車 — Kanji Meaning, Readings & Example Words (JLPT N5)
What it means
At its core, 車 means a vehicle or a wheel — anything with wheels that carries you around. On its own it's the everyday word くるま ("car"), but it's also a hardworking building block inside lots of transport words: 電車 ("train"), 自転車 ("bicycle"), 自動車 ("automobile"). The handy payoff is that whenever you see 車 in a new word, you can bet it has something to do with vehicles or wheels — an instant clue to the meaning.
Readings
| Type | Reading | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| kun'yomi | くるま | 車 (car), 車いす (くるまいす, wheelchair) |
| on'yomi | シャ | 電車 (train), 自転車 (bicycle), 自動車 (automobile), 駐車場 (parking lot), 車内 (inside the vehicle) |
Here's a rule of thumb that works for most kanji, not just this one: the kun'yomi (くるま) tends to appear when the kanji stands alone as its own word, while the on'yomi (シャ) shows up inside two-or-more-kanji compound words. So 車 by itself is くるま, but 電車 becomes でんしゃ. Spotting that pattern early will help you guess readings for kanji you haven't even studied yet.
Stroke order & radical
- Strokes: 7. Think of it as the central box with a vertical line running straight through the middle, top to bottom, with two horizontal lines crossing it — written top to bottom, then the long final vertical stroke last.
- Radical: 車 is its own radical, the "vehicle / cart" radical (くるま). When it appears as a part of other kanji it usually keeps roughly the same shape, and it signals that the kanji relates to vehicles, wheels, or carrying.
A nice bit of history: the shape pictures a cart seen from above — the box in the middle is the cargo bed, and the lines across it are the axles and wheels. Once you see the cart, the seven strokes make a lot more sense.
Common words using 車
Notice the reading split in action: the lone word 車 takes くるま, while every compound (電車, 自転車, 自動車, 駐車場, 車内) flips to シャ. That's the rule of thumb above, working exactly as advertised.
Example sentences
ヤッタンは新しい車を買いました。
ヤッタンは あたらしい くるまを かいました。
Yattan bought a new car.
車 standing alone — the kun'yomi くるま reading.
モチは毎朝、電車と自転車で学校へ行きます。
モチは まいあさ、 でんしゃと じてんしゃで がっこうへ いきます。
Mochi goes to school every morning by train and bicycle.
Two compounds, both using the on'yomi シャ: 電車 (でんしゃ) and 自転車 (じてんしゃ).
先生は「車内では静かにしましょう」と言いました。
せんせいは「しゃないでは しずかに しましょう」と いいました。
Sensei said, Let's be quiet inside the train.
車内 (しゃない) — the on'yomi シャ inside a compound.
Quick recap
- 車 = car / vehicle / wheel; 7 strokes; it's the "vehicle" radical itself.
- くるま when it stands alone (車); シャ in compounds (電車, 自転車, 自動車).
- The shape is a picture of a cart seen from above — box plus axles.
Your turn
Choose the correct reading of 車 in each word.
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
How do you read 車 on its own vs in 電車?
On its own it's the kun'yomi くるま (車 = くるま, 'car'). In 電車 it's the on'yomi シャ (電車 = でんしゃ, 'train'). As a rule, compound words take the on'yomi.
How many strokes does 車 have?
車 has 7 strokes and is also the 'vehicle' radical. Its shape comes from a picture of a cart seen from above — the box is the cargo bed and the lines are the axles.
What's the difference between 自転車 and 自動車?
Both end in 車 (シャ). 自転車 (じてんしゃ) is a bicycle — literally a 'self-turning vehicle.' 自動車 (じどうしゃ) is an automobile — a 'self-moving vehicle.' The middle kanji tells them apart.
Does 車 always mean a car?
Not exactly. On its own くるま usually means 'car,' but the kanji's broader meaning is 'vehicle' or 'wheel,' so it appears in words for trains (電車), bicycles (自転車), and even wheelchairs (車いす).