飛行機

• Reading: ひこうき
• Romaji: hikouki
• Kanji breakdown: 飛 (hi) — fly; 行 (kou) — go, travel; 機 (ki) — machine
• Pronunciation: /çi.koː.ki/

Meaning

Airplane; aircraft. Used when talking about air travel or flying.

A noun meaning airplane or aircraft. The word literally means 'flying machine.' Japan has both domestic and international airports, and air travel is common for longer distances such as flights between Tokyo and Okinawa or Hokkaido. Common collocations include 飛行機に乗る (to board a plane) and 飛行機が飛ぶ (a plane flies).

Examples

1. 来月飛行機で北海道に行きます。 I'm going to Hokkaido by plane next month.
2. 飛行機のチケットを買いました。 I bought a plane ticket.
3. 初めて飛行機に乗った時、とても緊張しました。 I was very nervous the first time I flew on a plane.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, airports, vacations

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A compound of 飛行 (flight, flying) and 機 (machine). Coined in the early 20th century when aviation technology reached Japan.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal