チャリンコ
Japanese
Pronunciation
Alternative forms
Etymology 1
Unknown. Becomes widespread in Japanese from the 1970s. Possible origins include:
- a compound of チャリン (charin, the sound of a bicycle bell) + 子 (ko, diminutive nominalizing suffix)
- borrowed from Jeju 자륜거 (jaryun'geo, “bicycle”), apparently deriving from the hanja 自輪車, instead of 自轉車 for standard Korean 자전거 (jajeon'geo), possibly introduced by immigrants to Japan
Noun
Usage notes
May have childish overtones. Not used in formal contexts.
Synonyms
- (bicycle): 自転車 (じてんしゃ, jitensha)
Derived terms
Derived terms
- チャリ (chari): abbreviated form
- チャリ通 (charitsū): commuting by bicycle
- ママチャリ (mamachari): a “mama bike”, with baskets in front and back, or possibly a child seat in back
- ババチャリ (babachari): (pejorative) an “old-lady bike”, a bicycle ridden by an elderly woman
- カマチャリ (kamachari): a “praying mantis bike”, a bicycle with the handlebars turned upwards to resemble the front legs of a 蟷螂 (kamakiri, “praying mantis”)
- 原チャリ (genchari): a moped, a scooter
Etymology 2
Unknown. Possibly a compound of チャリン (charin, the sound of metal clinking, such as coins) + 子 (ko, “child”).
In use since the Edo period, pre-dating the bicycle sense. Apparently falling out of use some time after the end of WWII.
Noun
- (obsolete) a child pickpocket
Synonyms
- (pickpocket, in general):