iron

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is てつ, and the kun reading is くろがね. It has 13 strokes. It appears in words for iron as a material and for railways.
• Basic usage: 鉄 is read てつ, and 鉄道 is read てつどう.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 鉄 / 鉄道
  • 鉄 means iron and is read てつ. It refers to iron as a material or a nutrient in food.
  • 鉄を多く含む食品を意識して食べている。 means “I make a point of eating foods rich in iron.”
  • 鉄道 means railway and is read てつどう. It refers to the tracks and transport system used by trains.
  • 山を越える新しい鉄道が開通した。 means “A new railway crossing the mountains has opened.”