eki

Eki is a Japanese noun meaning "station," especially a railway station. It is written with the kanji 駅 and read eki in standard Japanese. The term is commonly seen in signage, timetables, and place names, and it serves as the base for many compound terms describing parts of or activities at stations.

Etymology and usage: The kanji 駅 combines the horse radical with a phonetic component. Historically, it referred to a post station or a place where horses were cared for and changed along travel routes. Over time, the meaning broadened to designate transportation hubs where travelers transfer between trains or other modes of transport. In modern Japanese, eki almost always denotes a railway or major transport station, and it is seldom used for airports or other facilities unless the term is extended by a modifier (such as 駅前 or 駅構内).

Common terms and phrases: The word eki appears in many set phrases. Ekimae means the area in front of a station. Ekisha refers to the station building. Ekiin denotes station staff. Ekiben is the boxed meals sold at stations. Other terms include ekikanai, meaning inside the station building (駅構内), and mujīn eki for an unmanned or unattended station. The name of a specific station, such as Shinjuku Eki, is typically written as the place name followed by 駅 in Japanese.

Romanization and usage: In romaji, the word is written eki. In Japanese signage, it is often accompanied by the longer place name and may appear in combinations with other words, signaling the station’s location, services, or facilities.