鉄
てつ
iron
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Examples
鉄は重い金属です。
てつはおもいきんぞくです。
Iron is a heavy metal.
この門は鉄でできています。
このもんはてつでできています。
This gate is made of iron.
鉄は熱いうちに打て。
てつはあついうちにうて。
Strike while the iron is hot.
Common patterns
- 鉄でできている
- to be made of iron
- 鉄の棒
- an iron bar
- 地下鉄
- subway, underground
Memory tip
The same 鉄 sits in 鉄道 and 地下鉄 — railways were named "iron roads", so spotting it in a station name tells you at once you are looking at a train word.
Kanji in this word
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What does 鉄 mean?