"わたしのじどうしゃは赤いです。"
Translation:My automobile is red.
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Ive never encountered じどうしゃ before... Whats the difference between this and 車?
After a little research, it would appear that 自動車 is a much more formal way to refer to a car, similar to the use of automobile in English. I don't think you'd ever hear someone say it in normal day-to-day conversation though!
Automobile and 自動車 are very similar indeed; the latter (also) means "self moving vehicle".
This app is here not just to help with conversational Japanese, but also JLPT N5, where you'll find 自動車. You'll find the kanji in Kanji Kentei level 8, which is equivalent to grade 3 of Japanese primary school (小学校). :)
I wrote the exact same thing and duo counted me wrong and put the hiragana as the correct answer. I'm gonan report but I mean seriously Duo...
interestingly, a very similar word in chinese, 自行车, self moving cart/vehicle, has the meaning of "bicycle".
Hm... not exactly. 自動車 is a "self moving vehicle" which is very similar to 自行车 ("self going vehicle", taking 行 as the Japanese 'to go'). 自転車 is a "self rolling vehicle". ( 転がる = to roll)
In theory, it would be 自操車【じそうしゃ】 most likely, but this word doesn't really exist in Japanese afaik.
I am just wondering if anyone would use the word "jidousha" in general conversation when referring to a car, instead of just using "kuruma". Or would people only use the word for talking about car companies or in news papers? Just wondering xD
From what I’ve heard from others and my own personal experience, an older person might say 自動車 (jidousha) in normal conversation but younger people use 車 (kuruma).
1885
Automobile, pfft. Oh yes, my automobile is red, and my chronometer is quite expensive.
