Engineering English
Gear Ratio
Mechanical Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The gear ratio is the ratio of the number of teeth on two meshing gears, or the ratio of input to output speeds in a gear train. It determines torque multiplication and speed reduction.
Example in context
“The gear ratio of 3:1 reduces the motor speed to one-third while tripling the torque output.”
“3:1 dişli oranı, motor hızını üçte birine düşürürken çıkış torkunu üçe katlar.”
Where engineers use it
Gear ratio is fundamental in power transmission design; engineers use it to match motor speed to load requirements and to calculate output torque and speed.
Synonyms: transmission ratio, speed ratio
Practice: can you use “Gear Ratio” at work?
You are tasked with designing a conveyor drive system. The motor runs at 1800 rpm and the conveyor needs to rotate at 60 rpm. Determine the required gear ratio and explain how to achieve it with a two-stage reducer.
Show a model answer
“Select the appropriate gear ratio to achieve the desired output speed.”
“Gear Ratio” in 21 languages
| English | Gear Ratio |
|---|---|
| Turkish | dişli oranı |
| French | rapport de transmission |
| German | Übersetzungsverhältnis |
| Spanish | relación de transmisión |
| Chinese | 齿轮传动比 |
| Arabic | نسبة التروس |
| Portuguese | relação de transmissão |
| Russian | передаточное число |
| Japanese | 歯車比 |
| Italian | rapporto di trasmissione |
| Vietnamese | tỉ số truyền |
| Hindi | गियर अनुपात |
| Thai | อัตราทดเกียร์ |
| Indonesian | rasio gigi |
| Korean | 기어비 |
| Bengali | গিয়ার অনুপাত |
| Dutch | overbrengingsverhouding |
| Swedish | växelförhållande |
| Finnish | välityssuhde |
| Ukrainian | передаточне число |
Frequently asked questions
What does Gear Ratio mean in engineering?
The gear ratio is the ratio of the number of teeth on two meshing gears, or the ratio of input to output speeds in a gear train. It determines torque multiplication and speed reduction. In Mechanical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Gear Ratio?
Gear Ratio is pronounced /ɡɪr ˈreɪʃioʊ/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Gear Ratio used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The gear ratio of 3:1 reduces the motor speed to one-third while tripling the torque output.”
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