車掌
Meaning in English(train) conductor
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 車掌 mean? It refers to the person who staffs a passenger train, handling ticket checks, safety announcements, and assisting passengers on board.
Main meanings
- 鉄道の車掌として、乗客の案内・車内放送・運賃の確認などを行う役割
- 路面電車の車掌としての用法も見られる
How to use it
車掌 is used in formal railway contexts to refer to a staff member on a train who handles ticket inspection, passenger information, and safety announcements; in everyday speech, people may refer to the role as part of the broader crew, using terms like 乗務員 or 車掌さん. Example usage in Japanese includes straightforward job references and in-car announcements by the 車掌 during service.
Variants and close terms
- 乗務員 (じょうむいん) – broader term for railway crew
- 乗務員さん – respectful form when addressing the crew member
Composition
- 車: vehicle, car
- 掌: palm, grasp; to hold
- 合成意味: a person who manages and guides the train's car and handles passenger service inside the car
Origin
The term emerged in Meiji-era Japan with the rapid expansion of railways; it designated the crew member on a train responsible for passenger service, ticket checks, and safety procedures, as railway operations standardized across networks.
Word class
Noun (名詞)