How to say "line" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 線せんnoun, noun (suffix)A line in the visible, physical sense: something long and thin that is drawn, marked, or traced, such as a straight line on paper, a stripe, or the lines on your palm.
- nounThe English word taken into Japanese, used in borrowed contexts such as a factory production line or the lines of a design; for an ordinary line drawn on paper, 線 is the word.
- 行ぎょうnounA line of text: one row of characters or words on a page, or a line of a poem. Not for a line drawn on paper or a queue of people.
- 列れつnounA line or row of people or things arranged one behind or beside another: a queue of people waiting, a line of trees, a row of seats.
- 路線ろせんnoun'Line' in the sense of a transportation route or service: a bus, train, or airline route, as when a new rail line opens. Not a drawn line or a line of text.
Choose 線 for a drawn line, 行 for a line of text, 列 for a line or row of people or things, 路線 for a transport route, and 「ライン」 for English-derived uses such as a production line.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 線せんline
- ラインline
- 行ぎょうline (of text)
- 列れつrow
- 路線ろせんroute (bus, train, air, etc.)
- 行列ぎょうれつline
- 並びならびline
- 回線かいせんcircuit
- 綱つなrope
- 立ち並ぶたちならぶto stand in a row (e.g. shops on a street)
- 航路こうろ(air or sea) route
- 一列いちれつ(a) row
- 線路せんろrailway track
- 線条せんじょうline
- 伝送路でんそうろline
- ＬＩＮＥラインLINE (instant messaging application)
- 横隊おうたいrank
- 一統いっとうlineage
- 隊伍たいごrank (of troops)
- 専門分野せんもんぶんやarea of expertise
- 報告書行ほうこくしょぎょうreport line
- せりふ(spoken) line (in a play, film, comic, etc.)
- 一行いちぎょう(one) line
- 罫けいrule
- 描線びょうせん(drawn) line
- 縦列じゅうれつcolumn
- 棒ぼうline
- 林はやしbunch (of something)
- 一線いっせんboundary
- 畑はたけfield (of specialization)
- トランク(trunk) line
- 白はく(spoken) line (in a play, film, etc.)
- 打つうつto line (a coat)
- 筋すじline
See also
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