Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
舡 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
舡gāngboat, shipg, 9 strokes, radical 舟
舡chuánboat, shipg, 9 strokes, radical 舟
chuán(chuan2)chuan
primary
T2
  1. 1boat, ship
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

舡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.

Strokes9Radical舟
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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 舡 means.

About 舡

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

Podcast: 舡

JasonAmy

Podcast: 舡

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 舡

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.

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

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 舡 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 舡 to you

Let me explain 舡 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 舡 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How well do you know 舡?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 舡 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 舡

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

boat

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

Origin

舡 = 舟 + 工. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 舡

IDS Structure⿰舟工
舡Full character
=
舟zhou1
left
工gong1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 舡?

How to say boat, ship in Chinese

“boat, ship” in Chinese is舡gāng

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.

When to use 舡

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.

What learners get wrong

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.

Write 舡

舡

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 舡?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 舡

Words containing this character1
舡chuánboat

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.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 舡?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab