火車

Etymology

“train”

First attested in 美理哥合省國志略 [1838] by Elijah Coleman Bridgman, perhaps modelled on already-existing 火船, or shortened from 火烝車／火烝车, attested in the same work. It is likely not a shortening of 火輪車／火轮车 (huǒlúnchē), which was attested later than 火車 / 火车.

“East Rail Line”

For a long time in history, the Kowloon-Canton Railway, which its Hong Kong section would later be renamed the KCR East Rail and then East Rail Line after merger with MTR, was the only intercity railway line in Hong Kong.

Pronunciation

Noun

火車

1. train (Classifier: 列 m; 架 c; 節／节 m; 班 m c; 趟 m; 隻／只 mn-t)

   城際火車／城际火车  ―  chéngjì huǒchē  ―  intercity train

   他差點沒趕上火車。 [MSC, trad.]
   他差点没赶上火车。 [MSC, simp.]

   Tā chàdiǎn méi gǎnshàng huǒchē. [Pinyin]

   He nearly missed the train.

   我坐火車去上海。 [MSC, trad.]
   我坐火车去上海。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ zuò huǒchē qù Shànghǎi. [Pinyin]

   I am going to Shanghai by train.

   火車三點開，你現在去還來得及。 [MSC, trad.]
   火车三点开，你现在去还来得及。 [MSC, simp.]

   Huǒchē sān diǎn kāi, nǐ xiànzài qù hái láidejí. [Pinyin]

   The train leaves at three. You can still make it if you go now.

2. (historical) combat chariot carrying equipment for attack by fire
3. (Buddhism) fiery chariot that sends a sinner to hell

Proper noun

火車

1. (Hong Kong, colloquial, somewhat dated) East Rail line

Further reading

• (Min Nan pronunciation audio) “火車”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

Alternative forms

• (yōkai): 化車

Etymology

/kua t͡ɕia/ → /kʷaɕʲa/ → /kaɕa/

From Middle Chinese compound 火車 (MC xwaX tsyhae).

The "steam locomotive" sense is a semantic loan from modern Chinese 火車 / 火车 (huǒchē).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠ɕa̠]

Noun

火(か)車(しゃ) • (kasha) ^{←くわしや (kwasya)?}

1. (Buddhism) a fiery chariot that brings sinners to hell; by extension, a form of torture using this vehicle

   Synonym: 火の車 (hi no kuruma)

2. a burning fire in the shape of a wheel
3. Short for 火車婆 (kasha-baba): a powerful, evil old hag
4. (folklore) a yōkai that steals the corpses of those who have died as a result of accumulating evil deeds
5. a steam locomotive; by extension, a train

   Synonym: 汽車 (kisha)

   • 1994 February 4, “Pekin chippu shidai? [Does one tip in Beijing?]”, in Mainichi Shimbun, page 7:

     日(に)本(ほん)の二(に)十(じゅう)六(ろく)倍(ばい)の面(めん)積(せき)がある中(ちゅう)国(ごく)だけに、火(か)車(しゃ)（汽(き)車(しゃ)）の旅(たび)は長(なが)い、長(なが)い。わが支(し)局(きょく)の中(ちゅう)国(ごく)人(じん)女(じょ)性(せい)スタッフの場(ば)合(あい)、故(ふる)郷(さと)の蘭(ラン)州(シュウ)まで三(さん)十(じゅう)二(に)時(じ)間(かん)かかる。

     Nihon no nijūrokubai no menseki ga aru Chūgoku dake ni, kasha (kisha) no tabi wa nagai, nagai. Waga shikyoku no Chūgoku-jin josei sutaffu no bāi, furusato no Ranshū made sanjūni jikan kakaru.

     Only in China, which is 26 times the size of Japan, does one experience such long, long travel by locomotive (steam train). For example one Chinese staffer in our office takes 32 hours to reach her hometown in Lanzhou.

6. Alternative spelling of 花車 (kasha): a woman who manages and supervises prostitutes

Noun

火車 • (hwacha) (hangeul 화차)

1. hanja form^? of 화차 (“hwacha”)

Noun

火車

1. chữ Hán form of hỏa xa (“train”).