新幹線(しんかんせん)

しんかんせん
noun
bullet train
transportation
1. bullet train, Shinkansen
Japan's high-speed railway system, connecting major cities across the country.
新幹線(しんかんせん)は速(はや)いです。
The Shinkansen is fast.
新幹線(しんかんせん)の切符(きっぷ)を買(か)いました。
I bought a Shinkansen ticket.
新幹線(しんかんせん)は速(はや)くて便利(べんり)です。
The Shinkansen is fast and convenient.
新幹線(しんかんせん)の車窓(しゃそう)から富士山(ふじさん)が見(み)えました。
I could see Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen window.
新幹線(しんかんせん)は時間(じかん)に正確(せいかく)なことで世界(せかい)的(てき)に有名(ゆうめい)です。
The Shinkansen is world-famous for its punctuality.

新幹線(しんかんせん) is Japan's high-speed rail network, literally "new trunk line."

Etymology

The first line (東海道新幹線(とうかいどうしんかんせん)) opened in 1964 for the Tokyo Olympics.

Cultural note

  • Speed: up to 320 km/h
  • Punctuality: average delay on the Tōkaidō line is typically under a minute
  • Safety: no passenger deaths from derailments or collisions since 1964

TYPES (Tōkaidō line):

Common expressions

Related Words

Related: 電車(でんしゃ) (train, electric train)
Compare: 汽車(きしゃ) (steam train)
Compare: 弾丸列車(だんがんれっしゃ) (bullet train)
Compare: 特急列車(とっきゅうれっしゃ) (limited express train)
core
Added 2026.1.7 21:28 · Revised 2026.10.9 3:19
01000/01053_shinkansen