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艇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
艇tǐngvesseln, 12 strokes, radical 舟, rank #12977, Very Hard
艇tǐngsmall shipn, 12 strokes, radical 舟, rank #12977, Very Hard
艇tǐngdugout, punt, small boatn, 12 strokes, radical 舟, rank #12977, Very Hard
tǐng(ting3)ting T3
  1. 1vessel
  2. 2small ship
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March 24, 2026

艇tǐng(ting3)

艇 (tǐng) refers to a small boat or vessel, often used in contexts related to water transport or recreation. It commonly describes smaller types of boats like canoes or punts, which are typically used on rivers or lakes rather than the ocean. This term emphasizes the size and maneuverability of the vessel.

Strokes12Radical舟Frequency#12977DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, boating is often associated with leisure and family outings, particularly during festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival, where small boats are raced to commemorate historical events.

Memory tip

Think of a small boat (艇) that 'ting' (sounds like 'ting' in English) as it gently taps against the dock. The character has the radical for water (水) on the left side, suggesting its connection to aquatic environments, and the right side resembles a boat shape, making it easier to remember.

Meanings of 艇

tǐng(ting3)
1vessel
2small ship
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 艇

艇Simplified
12Strokes
舟Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#12977Frequency Rank

Podcast: 艇

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Podcast: 艇

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AI study notes for 艇

Quick Contrast

舟 (zhōu) - use 艇 for smaller, more maneuverable boats, while 舟 refers to boats in a broader sense, often including larger vessels.

Usage Notes

While using 艇, be mindful of its context; it is more appropriate in informal settings rather than formal discussions about maritime topics. Common collocations include phrases like '小艇' (xiǎo tǐng) meaning 'small boat'. Learners should also be careful with the pronunciation, ensuring the third tone is correctly used.

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in HSK levels, 艇 connects with other water-related vocabulary like 船 (chuán, boat) and 流 (liú, flow), which are important for discussing travel and transport in Mandarin. Students should focus on the nuances between different types of vessels as they expand their vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 艇 with 船 (chuán), which means 'boat' but can refer to larger vessels. A common mistake is saying '大艇' (dà tǐng) when '大船' (dà chuán) is more appropriate for larger ships.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 艇

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Etymology of 艇

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 舟 represents the meaning and 廷 represents the sound.

Memory hint

boat

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

Origin

艇 = 舟 + 廷. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 艇

IDS Structure⿰舟廷
艇Full character
=
舟zhou1
left
廷ting2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 艇?

How to say vessel in Chinese

“vessel” in Chinese is艇tǐng

艇 (tǐng) refers to a small boat or vessel, often used in contexts related to water transport or recreation. It commonly describes smaller types of boats like canoes or punts, which are typically used on rivers or lakes rather than the ocean. This term emphasizes the size and maneuverability of the vessel.

When to use 艇

While using 艇, be mindful of its context; it is more appropriate in informal settings rather than formal discussions about maritime topics. Common collocations include phrases like '小艇' (xiǎo tǐng) meaning 'small boat'. Learners should also be careful with the pronunciation, ensuring the third tone is correctly used.

艇 or something close to it

舟 (zhōu) - use 艇 for smaller, more maneuverable boats, while 舟 refers to boats in a broader sense, often including larger vessels.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 艇 with 船 (chuán), which means 'boat' but can refer to larger vessels. A common mistake is saying '大艇' (dà tǐng) when '大船' (dà chuán) is more appropriate for larger ships.

Write 艇

艇

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 艇

艇 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

5只划____排成一行从对岸出发了。

A string of five rowing boats set out from the opposite bank.

Example sentences for 艇 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
5只划艇排成一行从对岸出发了。

5 zhī huá tǐng pái chéng yìxíng cóng duì’àn chūfā le。

A string of five rowing boats set out from the opposite bank.
2
一艘登陆艇的发动机还在运转。

yī sōu dēnglù tǐng de fādòng Jī hái zài yùnzhuǎn。

The engine of one landing craft was still running.
3
他发现有一艘船正在潜艇的右侧航行。

tā fāxiàn yǒu yī sōu chuán zhèngzài qiántǐng de yòu cè hángxíng。

He detected a ship moving down the starboard side of the submarine.
4
我们的游艇设施完备,首尾有两个双人舱。

wǒmen de yóu tǐng shèshī wánbèi, shǒu wěi yǒu liǎng gè shuāng rén cāng。

Our yacht was well equipped with two double cabins fore and aft.
5
那个潜艇艇长有个类似于潜望镜之类的东西.

nàge qiántǐng tǐng cháng yǒu gè lèisì yú qián wàng jìng zhīlèi de dōngxi.

The captain of the submarine has got this periscope thing.
6
她邀请了750人乘坐豪华游艇“萨瓦罗纳”号。

tā yāoqǐng le750 rén chéngzuò háohuá yóu tǐng“ sà wǎ luō nà” hào。

She invited 750 people aboard the luxury yacht, the Savarona.
7
服务沿海地区的地方广播电台经常为驾驶游艇出海的人播报天气预报。

fúwù yánhǎi dìqū de dìfang guǎngbō diàntái jīngcháng wèi jiàshǐ yóu tǐng chū hǎi de rén bō bào tiānqìyùbào。

Local radio stations serving coastal areas often broadcast forecasts for yachtsmen.
8
你被任命为皇家海军舰艇“鞑靼人”号的皇家海军志愿后备队中尉。

nǐ bèi rènmìng wèi huáng jiā hǎijūn jiàntǐng“ dá dá rén” hào de huáng jiā hǎijūn zhìyuàn hòubèi duì zhōng wèi。

You are hereby appointed Sub-Lieutenant RNVR of HMS Tartar.
9
估计新主人会给游艇改名。

gūjì xīn zhǔrén huì gěi yóu tǐng gǎimíng。

It is expected that the new owner will change the yacht's name.
10
我们在那艘游艇上四处看了看,检查了它的系索和应急装置。

wǒmen zài nà sōu yóu tǐng shàng sìchù kàn le kàn, jiǎnchá le tā de jì Suǒ hé yìngjí zhuāngzhì。

We made a tour of the yacht, checking lashings and emergency gear.

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Word Family of 艇

Words containing this character17
潜艇qiántǐngsubmarine潛艇
游艇yóutǐngbarge遊艇
艇tǐngvessel
舰艇jiàntǐngwarship艦艇
快艇kuàitǐngspeedboat
飞艇fēitǐngairship飛艇
潜水艇qiánshuǐtǐngsubmarine潛水艇
赛艇sàitǐngboat race賽艇
救生艇jiùshēngtǐnglifeboat
划艇huátǐngrowing boat
皮艇pítǐngkayak
巡逻艇xúnluótǐngpatrol boat巡邏艇
汽艇qìtǐngmotor boat
炮艇pàotǐnggunboat砲艇
皮划艇píhuátǐngcanoe皮劃艇
鱼雷艇yúléitǐngtorpedo boat魚雷艇
猎潜艇lièqiántǐnganti-submarine vessel獵潛艇
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 艇

What does 潜艇 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 艇

艇 primarily refers to small boats such as canoes, kayaks, or punts, not large ships.

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