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Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Transport / Transportation / Shipping / Rail Transporation | | Japanese term or phrase: 単車 | | Am curious about the standard translation for the term 単車 as it applies to electric streetcars or trolleys. The best I can come up with is "single car", but I was wondering if there might be a better term out there. |
| David ReeseKudoZ activityQuestions: 29 (none open) ( 2 without valid answers) Answers: 63
Japan
| | Local time: 13:30
|
| | Single car or single-carriage | Explanation:
"tansha" normally refers to a 2-wheeled vehicle. As you've noted, in this context it appears to refer to a single-car or single-carriage train.
I believe your interpretation of "single car" is accurate. Depending on context, you may want to simply omit the reference or merge it into the whole sentence, as we know that Japanese can be terribly redundant at times. (The element of "single-car" is generally part of the words "trolley" or "Streetcar" in English)
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Note added at 2004-04-23 05:11:42 (GMT) Post-grading
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In automotive the a used word is ¥"unibody¥" construction but that refers to something slightly different.
In this case, I think your revefence to single-body car may be accurate. Also the term ¥"railcar¥" may be near the mark. See this url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railcar for a description.
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Note added at 2004-04-23 05:13:59 (GMT) Post-grading
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Taking everything into account, it¥'s evident that 単車 refers to whether it¥'s a single car or multiple carriages linked together. This is independent from whether or not it has bogies.
The most clear description would have to contain both of these ideas (something like ¥"bogie-less single carriage railcar???¥") |
| Selected response from:
Kurt Hammond
Japan
Local time: 21:30
| Grading comment Thanks for your quick answer, Kurt! In the text I am looking at, 単車 is used to describe one type of tram car, distinguishing it from a ボギー・台車(bogey car & truck). A bogey is a type of car that is mounted onto a separate truck/chassis, whereas I believe a 単車 is constructed all as one unit. Therefore, to distinguish the two, perhaps the term "single-body car" might be good?
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
| |
24 mins confidence:   Single car or single-carriage
Explanation:
"tansha" normally refers to a 2-wheeled vehicle. As you've noted, in this context it appears to refer to a single-car or single-carriage train.
I believe your interpretation of "single car" is accurate. Depending on context, you may want to simply omit the reference or merge it into the whole sentence, as we know that Japanese can be terribly redundant at times. (The element of "single-car" is generally part of the words "trolley" or "Streetcar" in English)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-04-23 05:11:42 (GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
In automotive the a used word is ¥"unibody¥" construction but that refers to something slightly different.
In this case, I think your revefence to single-body car may be accurate. Also the term ¥"railcar¥" may be near the mark. See this url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railcar for a description.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2004-04-23 05:13:59 (GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Taking everything into account, it¥'s evident that 単車 refers to whether it¥'s a single car or multiple carriages linked together. This is independent from whether or not it has bogies.
The most clear description would have to contain both of these ideas (something like ¥"bogie-less single carriage railcar???¥")
| Kurt Hammond
Japan
Local time: 21:30
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 15
|
| | Grading comment | Thanks for your quick answer, Kurt! In the text I am looking at, 単車 is used to describe one type of tram car, distinguishing it from a ボギー・台車(bogey car & truck). A bogey is a type of car that is mounted onto a separate truck/chassis, whereas I believe a 単車 is constructed all as one unit. Therefore, to distinguish the two, perhaps the term "single-body car" might be good? |
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