Looking up...
地铁
dìtiě
subway
我每天坐地铁上班。
I take the subway to work every day.
formal
An underground railway system, especially in a city.
北京的地铁非常发达。
Beijing's subway system is very well-developed.
我们可以坐地铁去机场吗？
Can we take the subway to the airport?
Often used interchangeably with 'underground' or 'metro' in different regions.
Pro Tip
Distinguish from '火车'
'地铁' refers specifically to urban underground or elevated rail systems, while '火车' (train) refers to long-distance rail transport.
Word Origin
地 (dì) means 'ground' or 'earth,' and 铁 (tiě) means 'iron' or 'rail.' The term refers to an underground railway system, first introduced in China in the mid-20th century.
Usage Notes
In Chinese, '地铁' is the most common term for subway systems, while '地下铁道' is more formal or technical. In some contexts, '轨道交通' (rail transit) may be used to refer to both underground and above-ground rail systems.
Word Breakdown
地
ground/earth
root铁
iron/rail
root汉英词典