〜で（means）

de (means)

by; with; in (means, tool, method or language)

Formation

Noun + で

Chinese meanings

用……；乘……；以……方式

Chinese formation

名词＋で

Chinese usage

表示完成动作所用的工具、交通方式、语言或手段。

Chinese notes

步行去通常说歩いて行く；不要把表示工具的で与表示地点的で混淆。

Examples

Furigana

毎まい日にち電でん車しゃで会かい社しゃへ行いきます。
I go to work by train every day.
我每天乘电车去公司。
はしでご飯はんを食たべます。
I eat my meals with chopsticks.
我用筷子吃饭。
日本語にほんごで手て紙がみを書かきました。
I wrote a letter in Japanese.
我用日语写了信。

Notes

To say 'on foot', use 歩いて行きます rather than で.

#particle#means

Related N5 grammar

〜は〜が（subject）〜を〜に（time）〜に（destination）〜に（place of existence）〜に（indirect object）〜に（frequency）

Practice in a lesson

Word classes

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code

import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('de-means');

{
  "id": "de-means",
  "pattern": "〜で（means）",
  "romaji": "de (means)",
  "level": "N5",
  "meaning": "by; with; in (means, tool, method or language)",
  "formation": "Noun + で",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "毎日電車で会社へ行きます。",
      "furigana": "{毎日|まいにち}{電車|でんしゃ}で{会社|かいしゃ}へ{行|い}きます。",
      "en": "I go to work by train every day."
    },
    {
      "ja": "はしでご飯を食べます。",
      "furigana": "はしでご{飯|はん}を{食|た}べます。",
      "en": "I eat my meals with chopsticks."
    },
    {
      "ja": "日本語で手紙を書きました。",
      "furigana": "{日本語|にほんご}で{手紙|てがみ}を{書|か}きました。",
      "en": "I wrote a letter in Japanese."
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "particle",
    "means"
  ],
  "notes": "To say 'on foot', use 歩いて行きます rather than で.",
  "zh": {
    "status": "reviewed",
    "source_hash": "15e4d1b692358e28da1f70a7384cf6e11f27fc4ff202c315d5642015a87199a3",
    "meanings": [
      "用……",
      "乘……",
      "以……方式"
    ],
    "formation": "名词＋で",
    "explanation": "表示完成动作所用的工具、交通方式、语言或手段。",
    "notes": "步行去通常说歩いて行く；不要把表示工具的で与表示地点的で混淆。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "毎日電車で会社へ行きます。",
        "zh": "我每天乘电车去公司。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "はしでご飯を食べます。",
        "zh": "我用筷子吃饭。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "日本語で手紙を書きました。",
        "zh": "我用日语写了信。"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n5.json#de-means",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "af03a83bd504e722f6d7269610876ff3ef0d952daa0bc024f2f3d5ae9bddb4b8"
  }
}