地鐵 / 地铁
dìtiě
The English word "subway" is translated into Chinese as 地鐵 / 地铁 (dìtiě). If unsure, use 地鐵 / 地铁. Wiktionary also lists 地下鐵路 / 地下铁路 (dìxià tiělù) and 捷運 / 捷运 (jiéyùn).
Meaning: underground railway (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 地鐵 / 地铁 | dìtiě | |
| 地下鐵路 / 地下铁路 | dìxià tiělù | |
| 捷運 / 捷运 | jiéyùn | Taiwan |
| 地下鐵 / 地下铁 | dìxiàtiě | Taiwan |
The term refers to an underground railway system. To say "to take the subway," you can use the verb 搭 (dā) or 坐 (zuò) followed by 地鐵 / 地铁.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 地鐵 (dìtiě) is a literal combination of 地 (ground/earth) and 鐵 (iron), referring to the iron rails in the ground.
Which one should you use?
地鐵 (dìtiě) is the standard term used in Mainland China, whereas 捷運 / 捷运 is the standard term used in Taiwan.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwan, the term 捷運 / 捷运 (jiéyùn) is the most common way to refer to the subway or metro system. The form 地下鐵 / 地下铁 (dìxiàtiě) is also used in Taiwan.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is dìtiě.
Did you know?
- In some regions, the subway system is part of a 'multi-modal' network where the word 捷運 is used even for the elevated sections of the track.
- In Taiwan, the term 捷運 was specifically chosen to avoid confusion with 地下鐵路, which can refer to any underground section of a long-distance railway.
- In many Chinese cities, the 'subway' is often discussed using the term 地鐵, but the physical signage may use the English word 'Metro' to appeal to international travelers.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢坐地铁去上班。I like taking the subway to work.
- 我们明天一起坐地铁去购物吧！Let's take the subway together to go shopping tomorrow!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “subway” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 地鐵, 捷運, CC BY-SA 4.0.
