沿線
えんせん · ensen · JLPT N1 · noun
line
🚃 沿 = along, 線 = line: along the line
沿 (en) means alongside or following the edge of something, and 線 (sen) means line. Together 沿線 names the area running alongside a railway line.
沿 — water 氵 + 㕣 (marsh/valley) phonetic
沿 combines the water radical 氵 with 㕣, depicting a stream flowing through a small valley. Originally it meant to follow along the course of a river, and by extension came to mean 'to follow,' 'along,' or 'beside.' The 㕣 element also gives the sound.