bakkie

n. a small pick-up truck or van. Subjects: English, South Africa, Automobiles & Transportation

Etymological Note: The Datsun 680, 1200, and 1400 light trucks were a few of several similar models, made by the now-defunct manufacturer, which took the nickname “bakkie.“ A similar vehicle is now sold in South Africa by Nissan as the “Nissan 1400 bakkie.“ It seems the term originated as a nickname, not as a brand name.

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Citations: 1978 New York Times (Jan. 8) “A Walk to Freedom” p. E19: Eventually, along came a “bakkie”—a small farm van—and the driver took me to near Sterkspruit. 1986 Michael Parks Los Angeles Times (Oct.2) “Residential Segregation Will Continue, President Botha Vows” p. 5: “It is strange that we are prepared to travel in a car with a Colored, and allow him to ride on our bakkie (pickup truck) on the farm,“ Botha said, “but when he wants to live close to you, then there is trouble.“ 2002 [David] Datsun 1200 Club (Nov. 20) “Datsun 1200 History, Models and Production”: The B140 is still being made in South Africa (the truck is called “Bakkie” in SA). 2003 Wheels24 (South Africa) (Dec. 12) “Honda’s double cab bakkie”: Honda is going to show an innovative bakkie concept at the Detroit Motor Show in January. This new and innovative pickup concept will provide the world with its first glimpse of the direction Honda will take with a future production sport-utility truck model.

Posted 10 Jun 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

From the dutch word “bak” (=tray; carrier; cistern). Short Dutch form: “bakje”, in slang, some dutch dialects and in the South african language Afrikaans (originally a form of dutch): “bakkie”.
Later used for small open trailers, and from there perhaps to the pick-uo trucks that are mentioned.
Robert Noorlander
Haarlem, Holland

by RobertN 11 Jun 04, 1114 GMT

Thanks, Robert! That sounds exactly right to me.

by Grant Barrett 11 Jun 04, 1132 GMT

Just a clarification—Datsu n is not defunct; the manufacturer simply began branding its vehicles as Nissan in the mid 1980’s.

by brutalEpist 13 Dec 05, 0732 GMT

Alt. def.

bakkie n. A slang abreviation of “tobacco”, used in US and NZ. Can apply both to smoking and chewing tobacco in the US.

by stevew 17 Feb 06, 0529 GMT

Steve, that’s a different word altogether and very common, anyway.

by Grant Barrett 17 Feb 06, 0532 GMT

Hello,
I’ve got Datsun 1400 bakkie in Portugal which i imported from SA
thinking about restoring it.
The engine on it has had it,i’m wondering what kind of engine i could find in Europe to fit in there?I also need a dash board.
Any help is appreciated.

by lino 27 Sep 06, 1202 GMT

Good day to you i have one too in portugal and i m doing the same as you bat i do have all the parts to begin with it my mail is carlos shorty@sapo.pt be free to speak to me about restoring the van

by carlos antunes 19 Jun 07, 1006 GMT

Bakkie is used commonly in South Africa to refer to a pick-up truck. Pick-up is not used at all. The explanation above is correct. A “bak” is a container in Afrikaans - and “bakkie” is the diminutive form and became the general word for a small truck.

by Ali van Wyk 19 Aug 08, 0847 GMT