<p>It's a Taiwanese slang.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>機車：在台灣有時會用來形容人難以相處，作為一種罵人用語。由來為台灣閩南人中，部分人士對於令人不滿
      的人會以粗俗詞語「欠姦」（閩南話）來形容，甚至以「膣屄」（閩南話，發音類似「機掰」）取代「欠姦」，
      但由於感到不雅或故意作為玩笑，起於民國80年代的學生族群，有一些人「機……」第一個音發出後，第二個
      音改接「車」而成為「機車」。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>ref : <a href="http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A9%9F%E8%BB%8A" rel="noreferrer">wikipedia of 機車</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-30T15:03:29.443Z
Didn't expect this to be on wikipedia...Thank you!
Thomas Hsieh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-12T23:53:29.303Z
"欠姦" and "膣屄" sure is extremely insulting. I can see why they chose to replace the last word with "車". Great answer, by the way!
Admirer of the dragon flag
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-30T06:53:14.840Z
2015-04-30T12:48:23.963Z
2015-04-30T12:48:23.963Z
biubiubiu
<p>I know that "機車" is motorcycle and it is also used as a slang word, but I was unsure of its meaning. Thus, i checked <a href="http://www.chtoen.com/%E4%BD%A0%E5%A5%BD%E6%A9%9F%E8%BB%8A%E7%9A%84%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87%E6%80%8E%E9%BA%BC%E8%AA%AA" rel="nofollow">this page</a>, and I was confused by its ambiguity when translated to English, as listed below:</p>

<blockquote>
  <ul>
  <li>indecisive</li>
  <li>temperamental</li>
  <li>fickle/flaky/capricious</li>
  <li>stubborn</li>
  <li>demanding</li>
  <li>jerk</li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

<p>Is jerk the English equivalent of "機車"? If not, is there an English equivalent? What was the origin of this slang meaning? I cannot find any correlation between "motorcycle" and any of the meanings listed...</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-30T04:43:16.113Z
机车  iciba [铁道] locomotive； engine ； haulage motor ； loco
 小马词典：locomotive; train engine car; scooter (Taiwan); hard to get along with (Taiwan slang)
iciba：摩托车，motorcycle
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-30T12:48:00.257Z
Yeah that doesn't even begin to answer the question.....
Mou某
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-30T15:12:18.777Z
该评论的目的为提醒大家普通话里＂机车＂是什么意思以及motorcycle在普通话里叫做什么。另外好象值得注意的是问题所提出＂机车＂的特殊意义似乎仅限于台湾。根据小马词典甚至在台湾俚语里＂机车＂是表示＂小型摩托车＂的意思而不是 ＂摩托车＂。users are supposed to avoid answering questions in comments 用户应该避免用评论回答问题
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-30T16:16:07.527Z
@S.Rhee I guess user3306356 meant that your comment is not helpful at all to my question, but I do find the meaning "hard to get along with" helpful. Perhaps the format is confusing and lowers the readability.
Thomas Hsieh
<translation><etymology><meaning-in-context><slang>
Origin of the slang "機車"
# Origin of the slang "機車"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-04-30)

I know that "機車" is motorcycle and it is also used as a slang word, but I was unsure of its meaning. Thus, i checked [this page](http://www.chtoen.com/%E4%BD%A0%E5%A5%BD%E6%A9%9F%E8%BB%8A%E7%9A%84%E8%8B%B1%E6%96%87%E6%80%8E%E9%BA%BC%E8%AA%AA), and I was confused by its ambiguity when translated to English, as listed below:

> * indecisive
> * temperamental
> * fickle/flaky/capricious
> * stubborn
> * demanding
> * jerk

Is jerk the English equivalent of "機車"? If not, is there an English equivalent? What was the origin of this slang meaning? I cannot find any correlation between "motorcycle" and any of the meanings listed...

Thanks in advance!

**Tags:** translation, etymology, meaning-in-context, slang

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 机车  iciba [铁道] locomotive； engine ； haulage motor ； loco  小马词典：locomotive; train engine car; scooter (Taiwan); hard to get along with (Taiwan slang) iciba：摩托车，motorcycle  
> **username_2**: Yeah that doesn't even begin to answer the question.....  
> **username_1**: 该评论的目的为提醒大家普通话里＂机车＂是什么意思以及motorcycle在普通话里叫做什么。另外好象值得注意的是问题所提出＂机车＂的特殊意义似乎仅限于台湾。根据小马词典甚至在台湾俚语里＂机车＂是表示＂小型摩托车＂的意思而不是 ＂摩托车＂。users are supposed to avoid answering questions in comments 用户应该避免用评论回答问题  
> **username_0**: @S.Rhee I guess user3306356 meant that your comment is not helpful at all to my question, but I do find the meaning "hard to get along with" helpful. Perhaps the format is confusing and lowers the readability.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-04-30. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

It's a Taiwanese slang.

> 機車：在台灣有時會用來形容人難以相處，作為一種罵人用語。由來為台灣閩南人中，部分人士對於令人不滿
> 的人會以粗俗詞語「欠姦」（閩南話）來形容，甚至以「膣屄」（閩南話，發音類似「機掰」）取代「欠姦」，
> 但由於感到不雅或故意作為玩笑，起於民國80年代的學生族群，有一些人「機……」第一個音發出後，第二個
> 音改接「車」而成為「機車」。

ref : [wikipedia of 機車](http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A9%9F%E8%BB%8A)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Didn't expect this to be on wikipedia...Thank you!  
> **username_4**: "欠姦" and "膣屄" sure is extremely insulting. I can see why they chose to replace the last word with "車". Great answer, by the way!  

---

