Chinese car names: the characters, the sounds and what they mean
285 names in characters and pinyin, with a plain English hint at the pronunciation and the literal meaning. Some are ordinary words — a dynasty, a mountain, a colour. Some are coinages that mean nothing until someone explains them.
| Name | Characters | Pinyin | Said as | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aion | 埃安 | Āi'ān | “eye-AHN” | no literal meaning; a phonetic rendering of the English name Aion |
| Aion Aion UT | 埃安UT 鹦鹉龙 | Āi'ān UT Yīngwǔlóng | “eye-AN you-TEE YING-woo-LOONG” | 鹦鹉龙 is the Chinese name for Psittacosaurus, literally 'parrot dragon' |
| Aion Aion V | 埃安V 霸王龙 | Āi'ān V Bàwánglóng | “eye-AN vee BAH-wahng-LOONG” | 霸王龙 is the Chinese name for Tyrannosaurus rex, literally 'tyrant-king dragon' |
| Aion Aion Y Plus | 埃安Y Plus | Āi'ān Y Plus | “eye-AN why plus” | 埃安 has no literal meaning; it transliterates the brand name Aion, writing the sound with 埃 (a character that on its own means 'fine dust') and 安 ('peace, safety') |
| AITO | 问界 | Wènjiè | “wun-JYEH” | 问 wèn 'to ask' + 界 jiè 'realm, boundary' — roughly 'asking the boundary' |
| AITO AITO M5 | 问界M5 | Wènjiè M5 | “wun-JYEH em-five” | 问 'to ask, to inquire' + 界 'realm, world' |
| AITO AITO M7 | 问界M7 | Wènjiè M7 | “wun-JYEH em-seven” | 问 'to ask, to inquire' + 界 'realm, world' |
| AITO AITO M9 | 问界M9 | Wènjiè M9 | “wun-JYEH em-nine” | 问 'to ask, to inquire' + 界 'realm, world' |
| Aiways | 爱驰 | Àichí | “eye-CHIR” | 爱 ài 'love' + 驰 chí 'to speed, to gallop' |
| Ankai | 安凯 | Ānkǎi | “ahn-KY (KY as in 'kite')” | 安 from 安徽 Anhui, the province, and also 'peace, safety'; 凯 'triumphant' |
| Arcfox | 极狐 | Jíhú | “jee-HOO” | arctic fox; literally 'polar fox' - 极 'pole, extreme' + 狐 'fox' |
| Arcfox Arcfox Alpha S | 极狐阿尔法S | Jíhú Ā'ěrfǎ S | “JEE-hoo ah-er-FAH ess” | 极狐 'arctic fox', literally 'polar fox'; 阿尔法 has no literal meaning and transliterates 'alpha' |
| Avatr | 阿维塔 | Āwéitǎ | “ah-way-TAH” | no literal meaning; the characters are chosen for sound and transliterate the English name |
| Avatr Avatr 11 | 阿维塔11 | Āwéitǎ 11 | “ah-way-TAH eleven” | no literal meaning; 阿维塔 transliterates the brand name Avatr |
| Avatr Avatr 12 | 阿维塔12 | Āwéitǎ 12 | “ah-way-TAH twelve” | no literal meaning; 阿维塔 transliterates the brand name Avatr |
| BAIC Group | 北汽集团 | Běiqì Jítuán | “bay-CHEE jee-TWAN” | Beijing Auto Group; 北汽 is the standard contraction of 北京汽车, 'Beijing Automobile' |
| Baojun | 宝骏 | Bǎojùn | “BOW-jwin (BOW as in 'bow down')” | 宝 'treasure, precious' + 骏 'a fine, fast horse' — 'treasured steed' |
| Beijing | 北京汽车 | Běijīng Qìchē | “bay-JING chee-CHUH” | Beijing Automobile |
| Benelli | 贝纳利 | Bèinàlì | “bay-nah-LEE” | no literal meaning; a Chinese transliteration of the Italian family name Benelli |
| Bestune | 奔腾 | Bēnténg | “bun-TUNG” | to gallop, to surge; 奔 'to run fast' + 腾 'to leap, to soar' |
| Brilliance Auto Group | 华晨 | Huáchén | “hwah-CHUN” | 华 huá, a literary word for China (and for 'splendid'), + 晨 chén 'morning' — 'China's morning'. The English name Brilliance is a free rendering, not a translation. |
| BYD | 比亚迪 | Bǐyàdí | “BEE-yah-DEE” | no literal meaning; three characters chosen as a registrable, distinctive name. The English letters are the initials of the pinyin, and 'Build Your Dreams' was attached to them later. |
| BYD | 比亚迪 | Bǐyàdí | “BEE-yah-DEE” | no literal meaning; the three characters were chosen as a distinctive registrable name and the Latin letters are their pinyin initials |
| BYD Atto 2 | 元UP | Yuán UP | “yoo-EN up” | 元 Yuán is the Yuan dynasty (1271 to 1368) and also means 'origin, first'; UP marks the smallest of BYD's three Yuan SUVs |
| BYD Atto 3 | 元PLUS | Yuán PLUS | “yoo-EN plus” | 元 Yuán is the Yuan dynasty (1271 to 1368) and also means 'origin, first'; PLUS marks the middle of BYD's three Yuan SUVs |
| BYD Commercial Vehicles | 比亚迪商用车 | Bǐyàdí shāngyòngchē | “BEE-yah-DEE shahng-yong-chuh” | 比亚迪 BYD + 商用车 shāngyòngchē 'commercial vehicle' |
| BYD Dolphin | 海豚 | Hǎitún | “HIGH-twun” | 海 hǎi 'sea' + 豚 tún 'pig' — the ordinary Chinese word for a dolphin |
| BYD e7 | 比亚迪e7 | Bǐyàdí e7 | “BEE-yah-DEE ee-seven” | no literal meaning; e for electric plus a model number. Unlike the Dynasty and Ocean cars, the e-series carries no Chinese word in its name. |
| BYD Han | 汉 | Hàn | “HAHN” | the Han dynasty (206 BC to AD 220); the character also names the Han River and, today, China's majority ethnic group |
| BYD Qin L | 秦L | Qín L | “CHIN el” | the Qin dynasty (221 to 206 BC), the short-lived dynasty that first unified China and the probable root of the name China; the L marks the longer car above the Qin Plus |
| BYD Seagull | 海鸥 | Hǎi'ōu | “HIGH-oh” | 海 hǎi 'sea' + 鸥 ōu 'gull' — the ordinary Chinese word for a seagull |
| BYD Seal | 海豹 | Hǎibào | “HIGH-bao” | 海 hǎi 'sea' + 豹 bào 'leopard' — the ordinary Chinese word for a seal, the animal |
| BYD Seal U | 宋PLUS EV | Sòng PLUS EV | “SOONG plus E-V” | 宋 Sòng is the Song dynasty (AD 960 to 1279); PLUS marks the larger of BYD's two Song SUVs |
| BYD Sealion 5 | 宋Pro | Sòng Pro | “SOONG pro” | 宋 Sòng is the Song dynasty (AD 960 to 1279); Pro marks the smaller of BYD's two Song SUVs |
| BYD Sealion 6 | 宋PLUS DM-i | Sòng PLUS DM-i | “SOONG plus D-M-eye” | 宋 Sòng is the Song dynasty (AD 960 to 1279); PLUS marks the larger of BYD's two Song SUVs and DM-i the plug-in hybrid system |
| BYD Sealion 7 | 海狮07 EV | Hǎishī líng qī EV | “HIGH-shir oh-seven E-V” | 海 hǎi 'sea' + 狮 shī 'lion' — sea lion, the animal; 07 is a size marker within BYD's Ocean series |
| BYD Song Pro | 宋Pro | Sòng Pro | “SOONG pro” | the Song dynasty (AD 960 to 1279); Song was the name of an ancient state and prefecture where the dynasty's founder had been military governor |
| BYD Tang | 唐 | Táng | “TAHNG” | the Tang dynasty (AD 618 to 907); originally a place name in Shanxi held as a fief by the dynasty's founding family |
| BYD Xia | 夏 | Xià | “SHYAH” | the Xia dynasty, traditionally dated about 2070 to 1600 BC and the earliest in the Chinese dynastic sequence; the character also means summer, and appears in 华夏 Huaxia, an old name for China |
| CFMoto | 春风动力 | Chūnfēng Dònglì | “chwun-FUNG DONG-lee” | 春风 'spring breeze' + 动力 'power' |
| CFMoto | 春风 | Chūnfēng | “chwun-FUNG” | 春 'spring' + 风 'wind', a spring breeze |
| Changan | 长安 | Cháng'ān | “chahng-AHN” | 'lasting peace' |
| Changan Automobile | 长安汽车 | Cháng'ān Qìchē | “chahng-AHN CHEE-chuh” | 长安 means 'lasting peace'; 汽车 means 'automobile' |
| Changan Nevo | 启源 | Qǐyuán | “CHEE-ywen” | 启 'to open, to begin' + 源 'source, spring' — 'the opening of a source', or origin |
| Changan Nevo Nevo A07 | 长安启源A07 | Cháng'ān Qǐyuán A07 | “chahng-AN chee-yoo-EN ay-oh-seven” | 长安 'lasting peace', the classical name of the city of Xi'an; 启源 'to open the source', from 启 'to start, to open' and 源 'source, origin' |
| Chery | 奇瑞 | Qíruì | “chee-RWAY” | 奇 qí 'remarkable, out of the ordinary' + 瑞 ruì 'auspicious'. Together roughly 'remarkable good fortune'; it is a lucky-sounding pair, not a description of cars. |
| Chery Arrizo 8 | 奇瑞艾瑞泽8 | Qíruì Àiruìzé 8 | “chee-RWAY eye-rway-DZUH eight” | 艾瑞泽 Àiruìzé has no literal meaning; it is a phonetic Chinese rendering of the export name Arrizo, whose characters were chosen for sound and for the auspicious associations of 瑞 'auspicious' and 泽 'grace, moisture'. |
| Chery Holding Group | 奇瑞控股集团 | Qíruì Kònggǔ Jítuán | “chee-RWAY kong-GOO jee-TWAN” | 奇 qí 'remarkable, out of the ordinary' + 瑞 ruì 'auspicious'; 控股集团 kònggǔ jítuán means 'holding group'. Read together, 奇瑞 is roughly 'remarkable good fortune'. |
| Chery Tiggo 4 | 奇瑞瑞虎5x | Qíruì Ruìhǔ 5x | “chee-RWAY rway-HOO five-eks” | 瑞虎 Ruìhǔ = 'auspicious tiger'; 5x is the series number. The export name Tiggo is Chery's Latin-alphabet name for the 瑞虎 SUV line. |
| Chery Tiggo 7 | 奇瑞瑞虎7 | Qíruì Ruìhǔ 7 | “chee-RWAY rway-HOO seven” | 瑞虎 Ruìhǔ = 'auspicious tiger'; 7 places it in the middle of Chery's SUV range. |
| Chery Tiggo 8 | 奇瑞瑞虎8 | Qíruì Ruìhǔ 8 | “chee-RWAY rway-HOO eight” | 瑞虎 Ruìhǔ = 'auspicious tiger'; 8 marks the largest of the long-running Tiggo SUVs. |
| Chery Tiggo 9 | 奇瑞瑞虎9 | Qíruì Ruìhǔ 9 | “chee-RWAY rway-HOO nine” | 瑞虎 Ruìhǔ = 'auspicious tiger'; 9 marks the top of the Tiggo range. |
| Dayun Group | 大运 | Dàyùn | “dah-YOON” | 大 dà 'great' + 运 yùn, which means both 'fortune' and 'to transport' — the name reads as 'great fortune' and as 'big haulage' at the same time |
| Deepal | 深蓝 | Shēnlán | “shen-LAHN” | 'deep blue' |
| Deepal Deepal G318 | 深蓝G318 | Shēnlán G318 | “shen-LAN gee-three-one-eight” | 深蓝 'deep blue'; G318 is the designation of China National Highway 318, the Shanghai-to-Tibet road |
| Deepal Deepal S05 | 深蓝S05 | Shēnlán S05 | “shen-LAN ess-oh-five” | 深蓝 'deep blue' |
| Deepal Deepal S07 | 深蓝S07 | Shēnlán S07 | “shen-LAN ess-oh-seven” | 深蓝 'deep blue' |
| Denza | 腾势 | Téngshì | “tung-SHIR” | 腾 téng 'to soar, to rise' + 势 shì 'momentum, force' — 'rising momentum' |
| Denza Denza D9 | 腾势D9 | Téngshì D9 | “TUNG-shr D-nine” | 腾 téng 'to soar or rise' + 势 shì 'momentum, force' — rendered as rising power and momentum |
| Denza Denza Z9 GT | 腾势Z9GT | Téngshì Z9 GT | “TUNG-shr Z-nine G-T” | 腾势 Téngshì is the Denza brand name, 'rising power and momentum'; Z9 is a model code and GT marks the estate-backed body alongside the Z9 saloon |
| DFSK | 东风小康 | Dōngfēng Xiǎokāng | “dong-fung shyao-kahng” | 东风 Dōngfēng 'east wind' (the Dongfeng group's name) + 小康 xiǎokāng 'moderately well-off', the Sokon name. The passenger-car sub-brand 风光 Fēngguāng means 'scenery' or 'glory' and is romanised as Fengon. |
| Dongfeng | 东风 | Dōngfēng | “DOONG-fung” | east wind |
| Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle | 东风商用车 | Dōngfēng Shāngyòngchē | “DOONG-fung shahng-YOONG-chuh” | Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle; 商用车 is the standard Chinese term for a commercial vehicle |
| Dongfeng Motor Group | 东风 | Dōngfēng | “DOONG-fung” | east wind |
| Dongfeng Nammi | 纳米 | Nàmǐ | “NAH-mee” | nanometre; itself a Chinese transliteration of the prefix 'nano' |
| Dongfeng Nammi Dongfeng Box | 东风纳米01 | Dōngfēng Nàmǐ 01 | “dong-FUNG NAH-mee oh-one” | 东风 'east wind'; 纳米 is the ordinary Chinese word for 'nanometre', used here as the sub-brand name and romanised Nammi |
| Exeed | 星途 | Xīngtú | “shing-TOO” | 星 xīng 'star' + 途 tú 'road, journey' — 'star road' or 'starry journey'. |
| Exeed Exlantix ET | 星纪元ET | Xīngjìyuán ET | “shing-JEE-ywen E-T” | 星纪元 Xīngjìyuán = 'star epoch' or 'star era'; ET is a model code, not an abbreviation. |
| Fangchengbao | 方程豹 | Fāngchéngbào | “fahng-chung-BAO” | 方程 fāngchéng 'equation' (as in a mathematical formula) + 豹 bào 'leopard' — usually rendered 'Formula Leopard' |
| Fangchengbao Bao 5 | 豹5 | Bào 5 | “BOW-five (bow as in bough)” | 豹 bào means leopard, so the name reads Leopard 5; the brand name 方程豹 Fāngchéngbào combines 方程 'equation' with 豹 'leopard' |
| Fangchengbao Tai 3 | 钛3 | Tài 3 | “TIE-three” | 钛 tài means titanium, so the name reads Titanium 3; the Tai series sits alongside Fangchengbao's Bao (Leopard) series |
| Farizon | 远程 | Yuǎnchéng | “ywen-CHUNG” | 'long distance' or 'long range'; 远 yuǎn 'far' + 程 chéng 'journey, distance' |
| FAW Group | 中国一汽 | Zhōngguó Yīqì | “JONG-gwor EE-chee” | China First Auto; 一汽 is short for 第一汽车制造厂, 'First Automobile Works' |
| FAW Jiefang | 解放 | Jiěfàng | “jyeh-FAHNG” | liberation |
| Firefly | 萤火虫 | Yínghuǒchóng | “ying-HWUH-chong” | The ordinary Chinese word for a firefly: 萤 yíng 'glow-worm', 火 huǒ 'fire', 虫 chóng 'insect'. The English brand name is a straight translation. |
| Firefly Firefly | 萤火虫 | Yínghuǒchóng | “ying-HWORE-chong” | 萤火虫 Yínghuǒchóng is the ordinary Chinese word for a firefly — 萤 'glow-worm', 火 'fire', 虫 'insect'. |
| Foton | 福田 | Fútián | “foo-TYEN” | 'field of blessing' - 福 'fortune, blessing' + 田 'field'; in Buddhist usage, the field in which good deeds yield merit |
| GAC Group | 广汽集团 | Guǎngqì Jítuán | “GWAHNG-chee jee-TWAN” | Guangzhou Auto Group; 广汽 is the contraction of 广州汽车, 'Guangzhou Automobile' |
| Geely | 吉利 | Jílì | “JEE-lee” | 'auspicious' or 'lucky' |
| Geely Coolray | 吉利缤越 | Jílì Bīnyuè | “JEE-lee BEEN-yweh” | 吉利 Jílì 'auspicious' is the company name; 缤 bīn means 'abundant, in profusion' and 越 yuè 'to cross over, to surpass' |
| Geely Emgrand | 吉利帝豪 | Jílì Dìháo | “JEE-lee DEE-how” | 吉利 Jílì 'auspicious' is the company name; 帝 dì means 'emperor' and 豪 háo 'grand, heroic' — together roughly 'imperial grandeur' |
| Geely EX2 | 吉利星愿 | Jílì Xīngyuàn | “JEE-lee SHING-ywen” | 吉利 Jílì 'auspicious' is the company name; 星 xīng is 'star' and 愿 yuàn 'wish' — together 'star wish' |
| Geely EX5 | 吉利银河E5 | Jílì Yínhé E5 | “JEE-lee YIN-huh ee-five” | 吉利 Jílì 'auspicious, lucky' is the company name; 银河 Yínhé is the Milky Way, the name of Geely's new-energy line; E5 is a model code |
| Geely Galaxy L7 | 吉利银河L7 | Jílì Yínhé L7 | “JEE-lee YIN-huh el-seven” | 吉利 Jílì is the company name; 银河 Yínhé is the Milky Way, the name of Geely's new-energy line; L7 is a model code |
| Geely Holding | 浙江吉利控股集团 | Zhèjiāng Jílì Kònggǔ Jítuán | “JUH-jyahng JEE-lee KONG-goo JEE-twahn” | 吉利 Jílì means 'auspicious' or 'lucky'; 浙江 is Zhejiang province, 控股集团 is 'holding group' |
| Geely Starray EM-i | 吉利银河星舰7 | Jílì Yínhé Xīngjiàn 7 | “JEE-lee YIN-huh SHING-jyen seven” | 吉利 Jílì is the company name; 银河 Yínhé is the Milky Way, Geely's new-energy line; 星舰 Xīngjiàn is literally 'star vessel', that is, starship |
| Geometry | 几何 | Jǐhé | “JEE-huh” | 'geometry' — the ordinary Chinese word for the branch of mathematics |
| Great Wall Motor | 长城汽车 | Chángchéng Qìchē | “chahng-CHUNG chee-CHUH” | 长城 Chángchéng is the Great Wall — literally 'long wall'; 汽车 qìchē means 'motor vehicle'. |
| GWM | 长城 | Chángchéng | “chahng-CHUNG” | 长 cháng 'long' + 城 chéng 'wall, city' — the Great Wall. |
| GWM Poer | 长城炮 | Chángchéng Pào | “chahng-CHUNG POW” | 长城 Chángchéng 'Great Wall' + 炮 pào 'cannon, artillery piece'. |
| GWM Poer GWM Cannon | 长城炮 | Chángchéng Pào | “chahng-CHUNG POW” | 长城 Chángchéng = 'Great Wall', the parent company's name; 炮 pào = 'cannon' or 'gun'. |
| Haima | 海马 | Hǎimǎ | “HIGH-mah” | 'seahorse' as an ordinary word; as a marque it is a contraction of 海南 Hǎinán (Hainan) and 马自达 Mǎzìdá (Mazda) |
| Haima Automobile | 海马 | Hǎimǎ | “HIGH-mah” | 'seahorse' as an ordinary word; as a company name it is a contraction of 海南 Hǎinán (Hainan) and 马自达 Mǎzìdá (Mazda) |
| Haojue | 豪爵 | Háojué | “how-JWEH” | 豪 'grand, heroic' + 爵 'a rank of nobility' |
| Haojue (Dachangjiang Group) | 大长江集团 | Dà Chángjiāng Jítuán | “dah chahng-JYAHNG jee-TWAN” | 大 'great' + 长江 'the Yangtze', literally 'long river'; 集团 'group' |
| Haval | 哈弗 | Hāfú | “HAH-foo” | No literal meaning: 哈弗 is a phonetic spelling, chosen for sound rather than sense (哈 is a laughing sound, 弗 an old negative particle). |
| Haval H6 | 哈弗H6 | Hāfú H6 | “HAH-foo aitch-six” | 哈弗 Hāfú has no literal meaning; it is the Chinese transliteration of Haval. H6 is a series code, H for the SUV line. |
| Haval H7 | 哈弗大狗 | Hāfú Dàgǒu | “HAH-foo dah-GOH” | 大狗 dàgǒu = literally 'big dog'. |
| Haval H9 | 哈弗H9 | Hāfú H9 | “HAH-foo aitch-nine” | 哈弗 Hāfú is the Chinese transliteration of Haval; H9 is a series code marking the largest Haval SUV. |
| Haval Jolion | 哈弗初恋 | Hāfú Chūliàn | “HAH-foo choo-LYEN” | 哈弗 Hāfú has no literal meaning; it is the Chinese transliteration of the brand name Haval. 初恋 chūliàn = 'first love'. |
| Higer | 海格 | Hǎigé | “high-GUH” | no literal meaning; a transliteration of Higer using 海 'sea' and 格 'standard, frame' |
| HiPhi | 高合 | Gāohé | “gao-HUH” | 高 gāo 'high' + 合 hé 'to join, to fit' — a coined brand name |
| Hongqi | 红旗 | Hóngqí | “HOONG-chee” | red flag, or red banner |
| Hongqi Hongqi E-HS9 | 红旗E-HS9 | Hóngqí E-HS9 | “hoong-CHEE ee-aitch-ess-nine” | 红旗 'red flag' |
| Hongqi Hongqi EH7 | 红旗EH7 | Hóngqí EH7 | “hoong-CHEE ee-aitch-seven” | 红旗 'red flag'; E marks an electric car and H the saloon line |
| Hongqi Hongqi H9 | 红旗H9 | Hóngqí H9 | “hoong-CHEE aitch-nine” | 红旗 'red flag'; H marks Hongqi's saloon line |
| Hozon New Energy | 合众 | Hézhòng | “huh-JONG” | 合 hé 'to join' + 众 zhòng 'the many' — 'bringing the many together' |
| Hyptec | 昊铂 | Hàobó | “HOW-bwor” | 昊 'vast sky' + 铂 'platinum' |
| Hyptec Hyptec HT | 昊铂HT | Hàobó HT | “HOW-bwor aitch-TEE” | 昊 'vast sky' + 铂 'platinum' |
| iCar | 爱咖 | Àikā | “eye-KAH” | The marque itself is written in Latin letters in China as iCAR. Its operating company is 爱咖生态科技有限公司 (Àikā Shēngtài Kējì): 爱 ài 'love' and 咖 kā, a purely phonetic character best known from 咖啡 kāfēi, coffee. |
| IM Motors | 智己 | Zhìjǐ | “JIH-jee” | 智 'wisdom, intelligence' + 己 'self, one's own' |
| IM Motors IM5 | 智己L6 | Zhìjǐ L6 | “JIH-jee L-six” | 智 'intelligence' plus 己 'self' — the brand renders it in English as IM, for Intelligence in Motion |
| IM Motors IM6 | 智己LS6 | Zhìjǐ LS6 | “JIH-jee L-S-six” | 智 'intelligence' plus 己 'self' — the brand renders it in English as IM, for Intelligence in Motion; LS marks the SUV line |
| JAC | 江淮 | Jiānghuái | “jyahng-HWY” | 江 (jiāng) is the Yangtze, 长江 (Cháng Jiāng), and 淮 (huái) the Huai river; together the name means the land between the two rivers, which is most of Anhui province |
| JAC Group | 江淮汽车 | Jiānghuái Qìchē | “jyahng-HWY CHEE-chuh” | 江 (jiāng) is the Yangtze, 长江 (Cháng Jiāng), and 淮 (huái) is the Huai river; 江淮 is the name for the land between them, which is most of Anhui province |
| Jaecoo | 奇瑞探索 | Qíruì Tànsuǒ | “chee-RWAY tahn-SWOR” | Jaecoo has no Chinese name of its own: it is an export-only marque. The cars are sold in China as Chery 探索 (Tànsuǒ, 'to explore') models — the Jaecoo J7 is the Chery Tansuo 06. |
| Jaecoo Jaecoo 7 | 奇瑞探索06 | Qíruì Tànsuǒ 06 | “chee-RWAY tahn-SWOR oh-six” | 探索 Tànsuǒ = 'to explore, exploration'; 06 is the series number. |
| Jaecoo Jaecoo 8 | 奇瑞瑞虎9 | Qíruì Ruìhǔ 9 | “chee-RWAY rway-HOO nine” | 瑞虎 Ruìhǔ = 'auspicious tiger'; 9 marks the top of Chery's own SUV range. The Jaecoo 8's Chinese identity is the Tiggo 9, not a Jaecoo. |
| Jetour | 捷途 | Jiétú | “jyeh-TOO” | 捷 jié 'swift, victorious' + 途 tú 'road, journey' — a quick or winning road. |
| Jetour Jetour T2 | 捷途旅行者 | Jiétú Lǚxíngzhě | “jyeh-TOO lyoo-shing-JUH” | 捷途 Jiétú = 'swift road', the brand name; 旅行者 lǚxíngzhě = 'traveller'. |
| Ji Yue | 极越 | Jíyuè | “jee-YWEH” | 极 jí 'extreme, utmost' + 越 yuè 'to surpass' — roughly 'surpassing to the utmost' |
| JMC | 江铃 | Jiānglíng | “jyahng-LING” | 江 'river', from 江西 Jiangxi, plus 铃 'bell' |
| JMC (Jiangling Motors) | 江铃汽车 | Jiānglíng Qìchē | “jyahng-LING chee-CHUH” | 江 'river', from 江西 Jiangxi province, plus 铃 'bell'; 汽车 is 'motor vehicle' |
| Kaicene | 凯程 | Kǎichéng | “KY-chung (KY as in 'kite')” | 凯 'triumphant, victorious' + 程 'journey, course' — 'a triumphant journey' |
| Karry | 开瑞 | Kāiruì | “kye-RWAY” | 开 kāi 'to open, to drive' + 瑞 ruì 'auspicious' — the 瑞 is shared with 奇瑞 Chery. |
| Keeway | 凯威 | Kǎiwēi | “kigh-WAY” | no literal meaning; a Chinese transliteration of Keeway, using 凯 'triumph' and 威 'prestige, power' |
| King Long | 金龙汽车 | Jīnlóng Qìchē | “jin-LONG chee-CHUH” | 金 'gold' + 龙 'dragon'; 汽车 'motor vehicle' |
| King Long | 金龙 | Jīnlóng | “jin-LONG” | 金 'gold' + 龙 'dragon' |
| Kove | 科沃 | Kēwò | “kuh-WAW” | no literal meaning; a transliteration using 科 'science, branch of study' and 沃 'fertile' |
| Leapmotor | 零跑 | Língpǎo | “ling-PAO” | 零 líng 'zero' + 跑 pǎo 'to run' — 'running on zero'. The English name Leapmotor is not a translation of it. |
| Leapmotor | 零跑 | Língpǎo | “ling-PAO” | 零 líng 'zero' + 跑 pǎo 'to run' — 'running on zero' |
| Leapmotor B10 | 零跑B10 | Língpǎo B10 | “LING-pow B-ten” | 零跑 Língpǎo joins 零 líng 'zero' and 跑 pǎo 'to run' — 'zero-emission running'. B10 is a model code, B marking the compact line below the C-series. |
| Leapmotor C10 | 零跑C10 | Língpǎo C10 | “LING-pow C-ten” | 零跑 Língpǎo joins 零 líng 'zero' and 跑 pǎo 'to run' — 'zero-emission running'. C10 is a model code, C marking the mid-size line. |
| Leapmotor C16 | 零跑C16 | Língpǎo C16 | “LING-pow C-sixteen” | 零跑 Língpǎo joins 零 líng 'zero' and 跑 pǎo 'to run' — 'zero-emission running'. C16 is a model code in the same C-series as the C10. |
| Leapmotor T03 | 零跑T03 | Língpǎo T03 | “LING-pow T-oh-three” | 零跑 Língpǎo joins 零 líng 'zero' and 跑 pǎo 'to run' — 'zero-emission running'. T03 is a model code, T marking the small-car line. |
| LEVC | 伦敦电动汽车公司 | Lúndūn Diàndòng Qìchē Gōngsī | “loon-DUN dyen-DONG chee-chuh” | 'London Electric Vehicle Company' — a straight translation of the English name; LEVC does not trade under a separate Chinese brand name |
| Li Auto | 理想汽车 | Lǐxiǎng Qìchē | “LEE-shyahng CHEE-chuh” | 理想 lǐxiǎng means 'ideal' or 'aspiration'; 汽车 qìchē is 'motor car'. Read aloud it is also a play on founder Li Xiang's own name, 李想. |
| Li Auto | 理想 | Lǐxiǎng | “LEE-shyahng” | 理想 lǐxiǎng is the ordinary Chinese word for 'ideal' or 'aspiration'. The full marque is 理想汽车, 'Ideal Motors'. |
| Li Auto i8 | 理想i8 | Lǐxiǎng i8 | “LEE-shyahng eye-eight” | 理想 Lǐxiǎng means 'ideal' or 'aspiration'. The lower-case i marks Li Auto's battery-electric line, as against the L-series range-extenders. |
| Li Auto L6 | 理想L6 | Lǐxiǎng L6 | “LEE-shyahng L-six” | 理想 Lǐxiǎng means 'ideal' or 'aspiration' and is the company's Chinese name. L6 is a model code. |
| Li Auto L9 | 理想L9 | Lǐxiǎng L9 | “LEE-shyahng L-nine” | 理想 Lǐxiǎng means 'ideal' or 'aspiration' and is the company's Chinese name; it also echoes founder Li Xiang's own name. L9 is a model code. |
| Li Auto Mega | 理想MEGA | Lǐxiǎng MEGA | “LEE-shyahng MEH-ga” | 理想 Lǐxiǎng means 'ideal' or 'aspiration'. MEGA is the English word, used untranslated as the model name. |
| Lifan | 力帆 | Lìfān | “lee-FAHN” | 力 'strength, force' + 帆 'sail' |
| Lifan (now Qianli Technology) | 力帆 | Lìfān | “lee-FAHN” | 力 'strength, power' + 帆 'sail' |
| Livan | 睿蓝 | Ruìlán | “RWAY-lahn” | 睿 ruì 'astute, far-sighted' + 蓝 lán 'blue' |
| Loncin | 隆鑫通用动力 | Lóngxīn Tōngyòng Dònglì | “long-SHIN tong-YONG DONG-lee” | 隆 'prosperous, thriving' + 鑫 'abundant wealth', a character made of three golds; 通用动力 means 'general power' |
| Loncin | 隆鑫 | Lóngxīn | “long-SHIN” | 隆 'prosperous, flourishing' + 鑫 'abundant wealth', a character built from three golds |
| Lotus | 路特斯 | Lùtèsī | “LOO-tuh-suh” | no literal meaning; a transliteration of 'Lotus' chosen for sound |
| Lotus Eletre | 路特斯 ELETRE | Lùtèsī ELETRE | “LOO-tuh-suh ELL-eh-tray” | 路特斯 is a phonetic transliteration of "Lotus" and has no literal meaning; the marque's earlier Chinese name was 莲花 (Liánhuā), literally "lotus flower" |
| Lotus Emeya | 路特斯 EMEYA | Lùtèsī EMEYA | “LOO-tuh-suh eh-MAY-ah” | 路特斯 is a phonetic transliteration of "Lotus" with no literal meaning; the model name is not translated in China |
| Lotus Emira | 路特斯 EMIRA | Lùtèsī EMIRA | “LOO-tuh-suh eh-MEER-ah” | 路特斯 is a phonetic transliteration of "Lotus" with no literal meaning; the model name is not translated in China |
| Luxeed | 智界 | Zhìjiè | “jrr-JYEH” | 智 zhì 'intelligence, wisdom' + 界 jiè 'world, realm' — an intelligent world. |
| Luxeed Luxeed S7 | 智界S7 | Zhìjiè S7 | “jer-JYEH ess-seven” | 智 'intelligence, wisdom' + 界 'realm, world' |
| Lynk & Co | 领克 | Lǐngkè | “LING-kuh” | 领 lǐng 'to lead' + 克 kè 'to overcome'; chosen to sound like 'Lynk' while reading as leading and prevailing |
| Lynk & Co 01 | 领克01 | Lǐngkè 01 | “LING-kuh oh-one” | 领 lǐng 'to lead' + 克 kè 'to overcome', characters chosen mainly for their sound, which approximates the English 'Lynk'; 01 is a two-digit model number |
| Lynk & Co 02 | 领克Z20 | Lǐngkè Z20 | “LING-kuh zed-twenty” | 领 lǐng 'to lead' + 克 kè 'to overcome', chosen for their sound to render 'Lynk'; Z20 is the Chinese model code, Z marking the brand's battery-electric line |
| Lynk & Co 08 | 领克08 | Lǐngkè 08 | “LING-kuh oh-eight” | 领 lǐng 'to lead' + 克 kè 'to overcome', characters chosen for their sound to render 'Lynk'; 08 is a two-digit model number |
| Lynk & Co 900 | 领克900 | Lǐngkè 900 | “LING-kuh nine-hundred” | 领 lǐng 'to lead' + 克 kè 'to overcome', characters chosen for their sound to render 'Lynk'; 900 is a three-digit model number that breaks the brand's usual two-digit series to mark a flagship |
| Lynk & Co Z10 | 领克Z10 | Lǐngkè Z10 | “LING-kuh zed-ten” | 领 lǐng 'to lead' + 克 kè 'to overcome', characters chosen for their sound to render 'Lynk'; Z marks the brand's battery-electric line and 10 the model's place in it |
| M-Hero | 猛士 | Měngshì | “MUNG-shr” | fierce warrior; 猛 'fierce, violent' + 士 'warrior, gentleman' |
| Maextro | 尊界 | Zūnjiè | “dzwun-JYEH” | 尊 'honoured, venerable' + 界 'realm, boundary' |
| Maextro Maextro S800 | 尊界S800 | Zūnjiè S800 | “dzwun-JYEH ess-eight-hundred” | 尊 'honoured, venerable' + 界 'realm, world' |
| Maxus | 上汽大通 | Shàngqì Dàtōng | “SHAHNG-chee dah-TONG” | 上汽 SAIC + 大通 'great thoroughfare, free passage' |
| Maxus Maxus Mifa 9 | 上汽大通MAXUS MIFA 9 | Shàngqì Dàtōng MAXUS MIFA 9 | “SHAHNG-chee DAH-tong MEE-fah nine” | 上汽 is SAIC; 大通 'great thoroughfare' is Maxus's Chinese name; MIFA is a Latin-letter product name with no Chinese meaning |
| Maxus Maxus T60 | 大通T60 | Dàtōng T60 | “DAH-tong T-sixty” | 大通 'great thoroughfare' is the Chinese name of SAIC's Maxus commercial-vehicle brand; the full Chinese badge is 上汽大通MAXUS |
| Maxus Maxus Terron 9 | 星际X | Xīngjì X | “SHING-jee X” | 星际 'interstellar' — Maxus's Chinese name for its current pickup line; the export badge is Terron 9 |
| MG | 名爵 | Míngjué | “MING-jweh” | 名 'famous, renowned' + 爵 'a noble rank, peerage' — chosen to sound roughly like the letters M-G while reading as 'renowned nobility' |
| MG MG HS | 名爵HS | Míngjué HS | “MING-jweh H-S” | 名爵 is MG's Chinese brand name — 名 'renown' plus 爵 'noble rank'; the facelifted first-generation car was sold in China as the MG 领航 (Lǐngháng, 'lead the way') |
| MG MG S5 EV | 名爵ES5 | Míngjué ES5 | “MING-jweh E-S-five” | 名爵 is MG's Chinese brand name — 名 'renown' plus 爵 'noble rank'; the car is badged ES5 in China and S5 EV for export |
| MG MG ZS | 名爵ZS | Míngjué ZS | “MING-jweh Z-S” | 名爵 is MG's Chinese brand name — 名 'renown' plus 爵 'noble rank'; ZS is a model code carried over from MG Rover |
| MG MG4 | 木兰 | Mùlán | “MOO-lahn” | 'magnolia'; also the given name of the heroine of the Chinese ballad of Hua Mulan |
| MG MG5 | 名爵5 | Míngjué wǔ | “MING-jweh woo” | 名爵 is MG's Chinese brand name — 名 'renown' plus 爵 'noble rank'; 5 is the model number |
| MG MG7 | 名爵7 | Míngjué qī | “MING-jweh chee” | 名爵 is MG's Chinese brand name — 名 'renown' plus 爵 'noble rank'; 7 is the model number |
| Moto Morini | 莫里尼 | Mòlǐní | “maw-lee-NEE” | no literal meaning; a Chinese transliteration of the Italian family name Morini |
| Neta | 哪吒 | Nézhā | “nuh-JAH” | the name of a child deity in Chinese mythology, best known from the Ming novel Investiture of the Gods and from Journey to the West |
| Neta Neta Aya | 哪吒AYA | Nézhā AYA | “nuh-JAH AH-yah” | 哪吒 Nezha is a child deity of Chinese mythology; the two characters are used phonetically for the name and carry no separate literal sense |
| Neta Neta X | 哪吒X | Nézhā X | “nuh-JAH eks” | 哪吒 Nezha is a child deity of Chinese mythology; the two characters are used phonetically |
| NIO | 蔚来 | Wèilái | “way-LYE” | 蔚 wèi describes something luxuriant, and in the phrase 蔚蓝 it means the deep blue of a clear sky; 来 lái is 'to come'. The company glosses the pair as 'Blue Sky Coming'. |
| NIO | 蔚来 | Wèilái | “way-LYE” | 蔚 wèi describes something luxuriant and, in the compound 蔚蓝, the deep blue of a clear sky; 来 lái is 'to come'. The company reads the pair as 'Blue Sky Coming'. |
| NIO ES6 | 蔚来ES6 | Wèilái ES6 | “way-LYE E-S-six” | 蔚来 Wèilái is NIO's Chinese name, a near-homophone of 未来 wèilái 'future'. ES6 is a model code: E for electric, S for the SUV line. |
| NIO ES8 | 蔚来ES8 | Wèilái ES8 | “way-LYE E-S-eight” | 蔚来 Wèilái is NIO's Chinese name, a near-homophone of 未来 wèilái 'future'. ES8 is a model code: E for electric, S for the SUV line. |
| NIO ET5 | 蔚来ET5 | Wèilái ET5 | “way-LYE E-T-five” | 蔚来 Wèilái is NIO's Chinese name, a near-homophone of 未来 wèilái 'future'; the company glosses it as 'Blue Sky Coming'. ET5 itself is a model code, not a word: E for electric, T for the sedan (touring) line. |
| NIO ET7 | 蔚来ET7 | Wèilái ET7 | “way-LYE E-T-seven” | 蔚来 Wèilái is NIO's Chinese name, a near-homophone of 未来 wèilái 'future'. ET7 is a model code, not a word. |
| NIO ET9 | 蔚来ET9 | Wèilái ET9 | “way-LYE E-T-nine” | 蔚来 Wèilái is NIO's Chinese name, a near-homophone of 未来 wèilái 'future'. ET9 is a model code, not a word. |
| Niu | 小牛 | Xiǎoniú | “shyow-NYOH” | 'little ox' or 'calf'; in colloquial Chinese 牛 also means impressive or formidable |
| Niu Technologies | 牛电科技 | Niúdiàn Kējì | “nyoh-DYEN kuh-JEE” | 牛 'ox, bull' + 电 'electric'; 科技 'technology' |
| Omoda | 欧萌达 | Ōuméngdá | “oh-mung-DAH” | No literal meaning; the characters are a phonetic rendering of Omoda (欧 'Europe', 萌 'sprout, cute', 达 'to reach'). |
| Omoda Omoda 5 | 奇瑞欧萌达 | Qíruì Ōuméngdá | “chee-RWAY oh-mung-DAH” | 欧萌达 has no literal meaning; it is a phonetic Chinese rendering of the invented word Omoda. |
| Omoda Omoda 7 | 奇瑞瑞虎7L | Qíruì Ruìhǔ 7L | “chee-RWAY rway-HOO seven-ell” | 瑞虎 Ruìhǔ = 'auspicious tiger'; the L marks the longer body. The Omoda name is not used on this car in China. |
| Omoda Omoda 9 | 星途瑶光 | Xīngtú Yáoguāng | “shing-TOO yao-GWAHNG” | 星途 Xīngtú = 'star road', the Chinese name of Chery's Exeed brand; 瑶光 Yáoguāng = 'jade light', and is also the classical Chinese name for the star Alkaid at the tip of the Big Dipper's handle. |
| Onvo | 乐道 | Lèdào | “LUH-dow” | 乐 lè is 'joy, pleasure' and 道 dào is 'way, road, path' — roughly 'the joyful road'. 道 is also the Dao of Chinese philosophy, so the name carries a second reading as 'delighting in the Way'. |
| Onvo L60 | 乐道L60 | Lèdào L60 | “LUH-dow L-sixty” | 乐道 Lèdào combines 乐 lè 'joy' with 道 dào 'way, road' — roughly 'the joyful road'. L60 is a model code. |
| Onvo L90 | 乐道L90 | Lèdào L90 | “LUH-dow L-ninety” | 乐道 Lèdào combines 乐 lè 'joy' with 道 dào 'way, road' — roughly 'the joyful road'. L90 is a model code. |
| Ora | 欧拉 | Ōulā | “oh-LAH” | 欧拉 is the standard Chinese spelling of the surname of the mathematician Leonhard Euler. Great Wall also reads the Latin name as open, reliable and alternative. |
| Ora Ora 03 | 欧拉好猫 | Ōulā Hǎomāo | “OH-lah HAO-mao” | 欧拉 Ōulā is the standard Chinese rendering of the surname Euler and carries no separate meaning; 好猫 hǎomāo = 'good cat'. |
| Ora Ora 07 | 欧拉闪电猫 | Ōulā Shǎndiànmāo | “OH-lah shan-dyen-MAO” | 欧拉 Ōulā is the Chinese rendering of the surname Euler; 闪电猫 shǎndiànmāo = 'lightning cat'. |
| Polestar | 极星 | Jíxīng | “JEE-shing” | 'pole star'; 极 jí 'pole, extreme' + 星 xīng 'star' — a direct translation rather than a transliteration |
| Polestar Polestar 2 | 极星2 | Jíxīng Èr | “JEE-shing AR” | 极星 means "pole star" (极 'pole, extreme' + 星 'star') - a direct translation of the brand name rather than a transliteration; 2 is read 二 (èr) |
| Polestar Polestar 3 | 极星3 | Jíxīng Sān | “JEE-shing SAHN” | 极星 means "pole star" (极 'pole, extreme' + 星 'star'), a translation of the brand name; 3 is read 三 (sān) |
| Polestar Polestar 4 | 极星4 | Jíxīng Sì | “JEE-shing SUH” | 极星 means "pole star" (极 'pole, extreme' + 星 'star'), a translation of the brand name; 4 is read 四 (sì) |
| Polestar Polestar 5 | 极星5 | Jíxīng Wǔ | “JEE-shing WOO” | 极星 means "pole star" (极 'pole, extreme' + 星 'star'), a translation of the brand name; 5 is read 五 (wǔ). The car is not offered in China |
| Proton | 宝腾 | Bǎoténg | “BAO-tung” | no literal meaning; a transliteration of 'Proton' using 宝 bǎo 'treasure' and 腾 téng 'to soar', characters chosen for their favourable sense as well as their sound |
| Qianjiang Motorcycle | 钱江摩托 | Qiánjiāng Mótuō | “chyen-JYAHNG maw-TWAW” | 钱江 is short for 钱塘江, the Qiantang River in Zhejiang; 摩托 is a loanword for 'motor', from motorcycle |
| QJMotor | 钱江 | Qiánjiāng | “chyen-JYAHNG” | short for 钱塘江, the Qiantang River in Zhejiang |
| Radar | 雷达 | Léidá | “LAY-dah” | 'radar' — the standard Chinese loanword, written with characters chosen for sound |
| Rising Auto | 飞凡 | Fēifán | “fay-FAHN” | 飞 'to fly' + 凡 'ordinary' — the pair is a deliberate homophone of 非凡 (fēifán), which means 'extraordinary' |
| Roewe | 荣威 | Róngwēi | “RONG-way” | 荣 'glory, honour' + 威 'power, prestige' |
| Roewe Roewe RX5 | 荣威RX5 | Róngwēi RX5 | “RONG-way R-X-five” | 荣 'glory' plus 威 'prestige, authority'; Roewe is a coined Latin name SAIC created in 2006 after it failed to acquire the Rover trademark |
| SAIC Motor | 上汽集团 | Shàngqì Jítuán | “SHAHNG-chee jee-TWAN” | 上汽 is a contraction of 上海汽车 'Shanghai Automobile'; 集团 means 'group' |
| SAIC-GM-Wuling | 上汽通用五菱 | Shàngqì Tōngyòng Wǔlíng | “SHAHNG-chee TONG-yong WOO-ling” | 上汽 SAIC + 通用 'general purpose', the Chinese name of General Motors + 五菱 Wuling, 'five diamonds' |
| Seres | 赛力斯 | Sàilìsī | “SIGH-lee-suh” | a sound transliteration of the English name Seres; the characters (赛 'to race', 力 'strength', 斯 a transliteration syllable) carry no combined literal meaning |
| Seres Group | 赛力斯 | Sàilìsī | “SIGH-lee-suh” | a sound transliteration of the English name Seres; the characters (赛 'to race', 力 'strength', 斯 a common transliteration syllable) carry no combined literal meaning |
| Shacman | 陕汽 | Shǎnqì | “shan-CHEE” | short for 陕西汽车, 'Shaanxi Automobile' |
| Shacman (Shaanxi Automobile Group) | 陕西汽车控股集团 | Shǎnxī Qìchē Kònggǔ Jítuán | “shan-SHEE chee-CHUH KONG-goo jee-TWAN” | Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group |
| Shineray Group | 鑫源 | Xīnyuán | “shin-yoo-EN” | 鑫 'abundant wealth', a character written as three golds, + 源 'source, spring' |
| Sinotruk | 中国重汽 | Zhōngguó Zhòngqì | “JONG-gwaw JONG-chee” | short for 中国重型汽车集团, 'China Heavy-Duty Vehicle Group' |
| Sinotruk | 中国重汽 | Zhōngguó Zhòngqì | “JONG-gwaw JONG-chee” | 'China Heavy Vehicle', short for 中国重型汽车 |
| Skywell | 开沃 | Kāiwò | “kye-WORE” | 开 kāi 'to open' + 沃 wò 'fertile' — a coined name, romanised as Skywell |
| Skywell Skywell ET5 | 创维EV6 | Chuàngwéi EV6 | “chwahng-WAY EE-vee-six” | 创维 is the Chinese name of the Skyworth electronics group: 创 'to create' and 维 'to maintain, to hold together' |
| smart | 智马达 | Zhìmǎdá | “JRR-mah-DAH” | the joint venture's Chinese company name: 智 zhì 'intelligence' plus 马达 mǎdá, the Chinese loanword for 'motor', chosen to echo the sound of 'smart' |
| smart smart #1 | smart 精灵#1 | smart Jīnglíng Yī Hào | “JING-ling ee-HOW” | 精灵 means "sprite" or "elf"; #1 is read 一号 (yī hào), "number one". The brand name itself stays in Latin letters in China |
| smart smart #3 | smart 精灵#3 | smart Jīnglíng Sān Hào | “JING-ling sahn-HOW” | 精灵 means "sprite" or "elf"; #3 is read 三号 (sān hào), "number three" |
| smart smart #5 | smart 精灵#5 | smart Jīnglíng Wǔ Hào | “JING-ling woo-HOW” | 精灵 means "sprite" or "elf"; #5 is read 五号 (wǔ hào), "number five" |
| Soueast | 东南 | Dōngnán | “dong-NAHN” | 东 dōng 'east' + 南 nán 'south' — southeast, for the company's home in Fujian on China's south-east coast. |
| Souo | 灵魂 | Línghún | “ling-HWUN” | 灵魂 means 'soul'. The full Chinese name is 长城灵魂摩托 (Chángchéng Línghún Mótuō), Great Wall Soul Motorcycles. |
| Stelato | 享界 | Xiǎngjiè | “shyahng-JYEH” | 享 'to enjoy' + 界 'realm, boundary' |
| Stelato Stelato S9 | 享界S9 | Xiǎngjiè S9 | “shyahng-JYEH ess-nine” | 享 'to enjoy, to be provided with' + 界 'realm, world' |
| Sur-Ron | 虬龙 | Qiúlóng | “chyoh-LONG” | a horned or coiled dragon of Chinese legend |
| SWM | 斯威 | Sīwēi | “srr-WAY” | no literal meaning; a Chinese transliteration of the letters SWM |
| Tank | 坦克 | Tǎnkè | “TAHN-kuh” | 坦克 is the standard Chinese transliteration of the English word tank, the tracked vehicle. It carries no separate meaning. |
| Tank Tank 300 | 坦克300 | Tǎnkè 300 | “TAHN-kuh three-hundred” | 坦克 tǎnkè has no literal meaning; it is the standard Chinese transliteration of the English word 'tank'. |
| Tank Tank 500 | 坦克500 | Tǎnkè 500 | “TAHN-kuh five-hundred” | 坦克 tǎnkè is the Chinese transliteration of 'tank'; 500 places the model above the 300 and below the 700 in GWM's size ladder. |
| Tank Tank 700 | 坦克700 | Tǎnkè 700 | “TAHN-kuh seven-hundred” | 坦克 tǎnkè is the Chinese transliteration of 'tank'; 700 marks the largest model in the range. |
| Trumpchi | 传祺 | Chuánqí | “chwahn-CHEE” | 传 'to pass on' + 祺 'auspicious, good fortune' - roughly 'passing on good fortune' |
| Venucia | 启辰 | Qǐchén | “chee-CHUN” | 启 'to open, to begin' + 辰 'celestial body, early morning'; usually read as 'dawn' or 'morning star' |
| Voge | 无极 | Wújí | “woo-JEE” | 'without limit', a Daoist term for the boundless or undifferentiated state |
| Volvo Cars | 沃尔沃 | Wò'ěrwò | “WOR-er-WOR” | no literal meaning; a transliteration of 'Volvo', which is Latin for 'I roll' |
| Volvo Cars EX30 | 沃尔沃 EX30 | Wò'ěrwò EX30 | “WOR-er-WOR E-X-thirty” | 沃尔沃 is a phonetic transliteration of "Volvo" and carries no literal meaning; the model designation is unchanged in China |
| Volvo Cars EX90 | 沃尔沃 EX90 | Wò'ěrwò EX90 | “WOR-er-WOR E-X-ninety” | 沃尔沃 is a phonetic transliteration of "Volvo" with no literal meaning; the model designation is unchanged in China |
| Volvo Cars S90 | 沃尔沃 S90 | Wò'ěrwò S90 | “WOR-er-WOR S-ninety” | 沃尔沃 is a phonetic transliteration of "Volvo" with no literal meaning; the model designation is unchanged in China |
| Volvo Cars XC40 / EX40 | 沃尔沃 XC40 | Wò'ěrwò XC40 | “WOR-er-WOR X-C-forty” | 沃尔沃 is a phonetic transliteration of "Volvo" with no literal meaning; the model designation is unchanged in China |
| Volvo Cars XC60 | 沃尔沃 XC60 | Wò'ěrwò XC60 | “WOR-er-WOR X-C-sixty” | 沃尔沃 is a phonetic transliteration of "Volvo" with no literal meaning; the model designation is unchanged in China |
| Voyah | 岚图 | Lántú | “LAHN-too” | 岚 'mountain mist' + 图 'plan, drawing, picture' |
| Voyah Voyah Dream | 岚图梦想家 | Lántú Mèngxiǎngjiā | “LAHN-too mung-shyahng-JYAH” | 梦想家 'dreamer', from 梦想 'dream, aspiration' plus 家, a suffix marking a person who does something |
| Voyah Voyah Free | 岚图FREE | Lántú FREE | “LAHN-too free” | 岚 'mist on a mountain' + 图 'chart, picture, plan' |
| Weichai Power | 潍柴动力 | Wéichái Dònglì | “way-CHIGH DONG-lee” | 潍 from 潍坊 Weifang, the company's home city, + 柴 from 柴油机 'diesel engine'; 动力 is 'power' |
| Wey | 魏牌 | Wèipái | “way-PIE” | 魏 Wèi is the chairman's surname, also the name of an ancient Chinese state; 牌 pái means 'marque' or 'brand'. So: the Wei marque. |
| Wey Wey 07 | 魏牌蓝山 | Wèipái Lánshān | “way-PIE lahn-SHAHN” | 魏牌 Wèipái = 'the Wei brand', after the surname of GWM's founder Wei Jianjun; 蓝山 lánshān = 'blue mountain'. |
| WM Motor | 威马 | Wēimǎ | “way-MAH” | a transliteration of the German Weltmeister ('world champion'); the characters read as 威 wēi 'power, prestige' + 马 mǎ 'horse' |
| Wuling | 五菱 | Wǔlíng | “WOO-ling” | 五 'five' + 菱 'water caltrop', a plant whose seed is diamond-shaped — the badge is five diamond shapes arranged as a W |
| Wuling Wuling Air ev | 五菱晴空 | Wǔlíng Qíngkōng | “WOO-ling ching-KONG” | 晴空 'clear sky' — the Chinese name for the car Wuling exports as the Air ev |
| Wuling Wuling Bingo | 五菱缤果 | Wǔlíng Bīnguǒ | “WOO-ling BIN-gwor” | 缤 'colourful, profuse' plus 果 'fruit'; the Latin spelling Binguo transliterates the Chinese, and MG and Wuling also market it as Bingo |
| Wuling Wuling Hongguang Mini EV | 五菱宏光MINIEV | Wǔlíng Hóngguāng MINIEV | “WOO-ling HONG-gwahng MINI-E-V” | 五菱 'five rhombuses', after the diamond shapes in the brand's badge; 宏光 'grand light', the name of Wuling's long-running family of small vans |
| Wuling Wuling Starlight | 五菱星光 | Wǔlíng Xīngguāng | “WOO-ling SHING-gwahng” | 星光 'starlight' — the name Wuling uses for its Silver Badge family saloons and MPVs |
| Xiaomi | 小米 | Xiǎomǐ | “SHYAOW-mee” | 小米 xiǎomǐ is the ordinary Chinese word for millet — literally 'little rice'. The car business is 小米汽车 Xiǎomǐ Qìchē, 'Xiaomi Motors'. |
| Xiaomi EV | 小米汽车 | Xiǎomǐ Qìchē | “SHYAOW-mee CHEE-chuh” | 小米 xiǎomǐ is millet, literally 'little rice'; 汽车 qìchē is 'motor car'. So the marque is simply 'Xiaomi Motors'. |
| Xiaomi EV SU7 | 小米SU7 | Xiǎomǐ SU7 | “shyow-MEE S-U-seven” | 小米 Xiǎomǐ literally means 'millet', the grain, and is the parent company's name. SU stands for 'Speed Ultra'; Xiaomi reads the model name aloud in Chinese as 苏7 (Sū qī). |
| Xiaomi EV YU7 | 小米YU7 | Xiǎomǐ YU7 | “shyow-MEE Y-U-seven” | 小米 Xiǎomǐ literally means 'millet'. Xiaomi reads YU7 aloud in Chinese as 御7 (Yù qī); 御 yù carries the sense of driving or commanding a chariot. |
| Xpeng | 小鹏汽车 | Xiǎopéng Qìchē | “SHYAOW-pung CHEE-chuh” | 小鹏 Xiǎopéng is founder He Xiaopeng's given name — 小 'little' plus 鹏 Péng, the enormous mythical bird of the Zhuangzi. 汽车 qìchē means 'motor car'. So the name reads literally as 'Xiaopeng Motors'. |
| Xpeng | 小鹏 | Xiǎopéng | “SHYAOW-pung” | The founder's given name: 小 xiǎo 'little' plus 鹏 péng, the enormous bird of the Zhuangzi that turns from a fish and flies to the southern ocean. The full marque is 小鹏汽车, 'Xiaopeng Motors'. |
| Xpeng G6 | 小鹏G6 | Xiǎopéng G6 | “shyow-PUNG G-six” | 小鹏 Xiǎopéng is the founder He Xiaopeng's given name; 鹏 péng is the giant mythical bird of the Zhuangzi. G6 is a model code, G marking the SUV line. |
| Xpeng G9 | 小鹏G9 | Xiǎopéng G9 | “shyow-PUNG G-nine” | 小鹏 Xiǎopéng is founder He Xiaopeng's given name; 鹏 péng is the giant mythical bird of the Zhuangzi. G9 is a model code, G marking the SUV line. |
| Xpeng Mona M03 | 小鹏MONA M03 | Xiǎopéng MONA M03 | “shyow-PUNG MOH-nah M-oh-three” | 小鹏 Xiǎopéng is founder He Xiaopeng's given name. MONA is not a Chinese word: XPENG says it stands for 'Made Of New AI'. |
| Xpeng P7+ | 小鹏P7+ | Xiǎopéng P7+ | “shyow-PUNG P-seven-plus” | 小鹏 Xiǎopéng is founder He Xiaopeng's given name. P marks XPENG's saloon line; the plus denotes a longer, more spacious body than the P7. |
| Xpeng X9 | 小鹏X9 | Xiǎopéng X9 | “shyow-PUNG X-nine” | 小鹏 Xiǎopéng is founder He Xiaopeng's given name. X9 is a model code; X marks XPENG's MPV line. |
| Yangwang | 仰望 | Yǎngwàng | “yahng-WAHNG” | 'to look up at' — with the sense of looking up in admiration |
| Yangwang Yangwang U8 | 仰望U8 | Yǎngwàng U8 | “YAHNG-wahng U-eight” | 仰 yǎng 'to raise the head, look up' + 望 wàng 'to gaze into the distance' — together, to look up to or admire |
| Yangwang Yangwang U9 | 仰望U9 | Yǎngwàng U9 | “YAHNG-wahng U-nine” | 仰 yǎng 'to raise the head, look up' + 望 wàng 'to gaze into the distance' — to look up to or admire; U9 is a model code |
| Yuanhang | 远航 | Yuǎnháng | “ywen-HAHNG” | 'long voyage' — 远 yuǎn 'far' + 航 háng 'to sail or fly' |
| Yuejin | 跃进 | Yuèjìn | “yweh-JIN” | 'leap forward' |
| Yutong | 宇通 | Yǔtōng | “yoo-TONG” | 宇 'space, the heavens' + 通 'to pass through, to connect' |
| Yutong Bus | 宇通客车 | Yǔtōng Kèchē | “yoo-TONG kuh-CHUH” | 宇 'space, the universe' + 通 'to go through, to connect'; 客车 is 'passenger coach' |
| Zeekr | 极氪 | Jíkè | “JEE-kuh” | 极 jí 'extreme, pole' + 氪 kè 'krypton' |
| Zeekr 001 | 极氪001 | Jíkè 001 | “JEE-kuh oh-oh-one” | 极 jí 'extreme, utmost' + 氪 kè 'krypton', the coined brand name; 001 is a three-digit model number and marks the brand's first car |
| Zeekr 007 | 极氪007 | Jíkè 007 | “JEE-kuh oh-oh-seven” | 极 jí 'extreme' + 氪 kè 'krypton', the brand name; 007 is a three-digit model number with no separate meaning |
| Zeekr 009 | 极氪009 | Jíkè 009 | “JEE-kuh oh-oh-nine” | 极 jí 'extreme' + 氪 kè 'krypton', the brand name; 009 is a three-digit model number |
| Zeekr 7X | 极氪7X | Jíkè 7X | “JEE-kuh seven-eks” | 极 jí 'extreme' + 氪 kè 'krypton', the brand name; 7X is an alphanumeric model code, with X marking the SUV line |
| Zeekr 9X | 极氪9X | Jíkè 9X | “JEE-kuh nine-eks” | 极 jí 'extreme' + 氪 kè 'krypton', the brand name; 9X is an alphanumeric code, with X marking the SUV line and 9 the largest size class |
| Zeekr Mix | 极氪MIX | Jíkè MIX | “JEE-kuh mix” | 极 jí 'extreme' + 氪 kè 'krypton', the brand name; MIX is written in Latin letters in China too and has no Chinese gloss |
| Zeekr X | 极氪X | Jíkè X | “JEE-kuh eks” | 极 jí 'extreme' + 氪 kè 'krypton', the brand name; X is a letter code rather than a word |
| Zhongneng Vehicle Group | 中能车辆集团 | Zhōngnéng Chēliàng Jítuán | “jong-NUNG chuh-LYAHNG jee-TWAN” | 中 'central, China' + 能 'energy, capability'; 车辆 'vehicles', 集团 'group' |
| Zhongtong | 中通 | Zhōngtōng | “jong-TONG” | 中 'central, China' + 通 'to pass through, to connect' |
| Zongshen | 宗申 | Zōngshēn | “dzong-SHUN” | no literal meaning; it is the given name of the founder, Zuo Zongshen |
| Zongshen | 宗申 | Zōngshēn | “dzong-SHUN” | no literal meaning; the given name of the founder, Zuo Zongshen |
| Zontes | 升仕 | Shēngshì | “shung-SHRR” | 升 'to rise, to ascend' + 仕 'to serve in office', an old word for taking up official rank |
Characters that recur
A character shared across several names is usually a family: one company's sub-brands, or one series of models. These are the characters that appear in three or more names on this site.
Group names
Brand names
Model names
Chinese car names: questions people ask
- What does BYD stand for?
- The brand pages carry each company's own account of its name, in characters, pinyin and plain English. Where a name is a transliteration with no literal meaning, the page says so rather than inventing one.
- Why is the pinyin written with tone marks?
- Because without them it is not the name. Pinyin without tones collapses different words onto the same spelling, so every name here carries its marks and a plain English hint at the sound beside them.
- Are these translations?
- They are literal glosses of what the characters say, not marketing translations. A brand's own English name is in the first column; the meaning column says what the Chinese characters mean.