軽 車 両(けいしゃりょう)

けいしゃりょう

noun

light vehicle; non-motorized vehicle (bicycles, carts, etc.)

1. light vehicle; non-motorized vehicle

A legal category in Japanese traffic law that includes bicycles, animal-drawn carts, rickshaws, and other non-motorized or small vehicles. In traffic regulations, light vehicles must follow specific rules different from both pedestrians and motor vehicles.

自転車(じてんしゃ)は軽車両(けいしゃりょう)に分類(ぶんるい)される。

Bicycles are classified as light vehicles.

軽車両(けいしゃりょう)は車道(しゃどう)の左側(ひだりがわ)を走(はし)らなければならない。

Light vehicles must travel on the left side of the road.

「軽車両(けいしゃりょう)進入(しんにゅう)禁止(きんし)」の標識(ひょうしき)がある場所(ばしょ)では、自転車(じてんしゃ)も通(とお)れない。

At locations with a 'no light vehicle entry' sign, bicycles cannot pass through either.

A compound of 軽(けい) (light) and 車両(しゃりょう) (vehicle). This is a legal term from Japanese traffic law (道路(どうろ)交通(こうつう)法(ほう)). The most common type of light vehicle encountered in daily life is the bicycle. Many people are surprised to learn that bicycles are legally classified as vehicles, not as a pedestrian category.

Common collocations

軽車両(けいしゃりょう)進入(しんにゅう)禁止(きんし): no light vehicle entry
軽車両(けいしゃりょう)通行(つうこう)止(ど)め: light vehicles prohibited
軽車両(けいしゃりょう)に分類(ぶんるい)される: to be classified as a light vehicle

Similar words

軽自動車(けいじどうしゃ): kei car — a small motor vehicle with engine displacement under 660cc, a completely different category
車両(しゃりょう): vehicle — the general term for any vehicle including motor vehicles
原動機(げんどうき)付(つき)自転車(じてんしゃ): motorized bicycle — a small motorized vehicle that falls outside the light vehicle category

Related Words

Compare: 軽自動車(けいじどうしゃ) (kei car)

general

Added 2026.5.2 1:22 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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