潛艇 / 潜艇
qiántǐng
The English word "submarine" is translated into Chinese as 潛艇 / 潜艇 (qiántǐng). If unsure, use 潛艇 / 潜艇. Wiktionary also lists 潛水艇 / 潜水艇 (qiánshuǐtǐng).
Meaning: undersea boat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 潛艇 / 潜艇 | qiántǐng |
| 潛水艇 / 潜水艇 | qiánshuǐtǐng |
The term refers to an undersea boat.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 潛艇 / 潜艇 (qiántǐng) is composed of 潛 (qián), meaning 'to dive' or 'submerge' and 艇 (tǐng), meaning 'small boat' or 'craft'.
Which one should you use?
潛艇 / 潜艇 (qiántǐng) is the standard, more concise term for a submarine, while 潛水艇 / 潜水艇 (qiánshuǐtǐng) is a more descriptive term that literally means 'diving water boat'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Hokkien dialect, the term for submarine is 潛水艇 / 潜水艇 (tsâmsú-thiaⁿ).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
qiántǐng
Did you know?
- The term 潛水 (qiánshuǐ) is also used as internet slang in Chinese to describe someone who is 'lurking' or reading messages in a group chat without replying.
- The character 潛 (qián) is also used in the term 潛能 (qiánnéng), which means 'potential', suggesting a power that is 'submerged' or hidden beneath the surface.
- The radical in 艇 (tǐng) is 舟 (zhōu), an ancient pictograph of a boat, meaning every word for a submarine in Chinese still carries a visual marker for a primitive wooden vessel.
Examples in context
- 这艘潜水艇非常先进，能够在水下长时间活动。This submarine is highly advanced and can operate for a long time underwater.
- 昨天我看到一个潜艇娃娃，它很可爱！Yesterday, I saw a submarine doll, and it was so cute!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “submarine” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
