子彈火車 / 子弹火车
zǐdàn huǒchē
The English phrase 'bullet train' is translated into Chinese as 子彈火車 / 子弹火车 (zǐdàn huǒchē). Wiktionary also lists 高鐵 / 高铁 (gāotiě).
Meaning: high-speed train (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 子彈火車 / 子弹火车 | zǐdàn huǒchē |
| 高鐵 / 高铁 | gāotiě |
The term refers to high-speed trains.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 子彈火車 / 子弹火车 is a literal translation where 子彈 means 'bullet' and 火車 means 'train'.
Which one should you use?
子彈火車 / 子弹火车 is a literal translation of 'bullet train', but 高鐵 / 高铁 is the more common and professional term used in mainland China to refer to high-speed rail services. Additionally, 动车 is an informal term often used to refer to these trains or electric multiple units.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, 高鐵 / 高铁 specifically refers to the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) system.
How do you pronounce it?
zǐdàn huǒchē
Did you know?
- The word 火車 / 火车 for 'train' literally means 'fire car', a remnant from the era of steam engines that persists even for the most advanced bullet trains.
- The word 鐵 / 铁 in 高鐵 / 高铁 refers to 'iron', reflecting the historical transition from wooden carts to metal rails.
- While 'bullet train' is a popular English expression, using the literal translation 子彈火車 / 子弹火车 (zǐdàn huǒchē) in China might actually sound quite strange to locals. It sounds more like a description of a train shaped like a bullet rather than a professional way to refer to the high-speed rail system.
Examples in context
- 我坐高速列车去北京。I took the bullet train to Beijing.
- 中国的高速列车非常快。China's bullet trains are very fast.
- 我明天要坐动车去上海。I'll take the bullet train to Shanghai tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bullet train” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
