Rickshaw

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɪkˌʃɔː/

Definitions

1. A lightweight passenger cart commonly drawn by a person, often found in crowded urban settings
2. A small, two-wheeled vehicle used for carrying people, typically pulled by a human in busy city environments
3. A two-wheeled vehicle designed to carry passengers, typically pulled by a person on foot

Etymology: The word arrived in English from Japanese, where "jinrikisha" meant "human-power vehicle," built from Middle Chinese words for "human power" and "cart." The Japanese term was later shortened to "rikisha," and English adopted that clipped form. The vehicle itself was a light two-wheeled carriage pulled by a runner between shafts, and the human-powered design is written into the name from the start. Note that the English word did not come straight from Chinese. The Chinese equivalent, "rénlìchē," survives in modern Mandarin, but English took its form through Japanese, which is why the spelling and sound look nothing like a standard Chinese transliteration. The English form "rickshaw" reflects an English spelling of the Japanese clipping rather than a direct transcription of any Chinese word.

Synonyms: tricycle, cab, pedicab, tuk-tuk, vehicle