Cyclos

/ˈsaɪ.kloʊz/ noun

Definition

A three-wheeled taxi or public transport vehicle commonly found in Southeast Asian cities like Bangkok and Phnom Penh, pedal-powered or motorized.

Etymology

From French 'cyclomoteur' (cyclo-motor) via Vietnamese 'xích lô', which eventually became the shortened 'cyclo'. Originally bicycle-based transport, now often motorized.

Kelly Says

Cyclos are vanishing from cities like Bangkok, replaced by Uber and motorcycles, but in Phnom Penh they're still everywhere—they're a living piece of French colonial history mixed with Southeast Asian adaptation and entrepreneurship!

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