船
syun⁴
The English word "boat" is translated into Cantonese as 船 (syun⁴).
船 refers to a water craft, such as a vessel or ship. It can also be used idiomatically in the phrase 同坐一條船 (tung4 co5 jat¹ tiu4 syun4), which means "to be in the same boat," signifying that people are sharing the same difficult circumstances or destiny.
Meaning: water craft (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting or specifying a boat, you should use the classifier 條 (tiu4).
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is syun⁴.
Did you know?
- The character 船 contains the 'boat' radical 舟 (zau1) on the left, which is a simplified drawing of a hollowed-out log.
- The classifier used for boats, 條 (tiu4), is the same one used for long, thin, flexible things like fish, snakes, or trousers.
- While 船 is the general term for a boat, if you are referring specifically to a small, traditional wooden fishing boat, you might use the more specific term 舢舨 (sam1 paan2).
Examples in context
- 我哋唔單止同坐一條船，仲個個都暈晒船浪添。Not only are we all in the same boat, but we are all seasick.This sentence shows the idiomatic use of 船 to mean being in the same boat and experiencing seasickness.Tatoeba #596701 by nickyeow, translation #410298 by Scott
Example conversation
Two friends are walking along the pier at the harbor.
- 志強 Chi Keung嗰條船好大呀。go2 tiu4 syun4 hou2 daai6 aa3.That boat is very big.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan係呀，睇落好高級。hai6 aa3, tai2 lok6 hou2 gou1 kap1.Yes, it looks very high-end.
- 志強 Chi Keung你想唔想去坐船？nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 heoi3 co5 syun4?Do you want to go for a boat ride?
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan好呀，我好想去！hou2 aa3, ngo5 hou2 soeng2 heoi3!Sure, I'd love to!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boat” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
