汽车

• Pinyin: qì chē
• Hanzi breakdown: 汽 = 氵(water) + 气 (air/steam); 车 = simplified pictograph of a wheeled vehicle

Meaning

Car; automobile. The standard word for a motor vehicle.

The general term for cars and automobiles in daily life. Can refer to any motor vehicle but most commonly means a passenger car. Also used in compounds like 汽车站 (bus stop/station) and 公共汽车 (public bus).

Examples

1. 他有一辆汽车。 He has a car.
2. 这辆汽车是红色的。 This car is red.
3. 我坐汽车去上班。 I take the car to work.

Usage Guide

Context: transport, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我想买一辆汽车。(I want to buy a car.)
• 汽车停在门口。(The car is parked at the door.)

Don't Say

• 一个汽车。(Wrong measure word — use 辆 for vehicles: 一辆汽车)

Origin & History

A compound of 汽 (steam/vapour) and 车 (vehicle), originally meaning 'steam-powered vehicle' when cars were first introduced to China.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal