- shihatsu first departure (of the day), first train, first bus; departing one's home station (of a train, bus, etc.)
Learners will see this in train stations and timetables when planning early trips, or hear it asking about the first train of the day.
始発に乗るために早起きした。
Shihatsu ni noru tame ni hayaoki shita.
I woke up early to catch the first train.
この駅の始発は五時です。
Kono eki no shihatsu wa goji desu.
The first train from this station is at five.
⚖️ Often confused with 終電 (shūden, last train), but 始発 refers to the first departure, not the last.
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Found in a wide range of contexts. Useful for building reading and listening fluency.
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