The Meaning of gyōretsu [行列] In Japanese

行列
ぎょうれつ
Romaji: gyōretsu N5

What does 行列 mean?

Translation and Meaning

line, queue, matrix

Definition

What does 行列 mean? It denotes a line of people waiting in a queue and, in mathematics, a rectangular array of numbers or symbols used in linear algebra. In everyday Japanese it’s a common noun for ‘line’ and in technical contexts it refers to a matrix.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Queue or line of people waiting for service, tickets, or transport.
  • Matrix in mathematics, a rectangular array of numbers or symbols arranged in rows and columns used in linear algebra and data representation.

Composition

  • 行: movement, action; in this compound it carries the sense of arrangement or order.
  • 列: row or column; contributes the idea of a structured grid forming a two-dimensional array.

Usage

Used as a noun in both everyday and formal contexts: in casual conversation it refers to a line of people; in mathematics and computer science it denotes a matrix. In formal writing you will encounter compound terms such as 行列のサイズ, 行列の要素, and 直交行列.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a group of people moving along a path in neat rows; think of 行 as motion and 列 as a line, which together form a line or grid.

Variations

  • 列 (れつ) — column or line; romaji: retsu
  • マトリクス (matrikusu) — matrix; romaji: matrikusu

Example Phrases

  • 年中、私の近所のパン屋は朝から行列ができる。
    Nenjū, watashi no kinjo no pan-ya wa asa kara gyōretsu ga dekiru.
    Year-round, long lines form at the bakery near my home from morning.
    Lista:
    • 年中 (nenjū) – year-round
    • 私の (watashi no) – my
    • 近所の (kinjo no) – nearby
    • パン屋 (pan-ya) – bakery
    • は (wa) – (topic marker)
    • 朝から (asa kara) – from morning
    • 行列 (gyōretsu) – line
    • が (ga) – (subject marker)
    • できる (dekiru) – to form
    「年中」 means ‘year-round’; here it functions as an adverb modifying the predicate to express habitual occurrence.
  • 駅の前に並ぶ行列を横目に待った。
    Eki no mae ni narabu gyouretsu o yokome ni matta.
    I waited, glancing at the line forming in front of the station.
    Lista:
    • 駅 (eki) – station
    • の (no) – of
    • 前に (mae ni) – in front of
    • 並ぶ (narabu) – line up
    • 行列 (gyouretsu) – queue
    • を (wo) – (object marker)
    • 横目に (yokome ni) – with a sideways glance
    • 待った (matta) – waited
    In 「駅の前に並ぶ」, 「行列」 means a queue; the phrase describes the queue as it exists in front of the station, and 「を」 marks it as the object of 待つ, while 「横目に」 conveys glancing with a sideways look. The target word is 「行列」.
行列