チャリンコ

Japanese

Alternative spelling
ちゃりんこ

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) チャリンコ [chàríńkó] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕa̠ɾʲĩŋko̞]

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) 

1. (slang) a bicycle

Usage notes

May have childish overtones. Not used in formal contexts.

Synonyms

• 自(じ)転(てん)車(しゃ) (jitensha)
• チャリ (chari)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• チャリ (chari): abbreviated form
• チャリ通(つう) (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(げん)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) 

1. (obsolete) a child pickpocket

Synonyms

• (pickpocket, in general):
  • 掏摸(すり), 掏児(すり) (suri)
  • 巾(きん)着(ちゃく)きり (kinchaku-kiri) (compare English cutpurse)
  • ちぼ (chibo) (slang, Kyōto and Ōsaka areas)