船
chûn / soân/ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/Hokkien
In Chinese, boat is translated as 船 (chûn / soân). Wiktionary also lists 小船 (xiǎochuán) and 舟 (zhōu).
Meaning: water craft (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 船 | chûn / soân | /ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡sʰuan²¹/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
| 小船 | xiǎochuán | /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯än³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʈ͡ʂʰu̯ɑɻ³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA, 小船兒 / 小船儿) |
|
| 舟 | zhōu | /ʈ͡ʂoʊ̯⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /t͡sɐu̯⁵⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 艇 | tǐng | /tʰiŋ²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /tʰiŋ⁵³/ (Mandarin, Xi'an, Sinological IPA) |
The terms provided refer to various types of water craft, including vessels and ships.
Which one should you use?
While 船 is the standard term for a boat, 舟 is a more literary or formal way to express the concept of a boat or vessel. For smaller, faster or more specialized water craft such as motorboats or speedboats, use 艇. Additionally, the term 帆船 specifically refers to a sailboat.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form чуан is used in Dungan, and the form 船 (pronounced chûn / soân) is used in Hokkien.
How do you pronounce it?
The Hokkien form 船 is pronounced chûn / soân (IPA: /ʈʂʰu̯än³⁵/).
Did you know?
- The Chinese word 船 is a distant relative of the Burmese word လောင်း and the Mizo word lawng, both meaning 'boat'.
Examples in context
- 你的船不大。Your boat is not big.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a boat using 船.Tatoeba #3376512 by go_oo, translation #6443372 by RudeGuyGames
- 船逆流航行。The boat is going against the current.This sentence describes the movement of a boat using 船.Tatoeba #5992378 by verdastelo9604, translation #2264382 by sharptoothed
- 這是我的船。This is my boat.This sentence is useful for identifying ownership of a boat using 船.Tatoeba #9179875 by xjjAstrus, translation #8392702 by Amastan
- 我家附近有一艘漂亮的帆船。There is a beautiful sailboat near my house.
- 在夕阳的映衬下，小舟静静地漂浮在湖面上。Under the sunset's glow, the small boat silently floats on the lake.
- 船舱里的设施很舒适。The facilities in the boat cabin are very comfortable.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Junjie and Xiaowen are looking at the harbor.
- 俊杰 Junjie你看，那艘船好漂亮！Nǐ kàn, nà sōu chuán hǎo piàoliang!Look, that boat is so beautiful!
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那是漁船嗎？Nà shì yúchuán ma?Is that a fishing boat?
- 俊杰 Junjie我想那是觀光船。Wǒ xiǎng nà shì guānguāng chuán.I think it is a sightseeing boat.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我們一起去坐船吧。Wǒmen yīqǐ qù zuò chuán ba.Let's go for a boat ride together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boat” translations and entries 船, 小船, 舟, 艇, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 舟, 船, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
