火車 / 火车
fo² ce¹
In Cantonese, the English word 'train' is translated as 火車 / 火车 (fo² ce¹). If unsure, use 火車 / 火车. Wiktionary also lists 列車 / 列车 (lit⁶ ce¹).
Meaning: line of connected cars or carriages (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 火車 / 火车 | fo² ce¹ |
| 列車 / 列车 | lit⁶ ce¹ |
Both terms refer to a line of connected cars or carriages. While 火車 / 火车 is the general term for trains, in Hong Kong, the subway or metro system is specifically called 地鐵 (dei⁶ tit³).
What does it mean word for word?
The word 火車 / 火车 literally translates to 'fire car'.
Which one should you use?
火車 / 火车 is the common, everyday term used in conversation, whereas 列車 / 列车 is a more formal or technical term often found in official announcements or news reports.
How do you pronounce it?
fo² ce¹
Did you know?
- When talking about a 'train wreck' or 'disaster' metaphorically, Cantonese speakers often use words related to 'collapse' rather than the word 火車.
- The character for 'fire' 火 in 火車 is a pictograph that originally resembled a flickering flame.
- The formal term 列車 uses the character 列, which means 'to line up' or 'arrange in a row'.
Example sentences for Cantonese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “train” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
