卡車 / 卡车
kǎchē
The English word 'truck' can be translated into Chinese as 卡車 / 卡车 (kǎchē). If unsure, use 卡車 / 卡车. Wiktionary also lists 貨車 / 货车 (huòchē) and 載貨汽車 / 载货汽车 (zàihuòqìchē).
Meaning: heavier motor vehicle designed to carry goods (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 卡車 / 卡车 | kǎchē |
| 貨車 / 货车 | huòchē |
| 載貨汽車 / 载货汽车 | zàihuòqìchē |
The term refers to a heavier motor vehicle designed to carry goods.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 货车 (huòchē) is composed of two parts: 货 (huò), meaning 'goods' and 车 (chē), meaning 'vehicle'. Additionally, 卡车 (kǎchē) is a phonetic transliteration of the English word 'truck'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
载货汽车 is the formal, technical term used in official manufacturing contexts, traffic regulations and legal documents.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting trucks, use the classifier 辆 (liàng). For example, 一辆卡车 means 'one truck'.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 卡车 is kǎchē.
Did you know?
- The character 車 originally depicted a chariot from a top-down view, meaning the modern word for 'truck' is rooted in ancient royal transport.
- The character 卡 in 卡車 is now so common for foreign sounds that it is used in the Chinese words for 'card' as in 'credit card' and 'stuck' or 'jammed'.
- While 貨車 means 'truck' in Mandarin, in some contexts it can also refer to a 'freight train' since 車 is a general term for any wheeled vehicle.
Examples in context
- 我们需要一辆卡车来运送货物。We need a truck to transport the goods.
- 这家公司拥有一支庞大的卡车队。This company has a large fleet of trucks.
- 明天我们搬家，需要一辆货车。We're moving tomorrow and need a truck.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “truck” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
