no sha ryō

Word origin

The compound joins 汽 (ki, "steam") with 車 (sha, "vehicle"), and their Sino-Japanese readings form the word for a steam train.

Usage tips

  • Modern electric trains are usually called 電車 (densha, "electric train"), so 汽車 (kisha) often carries a historical sense in everyday Japanese.

Other meanings

  • steam locomotivenoun

Word lists with this word