Transportation

東京とうきょうの交通こうつうは複雑ふくざつですが、便利べんりです。

Tokyo's transport is complicated, but convenient.

Usage 交通 covers traffic and transport systems together: 交通機関 (transport services), 交通費 (travel expenses), 交通事故 (traffic accident).

Remember it 交 (to cross, to mix) + 通 (to pass through). Things crossing and passing — traffic.

毎日まいにち電車でんしゃで会社かいしゃに通ってかよっています。

I commute to work by train every day.

Usage 電車 is the everyday electric commuter train. 列車 (れっしゃ) is a long-distance service and 汽車 (きしゃ) a steam train. 通う = to commute regularly.

Remember it 電 (electricity) + 車 (vehicle). The electric vehicle.

地下鉄ちかてつが一番いちばん速いはやい移動いどう手段しゅだんです。

The subway is the fastest means of getting around.

Usage Note this sentence uses 速い (fast in speed), not 早い (early in time). 手段 (しゅだん) = a means or method, a useful N3 noun.

Remember it 地 (ground) + 下 (below) + 鉄 (iron). The iron road running below ground.

バスばすは十分じゅっぷんに一本いっぽん来ますきます。

The bus comes once every ten minutes.

Usage Two traps in one short sentence: 十分 is じゅっぷん (ten minutes) here, not じゅうぶん (enough), and scheduled services are counted with 本.

Remember it From English 'bus', two mora: ば-す.

雨あめが強かったつよかったので、タクシーを捕まえつかまえました。

The rain was heavy, so I caught a taxi.

Usage タクシーを捕まえる = to catch a taxi, the same verb as catching a ball. タクシー乗り場 = taxi rank. The doors open by themselves in Japan.

Remember it From English 'taxi', four mora: た-く-し-い.

車くるまで旅行りょこうするのが好きすきです。

I like travelling by car.

Usage The means of transport takes で: 車で行く. The kanji reads くるま alone but しゃ in compounds — 電車, 自転車, 駐車場.

Remember it 車 is a cart seen from above: the box in the middle, the axle through it, a wheel at each end.

駅えきまで自転車じてんしゃで行きいきます。

I go to the station by bicycle.

Usage 自転車 is a bicycle. Do not reach for バイク, which means a motorbike. Like all vehicles, it takes に with 乗る: 自転車に乗る.

Remember it 自 (self) + 転 (to turn) + 車 (vehicle). The vehicle you turn under your own power.

バイクで配達はいたつの仕事しごとをしています。

I do delivery work on a motorbike.

Usage False friend: バイク is always a motorcycle, never a bicycle — that is 自転車. It comes from English 'bike', but the meaning narrowed on the way in.

Remember it From English 'bike'. Keep the split straight: バイク has an engine, 自転車 has your legs.

飛行機ひこうきで東京とうきょうから大阪おおさかまで一時間いちじかんかかります。

It takes an hour to fly from Tokyo to Osaka.

Usage から…まで = from … to, and かかる is the verb for time or money spent. 飛行機に乗る = to board a plane.

Remember it 飛 (to fly) + 行 (to go) + 機 (machine). The machine that goes flying.

船ふねで島しまに渡りわたりました。

I crossed to the island by boat.

Usage 船 covers everything from a rowing boat to an ocean liner. 渡る (わたる) = to cross over. The on-reading せん appears in 客船 and 漁船.

Remember it 船 = 舟 (a small boat) + 㕣. The left half is itself a picture of a craft on water.

次つぎの駅えきで降りておりてください。

Please get off at the next station.

Usage 駅 is a train station; a bus stop is バス停. 駅前 (えきまえ) means the area in front of the station and turns up constantly in addresses.

Remember it 駅 = 馬 (horse) + 尺. It once meant a post station where riders swapped horses.

自動券売機じどうけんばいきで切符きっぷを買いかいました。

I bought a ticket from the automatic ticket machine.

Usage 切符 is a paper transport ticket; チケット is for concerts and events. Most commuters now tap an ICカード such as Suica instead.

Remember it 切 (to cut) + 符 (a tally, a token). Tickets were once cut from a printed strip.

通勤つうきんに定期券ていきけんを使ってつかっているので、電車代でんしゃだいを節約せつやくできます。

I use a commuter pass for work, so I save on train fares.

Usage Often shortened to just 定期. The 券 (けん) suffix marks any ticket or voucher: 乗車券, 入場券, 割引券. 節約する = to economise.

Remember it 定期 (a fixed period) + 券 (ticket). A ticket good for a set stretch of time.

時刻表じこくひょうを確認かくにんしてから駅えきに向かいむかいました。

I checked the timetable before heading to the station.

Usage 時刻 (じこく) is a point in time, while 時間 (じかん) is a span of it. 向かう (むかう) = to head toward, and takes に.

Remember it 時刻 (exact time) + 表 (a table or chart). A chart of exact times.

新幹線しんかんせんは午前ごぜん九時くじに東京駅とうきょうえきを出発しゅっぱつします。

The bullet train departs Tokyo Station at nine in the morning.

Usage 出発する takes を for the place left behind: 東京駅を出発する. On airport boards, 出発 is departures and 到着 is arrivals.

Remember it 出 (to go out) + 発 (to set off). Going out and setting off.

飛行機ひこうきは予定よていより三十分さんじゅっぷん遅れておくれて到着とうちゃくしました。

The plane arrived thirty minutes later than scheduled.

Usage 到着する takes に for the place reached: 空港に到着する — note it differs from 出発's を. 予定より = than planned.

Remember it 到 (to reach) + 着 (to arrive, to land). Reaching and setting down.

渋谷しぶやで電車でんしゃを乗り換えてのりかえてください。

Please change trains at Shibuya.

Usage The verb is 乗り換える, and the place takes で: 渋谷で乗り換える. 乗り換え案内 is the route-finder every commuter in Japan lives by.

Remember it 乗る (to ride) + 換える (to swap). Swapping what you are riding.

改札かいさつを通るとおるときにICカードを使いつかいます。

You use an IC card when you go through the ticket gate.

Usage 改札口 (かいさつぐち) is the gate itself and a standard meeting point: 改札で待ち合わせ. 通る takes を for the thing passed through.

Remember it 改 (to inspect, to revise) + 札 (a ticket). The place your ticket is inspected.

ホームほーむで電車でんしゃを待ちまちながら、音楽おんがくを聴いてきいていました。

I was listening to music while waiting for the train on the platform.

Usage False friend: this ホーム is clipped from プラットホーム (platform), not English 'home'. ながら joins two things done at once.

Remember it From 'platform' with the front lopped off — a very Japanese way to trim a long loanword.

タクシーたくしーの運転手うんてんしゅさんに行き先いきさきを伝えつたえました。

I told the taxi driver my destination.

Usage 手 (しゅ) names a person by their skill: 運転手 (driver), 歌手 (かしゅ, singer), 選手 (せんしゅ, athlete). Add さん when speaking to them.

Remember it 運転 (to drive) + 手 (hand, person). The hand on the wheel.

赤あか信号しんごうでは必ずかならず止まりとまりましょう。

Always stop at a red light.

Usage Remember 青信号 is a green light, not a blue one. 信号無視 (しんごうむし) = running a light. 必ず (かならず) = without fail.

Remember it 信 (a message) + 号 (a sign). A sign that carries a message.

工事こうじのため、道路どうろが一車線いちしゃせん通行止めつうこうどめになっています。

Because of roadworks, one lane of the road is closed.

Usage 道路 is a road as built infrastructure; 道 (みち) is the way you walk or the route you take. 工事 (こうじ) = construction work.

Remember it 道 (way) + 路 (road). Two road words stacked to make the formal term.

高速道路こうそくどうろを使えばつかえば、二時間にじかんで到着とうちゃくできます。

If you take the motorway, you can get there in two hours.

Usage Usually shortened to 高速. 使えば is the ば-conditional, 'if you use'. Japanese expressways are toll roads, so 料金所 (tollgate) is worth knowing.

Remember it 高速 (high speed) + 道路 (road). The high-speed road.

高速道路こうそくどうろで渋滞じゅうたいにはまって、一時間いちじかん遅れおくれました。

I got stuck in a jam on the motorway and was an hour late.

Usage 渋滞にはまる = to get caught in a jam. It also works as a verb: 道が渋滞している. 帰省ラッシュ is the holiday traffic crush.

Remember it 渋 (stuck, astringent) + 滞 (to stagnate). Everything congealing to a standstill.

前まえで交通こうつう事故じこが起きておきて、道みちが混んでこんでいます。

There's been a traffic accident up ahead and the road is congested.

Usage 事故が起きる = an accident happens; 事故に遭う (あう) = to be involved in one. 混む (こむ) = to become crowded.

Remember it 事 (an incident) + 故 (a cause). An incident with a cause behind it.

近くちかくに駐車場ちゅうしゃじょうはありますか？

Is there a car park nearby?

Usage 駐車する = to park, 駐車禁止 = no parking. The 場 (じょう) suffix turns anything into its place: 駐車場, 会場, 工場.

Remember it 駐 (to stay put) + 車 (vehicle) + 場 (place). The place vehicles stay.

入場にゅうじょう料金りょうきんはいくらですか？

How much is the admission fee?

Usage 料金 is a charge for a service, 運賃 is specifically transport fare, 値段 is the price of goods. Casual speech uses 〜代: 電車代, 食事代.

Remember it 料 (a charge) + 金 (money). The money charged for it.

電車でんしゃの運賃うんちんは距離きょりによって変わりかわります。

Train fares change depending on the distance.

Usage 運賃 is the fare for being carried, passengers or freight alike. によって = depending on, an N3 pattern that appears constantly in explanations.

Remember it 運 (to carry, to transport) + 賃 (a charge, a wage). The charge for carriage.

来月らいげつ、家族かぞくと日本にほん全国ぜんこくを旅行りょこうする予定よていです。

Next month I plan to travel all over Japan with my family.

Usage 旅行する = to travel. 旅 (たび) alone is more literary and solitary. Useful compounds: 旅行会社 (travel agency), 海外旅行 (trip abroad).

Remember it 旅 (a journey) + 行 (to go). Going on a journey.

京都きょうとは外国人がいこくじん観光かんこう客きゃくに人気にんきがあります。

Kyoto is popular with foreign tourists.

Usage 観光客 (かんこうきゃく) = tourist, 観光地 = tourist spot, 観光案内所 = tourist information office. 人気がある = to be popular.

Remember it 観 (to view) + 光 (light, a sight). Going to look at the sights.

地図ちずを見ながらみながら目的地もくてきちまで歩きあるきました。

I walked to my destination while looking at a map.

Usage 地図 = map, 地図アプリ = map app. The 図 (ず) kanji marks drawings and diagrams generally: 図書館, 図表, 天気図.

Remember it 地 (land) + 図 (a drawing). A drawing of the land.

すみません、駅えきへの道みちを教えておしえていただけますか？

Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the station?

Usage 道を教える = to give directions, literally to teach the way. 道に迷う (まよう) = to get lost. への marks direction toward: 駅への道.

Remember it 道 = 辶 (movement) + 首 (head). A head moving forward along a path.

目的地もくてきちまであと三十分さんじゅっぷんほどかかります。

It's about another thirty minutes to the destination.

Usage 目的 (もくてき) = aim or purpose, and 地 makes it the place aimed at. あと + a duration = 'X more to go'. ほど = about, roughly.

Remember it 目的 (aim) + 地 (place). The place you are aiming for.

東京とうきょうから大阪おおさかまでの距離きょりは約やく五百キロです。

The distance from Tokyo to Osaka is about five hundred kilometres.

Usage 約 (やく) in front of a number = approximately. 距離を置く (きょりをおく) = to keep one's distance, used about relationships as well as space.

Remember it 距 (a gap) + 離 (to separate). The gap that separates two points.

駅えきから家いえまで遠いとおいので、毎日まいにちバスばすを使いつかいます。

It's far from the station to my house, so I use the bus every day.

Usage 遠い pairs with から…まで for the span measured. Watch the reading shifts: 遠く (とおく) = far off, but 遠慮 (えんりょ) = holding back.

Remember it 遠 = 辶 (movement) + 袁. A long way still to travel.

駅えきに近いちかい場所ばしょに住みすみたいです。

I want to live somewhere close to a station.

Usage 近い takes に for what it is near: 駅に近い. As a noun, 近く (ちかく) = nearby, and 最近 (さいきん) = recently.

Remember it 近 = 辶 (movement) + 斤. Only a short way to go.

次つぎの角かどを右みぎに曲がってまがってください。

Please turn right at the next corner.

Usage 曲がる takes に for the direction turned and を for the corner turned at: 角を右に曲がる. In driving and signage, a right turn is 右折 (うせつ).

Remember it 右 shows a hand above 口 (mouth). Its mirror 左 has a hand above 工.

信号しんごうを渡ってわたって、左ひだりに曲がるとまがると郵便局ゆうびんきょくがあります。

Cross at the lights and turn left, and there's the post office.

Usage 左折 (させつ) = a left turn in formal use. Japan drives on the left, so pedestrian signs often read 左側通行 (keep to the left).

Remember it 左 = a hand above 工 (a tool). Compare 右, where the hand sits above 口.

この道みちをまっすぐ行くいくと、公園こうえんに出ますでます。

If you go straight along this road, you'll come out at a park.

Usage まっすぐ行く = to carry straight on. It also describes a person as honest and direct. The と here = 'if/when you do X, Y follows'.

Remember it Written 真っ直ぐ in kanji — 真 (true) + 直 (straight) — but almost always left in kana.

あのあの角かどを曲がったまがったところにコンビニこんびにがあります。

There's a convenience store just around that corner.

Usage 角 (かど) is an outside corner you turn; 隅 (すみ) is the inside corner of a room. The same kanji reads つの for an animal's horn.

Remember it 角 is a picture of a horn — and a corner is where two lines meet in a point.

次つぎの交差点こうさてんで右折うせつしてください。

Please turn right at the next intersection.

Usage 右折 (うせつ) and 左折 (させつ) are the formal turn words used in driving directions and on road signs. 交差する = to intersect.

Remember it 交差 (to cross one another) + 点 (a point). The point where roads cross.