自転車
Japanese
Etymology
| Kanji in this term | ||
|---|---|---|
| 自 | 転 | 車 |
| じ Grade: 2 |
てん Grade: 3 |
しゃ Grade: 1 |
| on'yomi | ||
| Alternative spelling |
|---|
| 自轉車 (kyūjitai) |
Coined in Japan in 1870 in the Meiji period in reference to a patented tricycle design.[1] Later used to refer to bicycles.
Compound of Sinitic-derived elements 自 (ji, “self”) + 転 (ten, “rolling”, simplified modern form of 轉) + 車 (sha, “vehicle”).
Pronunciation
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- Colloquial pronunciation in the Kantō region
Noun
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- a bicycle
Synonyms
- (slang) チャリンコ (charinko)
- (slang) チャリ (chari)
- (slang) ママチャリ (mamachari): a bicycle with extra baskets for groceries and children, generally ridden by young mothers
Derived terms
Derived terms
- 自転車横断帯 (じてんしゃおうだんたい, jitensha ōdantai) (road sign) bicycle crossing
- 自転車競技 (じてんしゃきょうぎ, jitensha kyōgi): a bicycle competition (race)
- 自転車競走 (じてんしゃきょうそう, jitensha kyōsō): a bicycle race
- 自転車操業 (じてんしゃそうぎょう, jitensha sōgyō): “bicycle operations” → a business model that requires regular infusions of external capital to remain viable (similar to riding a bicycle, as halting operations means immediate bankruptcy, much as stopping pedaling causes a bicycle rider to fall over)
- 自転車屋 (じてんしゃや, jitensha-ya): a bike shop, a bicycle store
- 自転車旅行 (じてんしゃりょこう, jitensha ryokō): a bicycle trip, bike touring
Descendants
References
- ^ 1997, Toshihiko Saitō, くるまたちの社会史: 人力車から自動車まで (Kuruma-tachi no Shakai-shi: Jinrikisha Kara Jidōsha Made, “A Social History of Cars: From Rickshaws to Automobiles”) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Chūōkōron-sha, →ISBN