Japanese word

車線

Pronunciation

Romajishasen

Meaning

  • nounlane

Example

右の車線は空いています。migi no sha sen wa a i te i ma su

The right lane is clear.

Illustration for 車線 (lane)

More examples

次の交差点で左の車線に移ります。tsugi no kō sa ten de hidari no sha sen ni utsu ri ma su

I will move into the left lane at the next intersection.

Core concept

Describes a marked strip of roadway that guides vehicles into parallel streams.

Common phrases

  • 左の車線hidari no sha sen

    left lane

  • 車線を変更するsha sen o hen kō su ru

    change lanes

  • 車線に入るsha sen ni hai ru

    enter a lane

Similar words

レーンrēn: A borrowed term for a lane, common in signs and compound expressions.
通行帯tsūkōtai: A legally defined part of a road for one line of moving traffic.

Definition in Japanese

道路上で、自動車が一列に進むよう区切られた帯状の部分。dō ro jō de ji dō sha ga ichi retsu ni susu mu yō ku gi ra re ta obi jō no bu bun

Word origin

車 (sha, "vehicle") and 線 (sen, "line") combine in 車線 (shasen) to name a strip of road assigned to vehicles.

Usage tips

  • In Japanese traffic language, 車線変更 (shasen henkō) is the standard term for changing lanes, while 車線 (shasen) refers to the roadway section rather than the marking itself.

Word lists with this word