车

• Pinyin: chē
• Hanzi breakdown: 车 = simplified from 車, a pictograph of a chariot seen from above

Meaning

Vehicle; car; bus. A general term for wheeled vehicles and transportation.

A very broad term that covers cars, buses, trains, bicycles, and other wheeled vehicles. Context determines the specific type: 公共汽车 (bus), 火车 (train), 自行车 (bicycle). When used alone, it most often means 'car' in modern Chinese.

Examples

1. 我没有车。 I don't have a car.
2. 门口有一辆车。 There's a vehicle at the door.
3. 你的车在哪里？ Where is your car?

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你开车来的吗？(Did you drive here?)
• 我坐车去上班。(I take the bus to work.)

Don't Say

• 骑车 when meaning 'drive a car' (骑车 means to ride a bicycle — use 开车 for driving a car)

Origin & History

Simplified from the traditional 車, which is a pictograph showing a chariot viewed from above with two wheels and an axle. One of the oldest Chinese characters related to transportation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal