The words you'll meet on signs, maps, rental counters and official pages. Where a term is a legal category, the note says so.
| English | 中文 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bicycle | 自行車 | Formal and most common written term. 腳踏車 and 單車 are everyday words. |
| pedal bicycle | 腳踏自行車 | Legal category in Act Art. 69. |
| electric-assist bicycle (e-assist) | 電動輔助自行車 | Legal category: pedal power first, motor assist, max 25 km/h. Short form 電輔車. |
| micro electric two-wheeler | 微型電動二輪車 | Legal category since 2022, formerly 電動自行車 ('electric bicycle'). Needs a plate. Short form 微電車. |
| slow vehicle | 慢車 | Legal class that includes all bicycles. |
| slow lane | 慢車道 | Marked lane for slow vehicles on some roads. |
| fast lane (motor lane) | 快車道 | Lanes for motor traffic; bicycles may not ride in them. |
| bike path | 自行車道 | General term for any cycling route or path; check whether it is separated from traffic. |
| bike-only lane / path | 自行車專用道 | Path or lane for bicycles only; on-road lanes are painted brick red (自行車專用車道). |
| shared walk/bike path | 行人及自行車共用道 | Official sign name is 行人及自行車專用標誌 (遵22-1); pedestrians have priority. Also written 人車共道. |
| mixed traffic | 人車混合 | Riding on a road shared with cars, scooters and trucks. |
| riverside bike path | 河濱自行車道 | Paths in riverside parks outside the flood walls, e.g. in Taipei. |
| riverside park | 河濱公園 | Parks between flood walls and rivers; closed during typhoons. |
| evacuation gate (flood gate) | 疏散門 | Gates through Taipei's flood walls to riverside parks. |
| exit only | 只出不進 | Gate control before typhoons: you may leave but not enter. |
| sidewalk | 人行道 | Includes arcades and covered walkways in law; no riding unless signed. |
| arcade (covered walkway) | 騎樓 | Covered walkway under shop buildings; walk your bike. |
| zebra crossing | 行人穿越道 | Also 斑馬線; get off and push. |
| two-stage turn (hook turn) | 兩段式轉彎 | Required where the 機慢車兩段左轉 sign is posted. |
| turn waiting box | 待轉區 | Box on the far side of a junction for two-stage turns. |
| traffic light | 紅綠燈 | Formal term 號誌. |
| helmet | 安全帽 | Use a bicycle helmet (自行車安全帽). |
| front light | 前燈 | Also 車頭燈. |
| rear light | 尾燈 | |
| reflector | 反光片 | Legal text says 反光裝置 (reflective devices). |
| bell | 車鈴 | Legal text says 鈴號. |
| brake | 煞車 | |
| lock | 車鎖 | |
| inner tube | 內胎 | |
| tyre | 輪胎 | Outer tyre: 外胎. |
| flat tyre / puncture | 破胎 | 爆胎 means a blowout; 落鏈 means dropped chain. |
| tyre pressure | 胎壓 | |
| pump | 打氣筒 | |
| chain | 鏈條 | |
| gears | 變速 | |
| saddle | 座墊 | YouBike: turn it 180 degrees to flag a faulty bike. |
| handlebar | 車把 | Legal text: 車把手. |
| folding bike | 折疊車 | Formal: 折疊式自行車. |
| road bike | 公路車 | |
| mountain bike | 登山車 | |
| bike bag (for transport) | 攜車袋 | Bag for taking a bike on trains; also called 車袋. |
| pannier | 馬鞍袋 | Bags on a rear rack. |
| child seat | 兒童座椅 | Must be an approved type to carry a child. |
| around-island ride | 環島 | Riding around Taiwan. |
| Cycling Route No. 1 | 自行車環島1號線 | Official MOTC name; often shortened to 環島1號線. |
| supply station (rest stop) | 補給站 | Official MOTC term for rest and supply points along Route No. 1. |
| rail-and-bike transfer station | 兩鐵轉運站 | MOTC term for stations where you can switch between train and bike. |
| public bike share | 公共自行車 | YouBike is the main system. |
| dock (docking post) | 停車柱 | YouBike term; station is 場站 or 站點. |
| single rental (temporary member) | 單次租車（臨時會員） | YouBike credit-card option for visitors. |
| pre-authorization hold | 預扣授權金 | NT$3,000 for YouBike single rental. |
| public-bicycle injury insurance | 公共自行車傷害險 | Required for all YouBike riders from January 1, 2026. |
| convenience store | 便利商店 | Common place for water and restrooms; check opening hours. |
| police station (local) | 派出所 | Where to report theft in person. |
| typhoon warning | 颱風警報 | Issued by the Central Weather Administration. |
| road closure | 道路封閉 | Also 交通管制 (traffic control). |
Sources
Checked November 2026 Laws are amended; next review February 2027.