エンジン

• Reading: えんじん
• Romaji: enjin
• Pronunciation: /e.n.dʑi.n/

Meaning

Engine. A machine that converts energy into mechanical force, used in vehicles and machinery.

A katakana loanword from English 'engine.' Used for car engines, airplane engines, and figuratively for anything that drives progress or activity. Common phrases include エンジンをかける (to start the engine) and エンジンがかかる (the engine starts / to get going). Also used metaphorically: やっとエンジンがかかった (I finally got into gear).

Examples

1. 車のエンジンがなかなかかからない。 The car engine won't start.
2. 新しいエンジンを搭載した飛行機が完成した。 A new airplane equipped with a new engine has been completed.
3. 午後になってやっとエンジンがかかってきた。 I finally got into gear in the afternoon.

Usage Guide

Context: vehicles, technology, figurative speech

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'engine,' which derives from Latin 'ingenium' meaning cleverness or invention. Entered Japanese during the Meiji era with the introduction of Western machinery and technology.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal