火車 / 火车
huǒchē
The English word 'train' can be expressed in Mandarin through several forms. If unsure, use 火車 / 火车 (huǒchē).
Meaning: line of connected cars or carriages (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 火車 / 火车 | huǒchē | |
| 火車 / 火车 | hóe-chhia, hé-chhia, hér-chhia | Hokkien |
| 列車 / 列车 | lia̍t-chhia | Hokkien |
The word refers to a line of connected cars or carriages.
Which one should you use?
In Hokkien, you can use 火車 / 火车 or 列車 / 列车 to refer to a train. For a more formal way to describe a railway train, you may use 铁路列车.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form хуәчә is used in Dungan. The forms 火車 / 火车 and 列車 / 列车 are used in Hokkien.
How do you pronounce it?
hóe-chhia, hé-chhia, hér-chhia
Did you know?
- In the phrase 火車, the character 車 was originally a pictograph of a chariot with two wheels and a axle.
- The word 火車 is used as a common loanword in several other languages across Asia, including Vietnamese and Korean, due to historical Chinese influence.
- The word 火車 literally translates to 'fire car'. This reflects the early days of steam locomotives when trains were powered by fire and coal.
Examples in context
- 我坐火车去北京。I will take a train to Beijing.
- 我喜欢坐铁路列车去旅行。I enjoy traveling by train.
- 姐姐在火车头工作。My sister works at the locomotive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “train” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
