摩托

• Pinyin: mó tuō
• Hanzi breakdown: 摩 = 麻 + 手, phonetic component; 托 = 扌+ 乇, phonetic component

Meaning

Motorcycle; motor. Short for 摩托车.

A loanword from English 'motor.' Most commonly used in 摩托车 (motorcycle). In casual speech, 摩托 alone often means motorcycle. Also appears in compound terms like 摩托艇 (motorboat).

Examples

1. 他每天骑摩托上班，比开车方便多了。 He rides a motorcycle to work every day; it's much more convenient than driving.
2. 摩托车在城市里穿行特别灵活。 Motorcycles are especially flexible for navigating through the city.
3. 这辆摩托的发动机声音有点大。 This motorcycle's engine sound is a bit loud.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, vehicles, everyday

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 我刚学会骑摩托，还不太熟练。(I just learned to ride a motorcycle; I'm not very skilled yet.)
• 摩托车要戴头盔，安全第一。(You need to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle; safety first.)

Don't Say

• 我坐摩托去上班。(For riding a motorcycle yourself, use 骑摩托 not 坐摩托 — 坐 implies being a passenger)

Origin & History

Phonetic borrowing from English 'motor.' Combined with 车 (vehicle) to form 摩托车 (motorcycle).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal