French Conversation · Level 120
57 words
French word
char
Pronunciation
IPA/ʃaʁ/
Meaning
- masculine nountank
Example
On a vu un char dans le film.
We saw a tank in the film.
More examples
Un char est passé dans la rue pendant la manifestation.
A tank went by in the street during the demonstration.
Core concept
A sturdy vehicle rolls or tracks across rough ground, and in its military form its armor and turret support attack or defense.
Common phrases
voir un char
see a tank
un char dans la rue
a tank in the street
Similar words
char d'assaut: A turreted, heavily armored vehicle designed for combat.
tank: An English-derived term for a tank.
véhicule blindé: A general term for an armored military vehicle.
Definition in French
Engin blindé de combat, souvent sur chenilles, muni d'une tourelle et destiné à attaquer ou protéger des positions sur le terrain.
Word origin
French char descends from Latin carrus through Old French, while the tank meaning arose as a shortening of the twentieth-century term char d'assaut.
Usage tips
- The final r in char is pronounced, and the initial ch has the sound of English sh.