Meanings of 艏
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About 艏
Podcast: 艏
Podcast: 艏
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AI Study Notes for 艏
When using 艏, be mindful of nautical contexts, as it's not commonly used in everyday conversation. Avoid confusing it with similar characters related to ships, like 船 (chuán), which means 'boat'. Remember to use the correct tone (third tone) to avoid miscommunication.
While 艏 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it relates to maritime vocabulary, which can be useful for learners interested in specific fields. Students should focus on contextual usage and associated terms like 船 (chuán) and 航行 (háng xíng) to build a broader nautical vocabulary.
Learners often confuse 艏 with 船, mistakenly using 艏 to refer to any type of boat. For example, saying '我有一艏' instead of '我有一艘船' (I have a boat) is incorrect; the correct usage is '艘' for measuring boats.
Pronunciation of 艏
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Etymology of 艏
The head 首 of a ship 舟; 首 also provides the pronunciation
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 艏
- 1The giveawayThe head 首 of a ship 舟; 首 also provides the pronunciation
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 艏? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 艏
Identify the Components
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How to say the prow of a ship in Chinese
“the prow of a ship” in Chinese is艏
The character 艏 (shǒu) refers specifically to the prow or bow of a ship, which is the front part that typically cuts through the water. It is commonly used in nautical contexts and discussions about ships and navigation, emphasizing the importance of the prow in determining a vessel's direction and stability.
When to use 艏
When using 艏, be mindful of nautical contexts, as it's not commonly used in everyday conversation. Avoid confusing it with similar characters related to ships, like 船 (chuán), which means 'boat'. Remember to use the correct tone (third tone) to avoid miscommunication.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 艏 with 船, mistakenly using 艏 to refer to any type of boat. For example, saying '我有一艏' instead of '我有一艘船' (I have a boat) is incorrect; the correct usage is '艘' for measuring boats.
Write 艏
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Practice writing 艏 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 艏
Compound Meaning
What does 艏 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 艏
It is pronounced as 'shǒu', using the third tone.
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