bullet train

American  

noun

1. a high-speed passenger train, as on certain routes in Japan.

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bullet train British  

noun

1. a passenger train that travels at very high speed

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Etymology

Origin of bullet train

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

That’s when a sleek, silver, oversized high-speed bullet train arrives on the scene.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

Winds are slowly blowing sand into the 75-mile trench meant to hold a bullet train, while once-bustling worker camps have turned to ghost towns, one former employee said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The tradition-steeped city, just a couple of hours from Tokyo on the bullet train, is famed for its kimono-clad geisha performers and increasingly crowded Buddhist temples.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

One of Japan's busiest bullet train lines came to a halt after a snake tangled itself in a power line, causing a power outage.

From BBC • May 1, 2025

Rafik wanted to be reborn in Japan so he could ride the bullet train.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye