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船只 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
船只chuánzhīshipHSK 6, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #10956, Hard
船只chuánzhīboatHSK 6, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #10956, Hard
船只chuánzhīvesselHSK 6, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #10956, Hard
chuánzhī(chuan2zhi1)chuan zhi T2
  1. 1ship
  2. 2boat
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March 24, 2026

船只(船隻)chuánzhī(chuan2zhi1)

船只 (chuan2 zhi1) refers to ships or boats, encompassing various types of vessels used for transportation on water. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when discussing maritime transport and related activities.

Strokes16Frequency#10956DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The importance of shipping in China's history is significant, as it has been a major means of trade and transportation since ancient times. The Grand Canal and maritime trade routes highlight the cultural relevance of vessels in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large '船' (chuan) shaped like a boat, sailing on '只' (zhi) waves. The character '船' looks like a boat with its roof structure, while '只' means only or just, reinforcing the idea of one type of vessel.

Meanings of 船只

chuánzhī(chuan2zhi1)
1ship
2boat
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 船只

船只Simplified
船隻Traditional
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1

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Podcast: 船只

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AI Study Notes for 船只

Quick Contrast

船 (chuán, boat) vs 舰 (jiàn, warship) — use 船只 for general types of vessels, while 舰 specifically refers to military ships.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing '船' (chuan) and '只' (zhi) as incorrect tones can change the meaning. Common collocations include '货船' (freighter) and '客船' (passenger ship). In formal writing, use '船只' instead of just '船' when describing types of vessels.

HSK Study Tips

While '船只' is not specifically listed in HSK levels, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to travel and transportation, which are common themes in HSK exams. Students should focus on the characters separately to grasp their meanings and usages.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse '船只' with '船' alone, using it inappropriately in contexts where a specific type of boat is needed. For example, saying '我有船只' (I have a vessel) instead of '我有船' (I have a boat) when referring to a small boat.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 船只

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Component Characters

船chuánship, boat, vessel
HSK 311 strokes舟
View full entry
只zhīonly
HSK 15 strokes口
View full entry

How to say ship in Chinese

“ship” in Chinese is船只chuánzhī

船只 (chuan2 zhi1) refers to ships or boats, encompassing various types of vessels used for transportation on water. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when discussing maritime transport and related activities.

When to use 船只

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing '船' (chuan) and '只' (zhi) as incorrect tones can change the meaning. Common collocations include '货船' (freighter) and '客船' (passenger ship). In formal writing, use '船只' instead of just '船' when describing types of vessels.

船只 or something close to it

船 (chuán, boat) vs 舰 (jiàn, warship) — use 船只 for general types of vessels, while 舰 specifically refers to military ships.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse '船只' with '船' alone, using it inappropriately in contexts where a specific type of boat is needed. For example, saying '我有船只' (I have a vessel) instead of '我有船' (I have a boat) when referring to a small boat.

Write 船只

船
只

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Frequently Asked Questions about 船只

'船' refers specifically to a boat or ship, while '船只' is a more general term that can include various types of vessels.

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