<p>I think the reference materials below provide answers to your questions.</p>
<p><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8F%91%E5%8A%A8%E6%9C%BA" rel="nofollow noreferrer">zh.wikipedia.org</a></p>
<p>发动机（英语：motor ，音译马达）也称引擎（engine），<strong>泛指任何将储蓄的势能（燃料中的化学能、电网和电池中的电能、流体的机械能等等）转化为动能做功的机器</strong>，常见的发动机包含热机（利用燃烧产生高热能高压气体推动活塞做功的蒸汽机、汽油机及柴油机）、<strong>电动机</strong>、液压机、气压机、喷气发动机等等。</p>
<p><a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%8F%91%E5%8A%A8%E6%9C%BA/866440" rel="nofollow noreferrer">baike.baidu.com</a></p>
<p>发动机（Engine）<strong>是一种能够把其它形式的能转化为机械能的机器</strong>，包括如内燃机（往复活塞式发动机）、外燃机（斯特林发动机、蒸汽机等）、喷气发动机、<strong>电动机</strong>等。如内燃机通常是把化学能转化为机械能。发动机既适用于动力发生装置，也可指包括动力装置的整个机器（如：汽油发动机、航空发动机）。发动机最早诞生在英国，所以，发动机的概念也源于英语，它的本义是指那种“产生动力的机械装置”。</p>
<p><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B4%94%E9%9B%BB%E5%8B%95%E8%BB%8A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">zh.wikipedia.org</a></p>
<p>纯电动车以蓄电池为车辆提供电力给<strong>电动机</strong>，<strong>电动机把电能转化为动能</strong>，推动车辆</p>
<p><strong>Q: Does EV have motors?</strong></p>
<p><strong>A: All-electric vehicles, also referred to as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine.</strong>
<a href="https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work#:%7E:text=All%2Delectric%20vehicles%2C%20also%20referred,of%20an%20internal%20combustion%20engine" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work#:~:text=All%2Delectric%20vehicles%2C%20also%20referred,of%20an%20internal%20combustion%20engine</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-17T16:56:14.977Z
就是，按照百科的文章，内燃机，蒸汽机，喷气发动机，电动机等都是发动机的一种，但是在口语中人说“发动机”的话，他的意思是内燃机，并不是电动机（看 `fat penguin`的回答），对吗？
maestro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-17T18:06:07.950Z
@maestro The first uptick on his post was from me:)
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-18T15:09:53.517Z
一般不说“电动机”，而是说“电机”。比如，特斯拉的电动车有一个或者两个直流电机。水泵可以使用交流电机或者柴油发动机。铁路列车的牵引机车（ENGINE）俗称火车头，也叫车头 (Locomotive)。火车是传统的燃煤蒸汽机车。铁路列车可以使用电力机车或者内燃机车。
PdotWang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-19T14:29:24.363Z
@PdotWang, 太感谢你！
maestro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-16T22:21:01.483Z
2024-07-16T22:21:01.483Z
r13
<p>In everyday usage, 发动机 now means some kind of heat engine. OTOH, 电动机 specifically refers to an electrical motor.</p>
<p>引擎 is synonymous with 发动机, while 馬達 is  synonymous with 电动机.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-20T02:18:42.723Z
我的直觉，引擎是ENGINE的音译，马达是MOTOR的音译。不知道对不对。
PdotWang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-22T03:11:50.233Z
馬達的確是motor的音譯，另外那個就不清楚
fat penguin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-17T06:59:57.783Z
2024-07-17T06:59:57.783Z
fat penguin
<p>According to Google Translate, '发动机' along with '引擎' is translated as 'engine'</p>
<p><em>'引擎' came from the transliteration of 'engine'</em></p>
<p>I googled 引擎和馬達的區別 (the difference between an engine and a motor)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“People use both interchangeably, but the difference is that motors run on electricity and engines run on combustion. The engine converts various forms of fuels into mechanical force, while the motor transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy.”</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>An electric car doesn't have an engine (发动机/ 引擎), it has an (electric) motor (馬達), but it wouldn't surprise me if someone called it an &quot;electrical engine&quot; because most people have the deep-rooted idea of 'cars run with engine'</p>
</li>
<li><p>All regular cars have a (combustion)engine and engines are not limited to the car engine, ships and airplanes also have engines</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>旧的火车（需要开水的）有发动机吗？</p>
</blockquote>
<p>the old train's engine was called 'steam engine' (蒸气发动机 or simply 蒸气机)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-17T16:49:21.420Z
我发现了，你和其他人都使用繁体字：“馬達”替“马达”，“區別”替“区别”。这是这个网站的普遍常理吗？
maestro
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-16T18:38:40.177Z
2024-07-16T23:15:05.550Z
2024-07-16T23:15:05.550Z
Tang Ho
<p><strong>engine</strong> is related to the word &quot;genius&quot;:  from Old French engin &quot;skill, wit, cleverness,&quot; and basically means: &quot;in the genes, that which is inborn,&quot;</p>
<p>Thus, an engine is a &quot;clever thing&quot; which was often, in ages past, a &quot;war machine&quot; but can also be that which propels a vehicle. (And also the algorithm which searches for results in google. Do not trust AI!)</p>
<p>motor: literally &quot;mover: agent noun from past-participle stem of Latin movere: to move&quot; (Dative: mōtō)</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我想了解“发动机”:</p>
</blockquote>
<p>就是  motor, mover</p>
<p>Because the mechanism which propels vehicles is often an ingenious thing, it may be called an <em>engine</em>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>ingenious: (of a machine or idea) cleverly and originally devised and
well suited to its purpose:</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-16T22:13:38.047Z
2024-07-16T22:30:36.037Z
2024-07-16T22:30:36.037Z
Pedroski
<p>我想了解“发动机”这个词的意思。我问了一些中国人，他们都说的不同。</p>
<ul>
<li>发动机是什么？</li>
<li>汽车（汽油的或柴油的）有发动机吗？</li>
<li>电动车有发动机吗？</li>
<li>飞机有发动机吗？</li>
<li>火车（电动的）有发动机吗？</li>
<li>旧的火车（需要开水的）有发动机吗？</li>
<li>原子潜艇有发动机吗？</li>
</ul>
<p>一些人说，电动车没有发动机，而有电机。对不对？
一个人说，发动机是内燃机的一种，对吗？这么着，内燃机有什么特点？</p>
<p>我觉得，发动机摄入各种能源（燃烧、电、原子等）制行动，那么这个“动”是行动，“发”是制。有人说，发动机一定是汽油的或柴油的，但我觉得这个不对，因为这个“发”跟汽油或者燃烧没有关系。我觉得发动机包含内燃机、电动机，原子动机等。</p>
<p>一个人说，电动车没有发动机，而有变速器。这里我觉得他不明白了我的意思，因为按照词典，变速器是另一种机器。</p>
<hr />
<ul>
<li>What is a 发动机？</li>
<li>Does a car (petrol or diesel) have a 发动机？</li>
<li>Does an electric car have a 发动机？</li>
<li>Does an airplane have a 发动机？</li>
<li>Does an electric train have a 发动机？</li>
<li>Does an old steam-engine train have a 发动机？</li>
<li>Does a nuclear submarine have a 发动机？</li>
</ul>
<p>People said, electric cars don't have a 发动机, but have a 电机. Is this right?</p>
<p>A person said, 发动机 is a kind of 内燃机, is this right? Then, what is a 内燃机's distinguishing feature?</p>
<p>I suppose 发动机 consumes energy (combustion, electric, nuclear) and produces motion, and &quot;发“ is produce, ”动“ is a motion. People said, 发动机 is a petrol-consuming or diesel-consuming machine, but I feel this is wrong, because “发” doesn't have any relation to petrol or combustion. I think the meaning of “发动机” includes internal combustion engine, electric engine and nuclear engine.</p>
<p>A person said, electric cars don't have 发动机, but have 变速器. There I suppose he didn't understand my words, because according to the dictionary, 变速器 is another kind of machine.</p>

<translation><meaning>
Does 发动机 mean "engine"?
# Does 发动机 mean "engine"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-07-16)

我想了解“发动机”这个词的意思。我问了一些中国人，他们都说的不同。

* 发动机是什么？
* 汽车（汽油的或柴油的）有发动机吗？
* 电动车有发动机吗？
* 飞机有发动机吗？
* 火车（电动的）有发动机吗？
* 旧的火车（需要开水的）有发动机吗？
* 原子潜艇有发动机吗？

一些人说，电动车没有发动机，而有电机。对不对？
一个人说，发动机是内燃机的一种，对吗？这么着，内燃机有什么特点？

我觉得，发动机摄入各种能源（燃烧、电、原子等）制行动，那么这个“动”是行动，“发”是制。有人说，发动机一定是汽油的或柴油的，但我觉得这个不对，因为这个“发”跟汽油或者燃烧没有关系。我觉得发动机包含内燃机、电动机，原子动机等。

一个人说，电动车没有发动机，而有变速器。这里我觉得他不明白了我的意思，因为按照词典，变速器是另一种机器。

---

* What is a 发动机？
* Does a car (petrol or diesel) have a 发动机？
* Does an electric car have a 发动机？
* Does an airplane have a 发动机？
* Does an electric train have a 发动机？
* Does an old steam-engine train have a 发动机？
* Does a nuclear submarine have a 发动机？

People said, electric cars don't have a 发动机, but have a 电机. Is this right?

A person said, 发动机 is a kind of 内燃机, is this right? Then, what is a 内燃机's distinguishing feature?

I suppose 发动机 consumes energy (combustion, electric, nuclear) and produces motion, and "发“ is produce, ”动“ is a motion. People said, 发动机 is a petrol-consuming or diesel-consuming machine, but I feel this is wrong, because “发” doesn't have any relation to petrol or combustion. I think the meaning of “发动机” includes internal combustion engine, electric engine and nuclear engine.

A person said, electric cars don't have 发动机, but have 变速器. There I suppose he didn't understand my words, because according to the dictionary, 变速器 is another kind of machine.

**Tags:** translation, meaning

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-07-16. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

I think the reference materials below provide answers to your questions.

[zh.wikipedia.org](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8F%91%E5%8A%A8%E6%9C%BA)

发动机（英语：motor ，音译马达）也称引擎（engine），**泛指任何将储蓄的势能（燃料中的化学能、电网和电池中的电能、流体的机械能等等）转化为动能做功的机器**，常见的发动机包含热机（利用燃烧产生高热能高压气体推动活塞做功的蒸汽机、汽油机及柴油机）、**电动机**、液压机、气压机、喷气发动机等等。

[baike.baidu.com](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%8F%91%E5%8A%A8%E6%9C%BA/866440)

发动机（Engine）**是一种能够把其它形式的能转化为机械能的机器**，包括如内燃机（往复活塞式发动机）、外燃机（斯特林发动机、蒸汽机等）、喷气发动机、**电动机**等。如内燃机通常是把化学能转化为机械能。发动机既适用于动力发生装置，也可指包括动力装置的整个机器（如：汽油发动机、航空发动机）。发动机最早诞生在英国，所以，发动机的概念也源于英语，它的本义是指那种“产生动力的机械装置”。

[zh.wikipedia.org](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B4%94%E9%9B%BB%E5%8B%95%E8%BB%8A)

纯电动车以蓄电池为车辆提供电力给**电动机**，**电动机把电能转化为动能**，推动车辆

**Q: Does EV have motors?**

**A: All-electric vehicles, also referred to as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine.**
[https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work#:~:text=All%2Delectric%20vehicles%2C%20also%20referred,of%20an%20internal%20combustion%20engine](https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work#:%7E:text=All%2Delectric%20vehicles%2C%20also%20referred,of%20an%20internal%20combustion%20engine).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 就是，按照百科的文章，内燃机，蒸汽机，喷气发动机，电动机等都是发动机的一种，但是在口语中人说“发动机”的话，他的意思是内燃机，并不是电动机（看 `fat penguin`的回答），对吗？  
> **username_1**: @maestro The first uptick on his post was from me:)  
> **username_2**: 一般不说“电动机”，而是说“电机”。比如，特斯拉的电动车有一个或者两个直流电机。水泵可以使用交流电机或者柴油发动机。铁路列车的牵引机车（ENGINE）俗称火车头，也叫车头 (Locomotive)。火车是传统的燃煤蒸汽机车。铁路列车可以使用电力机车或者内燃机车。  
> **username_0**: @PdotWang, 太感谢你！  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-07-17. Score: 2

In everyday usage, 发动机 now means some kind of heat engine. OTOH, 电动机 specifically refers to an electrical motor.

引擎 is synonymous with 发动机, while 馬達 is synonymous with 电动机.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: 我的直觉，引擎是ENGINE的音译，马达是MOTOR的音译。不知道对不对。  
> **username_3**: 馬達的確是motor的音譯，另外那個就不清楚  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-07-16. Score: 2

According to Google Translate, '发动机' along with '引擎' is translated as 'engine'

*'引擎' came from the transliteration of 'engine'*

I googled 引擎和馬達的區別 (the difference between an engine and a motor)

> “People use both interchangeably, but the difference is that motors run on electricity and engines run on combustion. The engine converts various forms of fuels into mechanical force, while the motor transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy.”

* An electric car doesn't have an engine (发动机/ 引擎), it has an (electric) motor (馬達), but it wouldn't surprise me if someone called it an "electrical engine" because most people have the deep-rooted idea of 'cars run with engine'
* All regular cars have a (combustion)engine and engines are not limited to the car engine, ships and airplanes also have engines

> 旧的火车（需要开水的）有发动机吗？

the old train's engine was called 'steam engine' (蒸气发动机 or simply 蒸气机)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 我发现了，你和其他人都使用繁体字：“馬達”替“马达”，“區別”替“区别”。这是这个网站的普遍常理吗？  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2024-07-16. Score: 0

**engine** is related to the word "genius": from Old French engin "skill, wit, cleverness," and basically means: "in the genes, that which is inborn,"

Thus, an engine is a "clever thing" which was often, in ages past, a "war machine" but can also be that which propels a vehicle. (And also the algorithm which searches for results in google. Do not trust AI!)

motor: literally "mover: agent noun from past-participle stem of Latin movere: to move" (Dative: mōtō)

> 我想了解“发动机”:

就是 motor, mover

Because the mechanism which propels vehicles is often an ingenious thing, it may be called an *engine*.

> ingenious: (of a machine or idea) cleverly and originally devised and
> well suited to its purpose:


---

