地铁 (dìtiě)

The subway or metro, an underground urban rail transit system. 地 means "ground/earth" and 铁 means "iron/rail," so the word literally means "underground iron (rail)."

Meanings

[noun] Subway, metro. An underground or elevated urban railway system.

Example Sentences

我每天坐地铁上班。 Wǒ měitiān zuò dìtiě shàngbān. I take the subway to work every day.

地铁站在哪里？ Dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ? Where is the subway station?

坐地铁比坐出租车快。 Zuò dìtiě bǐ zuò chūzūchē kuài. Taking the subway is faster than taking a taxi.

这条地铁线去机场吗？ Zhè tiáo dìtiě xiàn qù jīchǎng ma? Does this subway line go to the airport?

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
坐地铁	take the subway
地铁站	subway station
地铁线	subway line
换地铁	transfer subway lines
地铁票	subway ticket

Memory Hook

地 means "earth" and 铁 means "iron rail." The subway is literally the "iron rail under the earth." Visualize iron tracks running beneath the ground, carrying you quickly across the city.