铁路

• Pinyin: tiě lù
• Hanzi breakdown: 铁 = 钅 (metal) + 失 (phonetic); 路 = 足 (foot) + 各 (each, phonetic)

Meaning

Railway; railroad. The system of tracks, stations, and trains used for land transportation.

Refers to both the physical railway tracks and the railway system as a whole. China has the world's most extensive high-speed rail network, making 铁路 a commonly encountered word. Often appears in compound terms like 铁路局 (railway bureau) and 铁路线 (railway line).

Examples

1. 中国的铁路网络非常发达。 China's railway network is very well developed.
2. 这条铁路连接了两个大城市。 This railway connects two large cities.
3. 他在铁路局工作了二十多年。 He has worked at the railway bureau for over twenty years.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, travel, infrastructure

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 中国高速铁路的速度很快。(China's high-speed railways are very fast.)
• 新铁路明年就能通车了。(The new railway will open to traffic next year.)

Don't Say

• 我们坐铁路去北京吧。(Don't say 'sit on the railway' — say 坐火车 (take the train) or 坐高铁 (take the high-speed rail) instead.)

Origin & History

铁 (iron) + 路 (road). Literally 'iron road', a direct description of tracks made from iron rails. This naming mirrors many other languages.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal