チャリンコ
Japanese
| Alternative spelling |
|---|
| ちゃりんこ |
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Unknown. Becomes widespread in Japanese from the 1970s. Possible origins include:
- a compound of チャリン (charin, the sound of a bicycle bell) + 子 (ko, diminutive nominalizing suffix)
- borrowed from Jeju 자륜거 (jaryun'geo, “bicycle”), apparently deriving from the hanja 自輪車, instead of 自轉車 for standard Korean 자전거 (jajeon'geo), possibly introduced by immigrants to Japan
Noun
チャリンコ • (charinko)
- (slang) a bicycle
Usage notes
May have childish overtones. Not used in formal contexts.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- チャリ (chari): abbreviated form
- チャリ通 (charitsū): commuting by bicycle
- ママチャリ (mamachari): a “mama bike”, with baskets in front and back, or possibly a child seat in back
- ババチャリ (babachari): (pejorative) an “old-lady bike”, a bicycle ridden by an elderly woman
- カマチャリ (kamachari): a “praying mantis bike”, a bicycle with the handlebars turned upwards to resemble the front legs of a 蟷螂 (kamakiri, “praying mantis”)
- 原チャリ (genchari): a moped, a scooter
Etymology 2
Unknown. Possibly a compound of チャリン (charin, the sound of metal clinking, such as coins) + 子 (ko, “child”).
In use since the Edo period, pre-dating the bicycle sense. Apparently falling out of use some time after the end of WWII.
Noun
チャリンコ • (charinko)
- (obsolete) a child pickpocket
Synonyms
- (pickpocket, in general):