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舡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
gāngboat, shipg, 9 strokes, radical 舟, Very Hard
chuánboat, shipg, 9 strokes, radical 舟, Very Hard
chuán(chuan2)
primary
T2
  1. 1boat, ship
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
chuán(chuan2)

The character 舡 (chuán) means 'boat' or 'ship.' It is commonly used in contexts relating to water transportation, whether referring to small boats or larger ships. While it specifically denotes vessels, it can also imply a sense of journey and travel across water.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, boats are historically significant for trade and fishing, especially in regions with extensive waterways like the Yangtze River and coastal areas. The design of traditional Chinese boats often reflects the harmony of nature and human ingenuity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a boat (船) sailing smoothly on water. The top part of 舡 looks like waves, while the bottom part resembles a boat's hull. Picture this boat making waves as it glides effortlessly, reminding you that 舡 means 'boat' and sounds like 'chuán.'

Meanings of 舡

chuán(chuan2)
primary
1boat, ship
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 舡

Simplified
9Strokes
Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 舡

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 舡

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a boat (船) sailing smoothly on water. The top part of 舡 looks like waves, while the bottom part resembles a boat's hull. Picture this boat making waves as it glides effortlessly, reminding you that 舡 means 'boat' and sounds like 'chuán.'

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 舡 (chuán) with other similar characters like 船 (chuán), which is more commonly used for 'ship' or 'boat' in everyday language. While both can be used interchangeably in some contexts, 舡 is less common and may come off as slightly formal or literary.

HSK Study Tips

Although 舡 is not an HSK level word, it connects with other water-related vocabulary, such as 河 (hé, river) and 海 (hǎi, sea). Students should focus on recognizing and using this character in conjunction with other transportation terms.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, boats are historically significant for trade and fishing, especially in regions with extensive waterways like the Yangtze River and coastal areas. The design of traditional Chinese boats often reflects the harmony of nature and human ingenuity.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 舡 (chuán) with 船 (chuán) due to their similar meanings. For example, using 舡 in everyday conversation might sound awkward or overly formal; instead, use 船 for more natural communication.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 舡

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Etymology of 舡

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

boat

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 舡?

Decomposition of 舡

IDS Structure⿰舟工
Full Character
=
zhou1
left
gong1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 舡?

Write 舡

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 舡

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, boats are historically significant for trade and fishing, especially in regions with extensive waterways like the Yangtze River and coastal areas. The design of traditional Chinese boats often reflects the harmony of nature and human ingenuity.

Word Family of 舡

Words Containing This Character1
chuánboat
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 舡 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 舡

No, while it means 'boat' or 'ship,' 舡 is less commonly used compared to 船 (chuán), which is the preferred term in everyday conversation.