Japanese word

軽

Pronunciation

Romajikei

Meaning

  • nounkei car

Example

兄は軽に乗っています。ani wa kei ni no tte i ma su

My brother drives a kei car.

Illustration for 軽 (kei car)

More examples

軽なら狭い道でも運転しやすいです。kei na ra sema i michi de mo un ten shi ya su i de su

A kei car is easy to drive even on narrow roads.

Core concept

It frames the vehicle as the light, compact member of Japan's legally defined car classes.

Common phrases

  • 軽に乗るkei ni no ru

    ride a kei car

  • 軽を買うkei o ka u

    buy a kei car

  • 軽を運転するkei o un ten su ru

    drive a kei car

Similar words

軽自動車keijidōsha: A small Japanese motor vehicle subject to legal limits on size, engine power, and passenger capacity.

Definition in Japanese

排気量や車体寸法などに上限がある日本独自の小型自動車。hai ki ryō ya sha tai sun pō na do ni jō gen ga a ru nihon doku ji no ko gata ji dō sha

Word origin

軽 (kei, "light") is shortened from 軽自動車 (keijidōsha, "light automobile"). 自動車 (jidōsha, "automobile") combines 自 (ji, "self"), 動 (dō, "move"), and 車 (sha, "vehicle").

Usage tips

  • The phrase kei car is used in English automotive writing, preserving kei as a Japanese loanword while adding the ordinary English noun car.

Word lists with this word