Jinrikisha
/ˌdʒɪn.riːˈkʃɑː/noun
A small wheeled passenger vehicle pulled by one person, especially in East Asia.
Did you know?Jinrikisha is a Japanese coinage built from Sino-Japanese roots, and its name preserves the idea that the vehicle itself was powered by human force rather than animals or engines.
Etymological Timeline
Late 19th Century
Japanese
jinrikisha
“A human-pulled passenger cart”
Late 19th Century
Japanese
jinriki
“Human power or human strength”
Late 19th Century
Japanese
sha
“Vehicle or carriage”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
人力
“Human strength; manpower”
Classical Chinese
Chinese
車
“Cart; vehicle”