女性専用車両

• Reading: じょせいせんようしゃりょう
• Romaji: josei senyou sharyou
• Kanji breakdown: 女性 (josei) — female, women; 専用 (senyou) — exclusive use; 車両 (sharyou) — vehicle, carriage
• Pronunciation: /dʑo.seː.seɴ.joː.ɕa.ɾʲoː/

Meaning

Women-only carriage on a train; a designated car restricted to female passengers.

A compound noun describing train carriages reserved exclusively for women, introduced to combat groping (痴漢) on crowded commuter trains. Typically enforced during rush hours on major railways in Tokyo, Osaka, and other large cities. Signs and announcements clearly mark these cars.

Examples

1. 朝のラッシュ時は女性専用車両を利用している。 I use the women-only car during the morning rush hour.
2. 女性専用車両は先頭車両に設置されていることが多い。 Women-only cars are often located at the front of the train.
3. 間違えて女性専用車両に乗ってしまい、慌てて降りた。 I accidentally got on the women-only car and hurried off at the next stop.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, commuting, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 女性 (josei, women) + 専用 (senyou, exclusive use) + 車両 (sharyou, railway car). First introduced in Japan in 2000 by Keio Electric Railway to address the widespread issue of train groping.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal