rickshaw

American  

[rik-shaw, -shah] / ˈrɪk ʃɔ, -ʃɑ /

Also rikisha, or ricksha

noun

• rickshaws
  plural

1. a small, two-wheeled, cartlike passenger vehicle with a fold-down top, pulled by one person, formerly used widely in Japan and China.

2. cycle rickshaw.

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rickshaw British  

/ ˈrɪkʃɔː, ˈrɪkʃə /

noun

1. Also called: jinrikisha. a small two-wheeled passenger vehicle drawn by one or two men, used in parts of Asia

2. Also called: trishaw. a similar vehicle with three wheels, propelled by a man pedalling as on a tricycle

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• rickshaws
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of rickshaw

First recorded in 1875–80; by contraction of jinrikisha ( def. )

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Explanation

A rickshaw is a little taxi on two wheels. People sit in it and an energetic person pedals or pulls them to where they want to go. Rickshaws are still around, but cars have made them less popular. A rickshaw is a like a taxi — you pay its driver for a ride — but rickshaws are typically only large enough for one or two passengers. The earliest Japanese rickshaws were lifted and pulled by a person who walked or ran. Newer versions are pulled by a bike or driven like a car — these are sometimes called "auto rickshaws." The word itself comes from the Japanese jinrikisha, from jin, "man," riki, "power," and sha, "carriage."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rickshaw rickshaws

Every day by 9 a.m., she and her husband arrive on a cycle rickshaw from home with a gas stove and other paraphernalia and work until around 5 p.m.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

With the shelves of state-run shops glaringly empty and public transport drying up, Mipymes and the self-employed now dominate retail food sales and ferry people about -- by taxi, rickshaw and motorbike.

From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026

Mr Azghar said his brother used to drive an electric rickshaw.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2025

“We will have a beautiful future, God willing,” said Mahmoud Mustafa, a rickshaw driver clutching a plastic food bowl.

From New York Times ● Jun. 5, 2024

I had forty-seven rupees tied up in my sari, but I could not waste them on a rickshaw, and anyhow I would not know where to go.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

Next to his shop is a parking lot for cycle rickshaws, another crisis-proof mode of transportation.

From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026

Footage from the location showed remains of a charred white car and a number of other gutted vehicles, including an autorickshaw and cycle rickshaws.

From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2025

“Now most of us are doing work like driving rickshaws and taxis,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2025

The sweet scent of food carts selling guava and bananas blends with blooming jasmine, burning incense, and the fragrant fumes of auto rickshaws driving by.

From Salon ● Oct. 14, 2024

Cars and rickshaws, mule carts and trucks—all packed with people and their suitcases, bags of rice, and bedrolls.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai

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Related Words

• truck
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