How to say "bicycle" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 自転車じてんしゃnounThe everyday word for a bicycle, the pedal-powered two-wheeler. Use it whenever you mean a bike you ride by pedaling, as in commuting to school or work by bicycle.
- nounThough glossed 'bicycle', バイク is seldom the word you want for a plain bicycle; it really refers to a motorized bike or motorcycle. Say 自転車 unless you mean a motorbike.
Use 自転車 for an ordinary pedal-powered bicycle; 「バイク」, though glossed 'bicycle', in practice usually refers to a motorized bike or motorcycle, so it is rarely what you want for a plain bicycle.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
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