Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 に 軽けい 油ゆ を 入い れる to put diesel fuel into (a vehicle/tank)
I put diesel fuel into the truck.
軽けい 油ゆ で 走はし る to run on diesel fuel
This bus runs on diesel fuel.
軽けい 油ゆ を 給きゅう 油ゆ する to refuel with diesel fuel
I refueled with diesel at the gas station.
Kanji 軽 lightly, trifling, unimportant Related words 軽油 is the precise technical term for diesel fuel sold at pumps, while ディーゼル is the broader katakana word that can mean the fuel, the engine, or the vehicle type depending on context.
Opposites 軽油 is a lighter, less viscous petroleum fuel used in diesel engines, while 重油 is a heavier, thicker fuel oil used mainly in ships and industrial boilers.
Don't confuse with 軽油 is diesel fuel for diesel engines, whereas ガソリン is gasoline/petrol used in ordinary gasoline engines, and putting the wrong one in a car causes damage.
軽油 is diesel fuel for engines, whereas 灯油 is kerosene burned in home heaters and lamps.
Etymology A Sino-Japanese compound written with 軽 , 'light', and 油 , 'oil'. The spelling reflects its classification as a lighter petroleum oil in contrast to 重油 , 'heavy oil'; this is a component explanation rather than a detailed historical derivation.
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