自行车

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The Chinese word 自行车 (zìxíngchē) for "bicycle" is a compound of two characters: 自行 (zìxíng), meaning "self-propelled," and 车 (chē), meaning "vehicle." The term 自行车 was coined in the late 19th century, when bicycles were first introduced to China. It is a calque of the English word "bicycle," which is itself a compound of the Greek words "bi" (two) and "kyklos" (circle). The term 自行车 is now the standard Chinese word for "bicycle" and is used throughout the Chinese-speaking world.