自転車

Japanese

Etymology 1

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. 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

• (Tokyo) じて​んしゃ [jìtéꜜǹshà] (Nakadaka – [2])
• (Tokyo) じてんしゃ [jìtéńshá] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑitẽ̞ɰ̃ɕa̠]

Noun

自(じ)転(てん)車(しゃ) • (jitensha) ^{←じてんしや (zitensya)?} (counter 台)

1. 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

• → Hakka: 自轉車／自转车 (chhṳ-chón-chhâ)
• → Korean: 자전거 (jajeon'geo)
• → Min Nan: 自轉車／自转车 (chū-choán-chhia)

See also

• 自動車(じどうしゃ) (jidōsha, “automobile”)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
自	転	車
じ Grade: 2	てん > でん Grade: 3	しゃ Grade: 1
on’yomi

Alternative spelling
自轉車 (kyūjitai)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) じで​んしゃ [jìdéꜜǹshà] (Nakadaka – [2])
• (Tokyo) じでんしゃ [jìdéńshá] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑidẽ̞ɰ̃ɕa̠]

Noun

自(じ)転(でん)車(しゃ) • (jidensha)  (counter 台)

1. (dialect, Kantō, Hakata) bicycle