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Shinkansen

2 stages from Japanese to English.

Today it means Japan's high-speed railway network, popularly known as the bullet train

Where does the word "shinkansen" come from? It comes from Japanese shinkansen, adopted directly into English (1960s-1970s).

shinkansen→shinkansen

Japanese · 1964

"Japan's high-speed rail network"

literally 'new trunk line', naming the newly built high-speed railway debuted for the Tokyo Olympics

English · 1960s-1970s

"Japan's high-speed rail system, or a train on it"

adopted by international press covering Japan's 'bullet train'

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