Explore 線 in marks, transport routes and the direction of a gaze. Learn its reading in complete words.

The idea

線 has 15 strokes; use the linked diagram for their order. Its usual reading is せん: 線, 直線（ちょくせん）, 路線（ろせん） and 視線（しせん） use it in different compounds.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
線せんPlease wait behind the yellow line.
直線ちょくせんDraw a straight line on the paper.
路線ろせんI checked the route on the map.
視線しせんThe child looked away from the book.

Examples

  • 紙かみに直線ちょくせんを引ひいてください。Draw a straight line on the paper.
  • この電車でんしゃは山手線やまのてせんを走はしっています。This train runs on the Yamanote Line.
  • 黄色きいろい線せんの後うしろで待まってください。Please wait behind the yellow line.
  • 地図ちずで路線ろせんを確認かくにんしました。I checked the route on the map.
  • 子供こどもは本ほんから視線しせんを外はずしました。The child looked away from the book.
  • 二本ほんの線せんはここで交まじわります。The two lines intersect here.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

線 is a line or route; 泉（いずみ） is a spring. Notice the thread component 糸 on the left of 線. 視線 means a gaze, not a railway line.

Try it yourself

  1. 線の読みをひらがなで書いてください。

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    せん

    線 is せん, as in the yellow line behind which passengers wait.

  2. 直線の読みをひらがなで書いてください。

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    ちょくせん

    直線 is ちょくせん: 直 means straight, so the compound denotes a straight line.

  3. 路＿（ろせん）［線／泉］

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    線

    線 completes 路線（ろせん）, a route or railway line; 泉 means a spring.

Use it today

Write 線 using the diagram. Cover the table, read 直線 and 路線 aloud, and make a sentence with one.