bicycle; bike
HSK level
自行车 is written with 16 strokes (自: 6, 行: 6, 车: 4). The animation replays automatically.
自行车 (zìxíngchē) is the standard Mainland Mandarin noun for 'bicycle.'
Literally 'self-going vehicle,' it covers any human-powered two-wheeled bike. The measure word is 辆 (liàng), used for all wheeled vehicles: 一辆自行车 ('one bicycle'). Two things for learners. First, regional variation matters: 自行车 dominates in Mainland, 脚踏车 (jiǎotàchē) is common in Taiwan, and 单车 (dānchē) is the everyday Cantonese-influenced word.
All three are understood across the Chinese-speaking world, but Mainland textbooks teach 自行车 first. Second, the verb 'to ride a bike' is 骑自行车 (qí zìxíngchē) — 骑 is the verb for straddling animals or two-wheelers (you 骑 a horse or a bike, but you 开 a car). For electric bikes, modern usage adds 电动 — 电动自行车 (diàndòng zìxíngchē).
Note: Standard Mainland term. In Taiwan and parts of southern China, 脚踏车 (jiǎotàchē, 'foot-pedal vehicle') is more common. 单车 (dānchē) is widely used in Cantonese-speaking areas and in song lyrics/casual speech.
Character by character
Memory hook: 自 + 行 + 车 = 'self-going vehicle.' You power it yourself — no engine, just your legs.
我每天骑自行车上班。
Wǒ měi tiān qí zìxíngchē shàngbān.
I ride my bicycle to work every day.
spoken
他有一辆新自行车。
Tā yǒu yí liàng xīn zìxíngchē.
He has a new bicycle.
neutral
孩子在公园学骑自行车。
Háizi zài gōngyuán xué qí zìxíngchē.
The child is learning to ride a bicycle in the park.
neutral
我的自行车坏了。
Wǒ de zìxíngchē huài le.
My bicycle is broken.
spoken
请把自行车停在那里。
Qǐng bǎ zìxíngchē tíng zài nàlǐ.
Please park the bicycle over there.
neutral
脚踏车 ('foot-pedal vehicle') is the standard term in Taiwan and parts of southern China. 自行车 is the Mainland default. Same object, regional preference.
单车 ('single vehicle') is widely used in Cantonese-speaking regions (Hong Kong, Guangdong) and in casual Mainland speech and song lyrics. 自行车 is the more formal/standard term.
汽车 means 'car/automobile' (motorized). 自行车 is a bicycle (human-powered). Both are 车, but only 自行车 means bike.
摩托车 is 'motorcycle' (engine-powered two-wheeler). 自行车 is a regular pedal bicycle. The verb is also 骑 for both, but the vehicles are different.
电动车 means 'electric vehicle' — could be a scooter, e-bike, or electric car. 自行车 is the basic pedal bicycle. For an electric bike specifically, use 电动自行车.
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