How to say "bus" in Japanese

• バスJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe everyday word for the vehicle: this common loanword is what you use for catching, riding or waiting for a bus, and for buses in general.
  私の息子むすこはいつもバスに乗のると酔ようの。↗

  My son always gets sick when he rides a bus.
• 乗合自動車のりあいじどうしゃ
  nounA less common, all-native name for a bus running a regular fixed route, literally a vehicle carrying passengers together. In everyday speech バス is the word you want.
• 乗合バスのりあいバス
  nounA less common hybrid of 乗合 and バス for a fixed-route, shared-passenger bus; it underlines the regular-service aspect, though plain バス usually suffices.
• 母線ぼせん
  nounThe electrical sense of 'bus': a busbar, a conductor that carries and distributes current in power equipment. It is never the road vehicle; for that, バス is the word.

Use 「バス」 for the vehicle in ordinary contexts; 乗合自動車 and 「乗合バス」 are less common names stressing a regular fixed-route service; 母線 is only the electrical 'bus' (busbar), not a vehicle.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• バスbus
• 乗合自動車のりあいじどうしゃbus (on a regular route)
• 乗合バスのりあいバスbus (on a regular route)
• 母線ぼせんbus