also: あとわ · しずわ · しりわ
noun
rear wheel
Only with reading こうりん / あとわ
Standard term for the back wheel of a vehicle, bicycle, etc.
自転車の後輪がパンクした。
The rear wheel of my bicycle got a flat tire.
後輪駆動の車は雪道に強いと言われる。
Rear-wheel-drive cars are said to be good on snowy roads.
noun
cantle
Only with reading あとわ / しずわ / しりわ
Refers to the raised back part of a horse saddle. Rare and specialized equestrian term; not used in everyday conversation.
鞍の後輪に手を置いて乗り降りする。
I mount and dismount by placing my hand on the cantle of the saddle.
Obscure reading for 'cantle'. Not used in modern Japanese.
Alternate kanji spelling for 'cantle', using 尻 (buttocks) to emphasize the rear part of a saddle.
Kana spelling for the 'cantle' sense, corresponding to the reading しりわ.
Means 'front wheel', the opposite of 後輪.
Compound of 後 (rear) and 輪 (wheel). The reading こうりん is the standard on'yomi combination. The rare readings あとわ, しずわ, and しりわ are kun'yomi-based and largely obsolete.