カー

• Reading: かー
• Romaji: kaa
• Pronunciation: /kaː/

Meaning

Car. A motor vehicle for personal transportation.

A katakana loanword from English 'car.' Rarely used on its own in modern Japanese (車, kuruma, is far more common), but appears frequently in compound words: レンタカー (rentakaa, rental car), スポーツカー (supootsu kaa, sports car), カーナビ (kaa nabi, car navigation), カーレース (kaa reesu, car race). Understanding カー is essential for reading many automotive-related katakana words.

Examples

1. 旅行先でレンタカーを借りた。 I rented a car at my travel destination.
2. 父はスポーツカーに乗るのが夢だ。 My father's dream is to drive a sports car.
3. カーナビがあれば道に迷わない。 You won't get lost if you have a car navigation system.

Usage Guide

Context: vehicles, travel, compound words

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'car,' ultimately from Latin 'carrus' (wheeled vehicle). Entered Japanese primarily as a component of compound loanwords rather than as a standalone term.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal