How to Say "Rail" in Japanese

レール

rēru

The English word 'rail' is translated into Japanese as レール (rēru).

レール refers to a horizontal bar or a railing. It is a loanword from English and is written using the Katakana script.

Meaning: horizontal bar, railing (noun)

How do you pronounce it?

rēru

While レール refers to the physical bar, Japanese speakers use the phrase レールの上を走る meaning 'to run on the rails' as a metaphor for following a predetermined or conventional life path.
While レール is the loanword for many physical bars, the word for a railway track is almost always 線路 (senro). Using レール to talk about train tracks might make you sound like you are discussing the metal strips specifically rather than the entire railway system.
If you are looking for a handrail to hold onto while walking, you are more likely to encounter the word 手すり (tesuri) than レール. In many architectural contexts, レール sounds more like a functional component of a machine than a safety feature for humans.

車はガードレールに衝突して、丘を転げ落ちて行った。
The car crashed into the guard-rail and rolled down the hill.
This sentence shows how to use レール when referring to a guard-rail.
Tatoeba #149016 by tommy__san, translation #265542 by CM
カーテンレールにたくさんのハンガーがかかっている。
There are a lot of hangers on the curtain rail.
This sentence demonstrates the use of レール in the context of a curtain rail.
Tatoeba #7562203 by Sonata, translation #7819437 by LeviYoder
東京の鉄道網は広範囲です。
The railway network in Tokyo is extensive.
高速列車のレールは耐久性が高いです。
High-speed train rails are very durable.
あの子は電車の線路に飛び乗ったんだ！
That kid jumped onto the train tracks!
東京駅
Tokyo Station
レールの上に置いてください
Please put it on the rail.
窓のレールが壊れています。
Mado no rēru ga kowarete imasu.
The window rail is broken.

Misaki and Ren are installing a new shelf in the room.

美咲 Misaki

蓮、このレールの位置はこれでいい？
Ren, kono rēru no ichi wa kore de ii?
Ren, is the position of this rail okay?
蓮 Ren

うん、ちょうどいいと思うよ。
Un, chōdo ii to omou yo.
Yeah, I think it's just right.
美咲 Misaki

じゃあ、ここにネジを止めるね。
Jā, koko ni neji o tomeru ne.
Then, I'll put the screws in here.
蓮 Ren

お願い。しっかり固定してね。
Onegai. Shikkari kotei shite ne.
Please. Make sure it's fixed firmly.

Sources

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