The Toyota "TEQ" Logo: Origins, Meaning, and the Toyoda History

If you are a fan of vintage JDM vehicles or have spent any time around classic Land Cruisers, you have undoubtedly seen the iconic "TEQ" logo. It’s a badge of honor for enthusiasts, often found on radiator grilles, steering wheels, and engine blocks of early models.

But here is the shocker: The logo doesn't actually say "TEQ."

In fact, the characters T, E, and Q do not appear in the logo at all. To understand what this symbol really means, we have to look back at the origins of the company and the Japanese writing system itself.

Decoding the "TEQ" Symbol: It’s All Japanese

The logo is actually a stylized version of the company name written in Katakana, one of the three Japanese writing systems (along with Hiragana and Kanji). Katakana is phonetic, meaning each character represents a sound.

To write "Toyota" in Katakana, you use three specific characters:

• To (ト)

• Yo (ヨ)

• Ta (タ)

When these three characters are stylized and placed inside a circle, the "To" looks like a T, the "Yo" resembles an E, and the "Ta" looks remarkably like a Q. This visual coincidence has led thousands of Western enthusiasts to nickname it the "TEQ logo," but in Japan, it is simply read as Toyota.

From Toyoda to Toyota: The Lucky Number 8

To fully understand the logo, we have to go back to the founder, Sakichi Toyoda.

You noticed the spelling, right? The company was originally named Toyoda, ending with a "da" sound rather than "ta." Toyoda Automatic Loom Works started as a textile business, famous for inventing automatic looms that revolutionized the industry. They didn't even begin manufacturing automobiles until the 1930s.

TOYODA Trucker Hat

The 1936 Design Contest

In 1936, three years after establishing their automobile department, the company held a public competition to design a new logo to promote their vehicles. The response was massive, with over 27,000 entries submitted.

The winning design was a sleek, modern, Katakana representation of the name. However, the company executives decided to make a subtle but powerful change during this process.

Why Change "Da" to "Ta"?

The original family name, Toyoda (トヨダ), requires 10 strokes to write in Japanese calligraphy. The "da" sound is created by adding two small marks (called dakuten) to the "ta" character.

By dropping those two small marks, the name became Toyota (トヨタ). This change was significant for three reasons:

1. Stroke Count: Writing "Toyota" requires exactly 8 strokes. In Japanese culture, the number 8 (hachi) is considered incredibly lucky because the character for it (八) widens at the bottom, implying prosperity and future growth.

2. Visual Clarity: The 8-stroke characters looked cleaner and less cluttered without the extra dakuten marks.

3. Modern Sound: "Toyota" had a crisper, clearer ring to it than "Toyoda," signaling a separation between the family's personal life and the innovative new automotive company.

The Legacy of the TEQ Mark

The "TEQ" logo was designed by Tetsuo Katayama and became the face of the brand as it expanded globally. While the company eventually moved to the modern oval "T" emblem we see today (which represents the unification of the hearts of the customers and the company), the original Katakana mark remains a cult favorite.

It represents a time when Toyota was a scrappy underdog, transitioning from weaving fabric to weaving the fabric of the automotive world.

TEQ Logo FlexFit Caps

Summary (TL;DR)

• It's not English: The "TEQ" logo is actually the word "Toyota" written in Japanese Katakana (To-Yo-Ta).

• The Name Change: The company changed from "Toyoda" to "Toyota" in 1936.

• Lucky Number 8: The change was made because "Toyota" takes 8 brush strokes to write, a number associated with luck, wealth, and growth in Japan.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Toyota TEQ logo stand for? The TEQ logo doesn't stand for an acronym. It is the company name "Toyota" written in Japanese Katakana characters (To-Yo-Ta) which visually resemble the English letters T, E, and Q.

Who designed the original Toyota logo? The original Katakana logo was selected from a design competition in 1936. The winning design is credited to Tetsuo Katayama.

Why is the number 8 lucky in Japan? The Kanji character for the number 8 (八) is shaped like a mountain that widens at the bottom. This shape (suehirogane) suggests growing prosperity, wealth, and future success.