Table of Contents
- 1. The correct English name for each type of hand truck
- 2. Reading the symbols in a Xilin low-lift hand truck catalogue
- 3. What the load centre is called in English and how to read it
- 4. English names for common parts and options on a hand truck
- 5. A ready-to-use request for quotation in English
- Frequently asked questions
- Contact us about hand trucks
- References
Reviewed and updated by ICD - Week 43/2026
In English, a low-lift manual pallet mover is called a hand pallet truck; in everyday trade you will also hear pallet jack or pallet truck. A high-lift manual unit is a manual stacker or hand stacker, and a powered walk-behind unit is called a walkie. I am Le Van Thang, and I work with Xilin (Ningbo Ruyi) forklifts at ICD Vietnam. Almost every week a customer asks me exactly this question before sending a request for quotation abroad or reading an English catalogue. This guide collects the common names, the names used in ISO standards, and how to read the symbols in a spec sheet.
Quick summary:
- ISO 5053-1:2015 calls the low-lift truck a pedestrian-propelled pallet truck; the shorter name hand pallet truck is what manufacturers such as Xilin use.
- Under ISO the high-lift manual unit is a pedestrian-propelled stacker truck; on the market it is usually called a manual stacker.
- Xilin catalogues use the symbols Q, h13, h3, b5, Ast and Wa; the table in section 2 explains each one with real BF-III figures.
- Load centre is written load centre (UK) or load center (US), and the Xilin SDJ hand stacker lists 600 mm or 400 mm depending on the model.
1. The correct English name for each type of hand truck
English has no single name. ISO 5053-1:2015, the vocabulary for industrial trucks, uses long phrases that describe how the truck is controlled: pedestrian-propelled means pushed by hand by a person on foot, while pedestrian-controlled means motorised but steered by an operator walking behind. On spec sheets and quotations, manufacturers usually use shorter names. The table below sets the two side by side so you can read both technical documents and commercial quotations.
| Type | Common name | ISO 5053-1 name | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lift hand truck | hand pallet truck, pallet jack, pallet truck | pedestrian-propelled pallet truck | Xilin calls this range Hand Pallet Truck |
| Scissor-type hand truck (higher lift) | high lift truck, scissor lift pallet truck | pedestrian-propelled scissorlift pallet truck | Xilin calls the JF range High Lift Truck |
| High-lift hand stacker | manual stacker, hand stacker | pedestrian-propelled stacker truck | Mast-lift range, up to 3 m, such as SDJ |
| Walk-behind electric truck | walkie, powered pallet truck | pedestrian-controlled truck | Wikipedia notes that the electric type is often called walkies |
| Counterbalance forklift | forklift | counterbalance lift truck | Seated operator, counterweight at the rear |
| Reach truck | reach truck | reach truck | Forks extend to pick loads from high racking |
| Order picker | order picker | order-picking truck | The operator rises together with the forks |
One common source of confusion is pallet jack versus pallet truck. Wikipedia describes both as the same device and adds pallet pump. The Pan-Latin industrial trucks lexicon also lists pallet jack, hand pallet truck, hand lift truck, hand jigger and jigger as names for one concept. So when you send an enquiry to an overseas supplier, writing hand pallet truck plus the capacity is enough; there is no need to agonise over which word to choose.
For the high-lift hand stacker, the easy mistake is the word stacker. ISO uses two close terms, pedestrian-propelled stacker truck and pedestrian-propelled pallet stacker: both mean a truck that lifts a pallet high on a mast, pushed by a person on foot. A powered unit with a mast is, strictly, a pedestrian-controlled truck, and the market often calls it a powered stacker or walkie stacker. To compare with other types of forklift, see what a forklift is called in English.
2. Reading the symbols in a Xilin low-lift hand truck catalogue
Xilin’s spec page uses European-catalogue notation: a letter with an index, not written out in full. Below are the symbols of the BF-III range, exactly as in the manufacturer’s table, so you know which cells to check against your pallet and aisle.
| Symbol | Manufacturer’s English name | Meaning | Value in the BF-III catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q | Capacity | Load capacity | Depends on the model |
| h13 | Lowered fork height | Fork height when fully lowered | 85 or 75 mm |
| h3 | Max. lifting height | Maximum lifting height | 195 or 185 mm |
| b5 | Width overall forks | Overall width across the forks | 520, 550 or 685 mm |
| l | Fork length | Fork length | Depends on the model |
| l1 | Overall length | Overall length | Depends on the model |
| m2 | Ground clearance | Ground clearance | Depends on the model |
| Ast | Aisle width | Aisle width needed to work | Depends on the model |
| Wa | Turning radius | Turning radius | 1,276 or 1,346 mm |
| Service weight | Weight of the truck itself | 56-70 kg |
Two symbols deserve attention before you order: h13 and b5. The height h13 must be lower than the opening under the pallet so the forks can slide in, and b5 must be smaller than the pallet entry width and the aisles between racks. The lift height h3 of a low-lift hand truck is only about 185-195 mm according to the manufacturer’s table, enough to lift a pallet off the floor, not onto a rack. This figure is very different from the lift height of a high-lift hand stacker, so do not mix them up.
3. What the load centre is called in English and how to read it
The load centre is the distance from the front face of the fork back to the centre of gravity of the load, written load centre or load center, symbol c, in millimetres. The capacity on the plate is valid only when the load’s centre of gravity lies within this distance. If the load sits farther from the mast, the truck can lift less than the figure on the plate.
Practical tip: when you receive a quotation in English, always ask What is the rated capacity at the stated load centre? so you know at what distance the capacity applies, especially when your pallets are long or the load is tall.
4. English names for common parts and options on a hand truck
The Xilin catalogue lists options such as steering wheels of 180 or 200 mm diameter, single or double load wheels (parallel rollers, tandem rollers), foot-pedal release and a quick-lift function. The high-lift hand stacker adds pulleys, chains and a hydraulic cylinder; the SDJ manual describes force passing through a pulley and chain at a 2:1 ratio.
When choosing a truck or reading a quotation, the two options to watch most are the load wheel and steering wheel types, because they decide whether the truck rolls smoothly or heavily on your warehouse floor. The manufacturer also states compliance with the safety standard EN ISO 3691-5, the standard for pedestrian-controlled industrial trucks.
5. A ready-to-use request for quotation in English
The sample below was written by me following the manufacturer’s symbols, for sending to an overseas supplier. Replace the numbers with your pallet specifications:
We are looking for a hand pallet truck, capacity 2,500 kg, fork length 1,150 mm, overall width across forks 550 mm, with double fork wheels. Please quote the service weight and the rated capacity at the stated load centre.
The sentence above packs in the four items a supplier needs: truck type, capacity, fork dimensions and wheel option. If one of the four is missing, they will have to ask again and quote later.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is a low-lift hand truck called in English?
It is a hand pallet truck; you will also often see pallet jack and pallet truck. ISO 5053-1:2015 calls it a pedestrian-propelled pallet truck.
2. Is there a difference between a pallet jack and a pallet truck?
No. Both refer to the same device; Wikipedia also gives the name pallet pump, and the Pan-Latin lexicon lists them as names for one concept.
3. What is a high-lift hand stacker called in English?
It is a manual stacker or hand stacker; ISO 5053-1:2015 calls it a pedestrian-propelled stacker truck.
4. What is a walk-behind electric truck called in English?
Usually a walkie or powered pallet truck. Under ISO it is a pedestrian-controlled truck: a motorised truck whose operator walks behind it.
5. What is the load centre called in English?
It is the load centre (UK) or load center (US), symbol c. For the Xilin SDJ hand stacker, c is 600 mm for the SDJ500 and SDJ1000 and 400 mm for the SDJ1500.
Contact us about hand trucks
Hotline: 0983 797 186 | 090 345 9186 | 090 5859 186
Zalo: icdvietnam | Email: sales@icdvietnam.com.vn
See the ICD BF-III 2.5-tonne low-lift hand truck, distributed by ICD Vietnam with a 12-month warranty.
Related services: hand pallet truck rental in Hanoi, and repair and seal replacement for hand trucks.
References
- ISO 5053-1:2015, Industrial trucks - Vocabulary - Part 1: Types of industrial trucks: standard names (this edition has since been replaced by a newer one).
- Ningbo Ruyi (Xilin), Hand Pallet Truck: BF-III symbols and specifications, wheel options, EN ISO 3691-5.
- Wikipedia, Pallet jack: synonyms pallet truck, pallet pump, walkies.
- Pan-Latin Industrial Trucks Lexicon: the hand operated pallet truck entry and its synonyms.
- Xilin, SDJ hand stacker operating manual: load centre 600/400 mm, pulley and chain 2:1.
Written by Le Van Thang and the ICD Vietnam technical team, distributor of Xilin (Ningbo Ruyi) forklifts. The sample request in section 5 was written by the author. Last updated: 19 October 2026.
