火车 (huǒchē) — train
HSK 1 | noun | train, railway
火车 (huǒchē)
A train. 火 means "fire" and 车 means "vehicle," a reference to the steam-powered locomotives of early railway history. Today it refers to any train.
Meanings
- [noun] Train. A series of connected railway cars pulled by a locomotive.
Example Sentences
我坐火车去上海。 Wǒ zuò huǒchē qù Shànghǎi. I am taking the train to Shanghai.
火车几点到？ Huǒchē jǐ diǎn dào? What time does the train arrive?
火车票比飞机票便宜。 Huǒchē piào bǐ fēijī piào piányí. Train tickets are cheaper than airplane tickets.
火车站在城市中心。 Huǒchē zhàn zài chéngshì zhōngxīn. The train station is in the city center.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 坐火车 | take a train |
| 火车票 | train ticket |
| 火车站 | train station |
| 高速火车 | high-speed train |
| 火车时刻表 | train timetable |
Memory Hook
火 is "fire" and 车 is "vehicle." The original trains were fire-powered steam engines, so the Chinese name preserves this historical image. Picture a vehicle powered by fire racing along the tracks.