Where does “自転車” come from?
自転車 (Japanese) comes from Chinese 車, from Proto-Tocharian kuk(ä)le, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- — to turn.
自転車 (Japanese): a bicycle
Ancestry of “自転車”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Chinese | 車 | — |
| 2 | Proto-Tocharian | kuk(ä)le | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷékʷlos | wheel; circle |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷel- | to turn |