Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 艦長 / 舰长 | jiànzhǎng |
| 船長 / 船长 | chuánzhǎng |
In Chinese, the term used for a captain depends on the size and type of the vessel, as well as the context of the leadership. 船長 / 船长 is a general term for a captain of a ship or boat, while 艦長 / 舰长 is reserved for large, major ocean-going ships or naval vessels. For leaders of organized groups such as sports teams or military units, the term 队长 is used instead.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 艦長 / 舰长 (jiànzhǎng) is composed of 艦 (warship/large vessel) and 長 (leader/head). The term 船長 / 船长 (chuánzhǎng) is composed of 船 (boat/ship) and 長 (leader/head).
Which one should you use?
Use 艦長 / 舰长 specifically for the captain of a large naval vessel or a major ocean-going ship. In contrast, 船長 / 船长 is a more general term that fits any captain of a boat or ship and is the most common way to refer to a captain in casual or non-military contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
jiànzhǎng
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 船师, as it is not a commonly used term in Chinese for captain.
Did you know?
- In certain traditional Chinese maritime contexts, the person in command is sometimes referred to as 掌舵人 (zhǎngduòrén), or 'the person who holds the rudder'.
- If you are watching a Chinese period drama about the sea, a captain of a small wooden vessel might be called 船翁 (chuánwēng), meaning 'ship old man'.
- The character 長 in both terms actually means 'elder' or 'growth' in its original sense, implying that a captain is someone who has reached a position of seniority or maturity.
Examples in context
- 请向队长报告情况。Please report the situation to the captain.
- 嗨，船老大，明天咱们再出海吧。Hey, captain, let's go out to sea again tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “captain” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
