バス
basu[ba̠sɨ]
The English word 'bus' is translated to Japanese as バス (basu). Wiktionary also lists 乗合自動車 (noriai jidōsha).
Meaning: vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| バス | basu | [ba̠sɨ] (narrow) | |
| 乗合自動車 | noriai jidōsha | [no̞ɾʲia̠iʑido̞ːɕa̠] (narrow) | rare |
The term refers to the vehicle used for public transportation.
Which one should you use?
バス is the standard everyday term used in most situations. In contrast, 乗合自動車 is a formal and technical term that literally means 'shared vehicle automobile' and is rarely used in conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
Other useful related terms include バス停 for 'bus stop', バス切符 for 'bus ticket' and バスの時刻表 for 'bus schedule'.
How do you pronounce it?
basu
Did you know?
- In Japan, passengers often enter through the back door and exit through the front door when paying the fare to the driver.
- Because バス is written in the same phonetic script as words for 'bath' and 'bass', the meaning is determined entirely by context or pitch accent.
- Some rural Japanese buses are known as 'demand-responsive transport' and cannot be hailed at a バス停 without a prior phone reservation.
Examples in context
- バスに遅れた。We've missed our bus.This example shows how to use バス when discussing missing a bus.Tatoeba #12934041 by small_snow, translation #11070980 by sundown
- バスが来ますよ。There comes the bus.This example shows how to use バス when a bus is arriving.Tatoeba #198222 by small_snow, translation #35414 by CK
- バスは混んでた？Was the bus crowded?This example shows how to use バス when asking about the bus being crowded.Tatoeba #8840767 by bunbuku, translation #6920729 by CK
- 597 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are waiting at a bus stop.
- 結衣 Yui次のバスは何時かな？Tsugi no basu wa nanji kana?I wonder what time the next bus is?
- 陽太 Yotaあと五分で来るよ。Ato gofun de kuru yo.It will be here in five minutes.
- 結衣 Yuiあのバス、すごく大きいね。Ano basu, sugoku ookii ne.That bus is really big, isn't it?
- 陽太 Yotaそうだね、急いで乗ろう。Sou da ne, isoide norou.It is. Let's hurry and get on.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bus” translations and entries バス, 乗合自動車, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries バス, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
