How to say "metro" in Japanese

• メトロCommon
  nounThe loanword, matching 'metro' directly: an urban underground railway. It is the form you see in the official names of metro systems and operators, and as a plain noun it largely overlaps with 地下鉄.
• 地下鉄ちかてつJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounThe native term, literally 'underground railway' (itself an abbreviated form): a city's subway system — the network, its lines and trains. Use it for the 'subway/metro' sense when talking about getting around a city.
  地下鉄ちかてつで行いきたいのです。↗

  I want to get there by subway.

Both translate an urban underground railway: 地下鉄 is the native word for a city's subway system in general, while 「メトロ」 is the loanword of the same meaning, also found in the official names of metro operators.

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

• メトロmetro
• 地下鉄ちかてつsubway
• 地下鉄道ちかてつどうsubway