火车站

火车站 (huǒchēzhàn) is the standard Chinese word for 'train station,' literally 'fire-vehicle-station.' The 'fire' element is a leftover from the steam-engine era — modern trains run on electricity, but the name stuck, just like English keeps 'railroad.' Big Chinese cities have multiple stations named by direction (北京站 Beijing Station, 北京西站 Beijing West Station, 北京南站 Beijing South), so when speaking with a taxi driver you usually need to specify which one. With the rise of high-speed rail, you'll also hear 高铁站 (gāotiězhàn, 'high-speed rail station') for stations dedicated to or branded around the Gaotie network — but in everyday talk, 火车站 still covers the general concept. Subway stops are 地铁站 (dìtiězhàn), bus stops are 公交站 / 公共汽车站 — different word, same 站 ('stop / station') ending.

Note: Standard everyday word. For high-speed rail (Gaotie), people often say 高铁站 (gāotiězhàn); 火车站 covers both regular and high-speed in casual use.

Memory hook: 火车 (fire-vehicle = train) + 站 (stop) = the place where the train stops. The 'fire' is a fossil from the steam age.