Japanese with Manga

Cost to ride the train with 電車

Kanji Explanation: Electricity and communication with 電

Manga panel from 三ツ星カラーズ showing example of Cost to ride the train with 電車.
三ツ星カラーズ » Volume 6 » Page 79

Yui and her friends get permission to ride the train to continue their search for the legendary giant robot. Tickets are listed as 70 yen for children.

さっちゃん:
「動物園(どうぶつえん)はタダなのに」
“Even though the zoo is free...”
結衣(ゆい):
「電車(でんしゃ)は動物(どうぶつ)より強(つよ)い」
“Trains are stronger than animals.”
Literal: “The train is stronger than animals.”
琴葉(ことは):
「ティラノサウルスより強(つよ)い」
“Stronger than a Tyrannosaurus.”

Key Points

1電車(でんしゃ) = train, literally an electric railway car
  • The 電 in 電車(でんしゃ) is the same kanji for electricity, so the word originally refers to an electrically powered train car.
2より is used for comparison
  • 「Ⓐは Ⓑより 強(つよ)い」 means “A is stronger than B”.
3The next line omits what is already understood: 電車(でんしゃ)は
  • 「ティラノサウルスより 強(つよ)い」 continues the same sentence pattern from the previous line.
  • The full idea is 電車(でんしゃ)は ティラノサウルスより 強(つよ)い.
4〜のに marks contrast in Sacchan’s complaint
  • 「動物園(どうぶつえん)はタダなのに」 means “Even though the zoo is free…”
  • The sentence trails off, but the implied complaint is that the train still costs money.

Vocabulary

(Zoo)

動物園(どうぶつえん) means a zoo, where animals are kept and displayed to the public.

(Train)

電車(でんしゃ) means an electric train, especially an everyday passenger train.

(Animal)

動物(どうぶつ) means an animal. In everyday use, it usually means a nonhuman creature.

See Also

三ツ星カラーズ © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.