和製英語と英語の違いを説明するシリーズLost in Translation
第3回の今日は”バイク”です。

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Lost in Translation Part 3　バイク (Motorcycle)
Tyler Ayala

Many foreign words have been adopted into the Japanese language. However, they occasionally do not maintain their original meanings and rarely keep the same nuance. One such word is バイク, which is taken from the English word ‘motorbike’. Nowadays, however, most people use the word motorcycle to describe this. バイク (bike) in English is usually associated more closely with 自転車- though it can occasionally be used for motorcycle in certain contexts.

If you were to ask, “Do you have a bike?” to a native speaker, they would assume that you were asking if they had a bicycle. However, if you are standing next to their motorcycle and you wish to compliment them, it is okay to say, “You have a nice bike,” because of the context of the situation. Bike, by default, means bicycle. However, you may use bike to refer to a motorcycle in a situation similar to the one I have described.

Please keep this in mind when using the phrases below.

Do you have a bike? => 自転車はありますか。

Do you have a motorcycle? => バイクはありますか。

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※The English described in this blog is from an American perspective. Cultural reactions and vocabulary might be different in other countries like Canada, Britain and Australia.

Lost in Translation Part.3 バイク（Motorcycle）