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March 24, 2026
舰(艦)jiàn(jian4)
The character '舰' (jiàn) refers specifically to a type of warship, typically a large naval vessel designed for combat. It is commonly used in military contexts and discussions related to naval power and defense. The term can also be found in various compound words related to naval terminology.
Strokes10Radical舟Frequency#4742DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
'舰' is often associated with China's growing naval capabilities and the emphasis on maritime power in contemporary Chinese military strategy. It reflects the importance of naval defense in China's historical and current geopolitics.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant ship (舰) sailing through the ocean, with a 'jiant' (giant) cannon on board ready for battle. The character '舰' has the radical for 'ship' (舟) at the bottom, reinforcing the idea of a vessel, while the top part can be remembered as a 'giant' structure, making it easier to connect the shape to its meaning.
Meanings of 舰
jiàn(jian4)
1warship
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 舰
舰Simplified
艦Traditional
10Strokes
舟Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#4742Frequency Rank
Podcast: 舰
Podcast: 舰
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AI Study Notes for 舰
Quick Contrast
舰 (warship) vs 船 (ship) — use 船 for general vessels, while 舰 specifically refers to military warships.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse '舰' (jiàn) with '船' (chuán), which means 'boat' or 'ship' in general. '舰' is more formal and specific to military contexts, so it’s best used in discussions about naval forces. Be careful with the tone; '舰' is pronounced with a falling tone which is crucial to its meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Though '舰' is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other words related to transportation and military terms at higher levels. Students should focus on recognizing it in context and learning related terms like '军舰' (jūnjiàn), which means 'warship'.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is to use '舰' when discussing civilian ships, as in '我坐一艘舰去旅行' (I took a warship to travel), which should be corrected to '我坐一艘船去旅行' (I took a boat to travel). Ensure you use '舰' in military contexts only.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 舰
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Phonosemantic compound. 舟 represents the meaning and 见 represents the sound. Simplified form of 艦.
1The meaning half舟 carries the sense.
2The sound half见 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayship
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 舰? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 舰?
Decomposition of 舰
IDS Structure⿰舟见
舰Full Character
=
舟zhou1
left
见jian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 舰?
How to say warship in Chinese
“warship” in Chinese is舰jiàn
The character '舰' (jiàn) refers specifically to a type of warship, typically a large naval vessel designed for combat. It is commonly used in military contexts and discussions related to naval power and defense. The term can also be found in various compound words related to naval terminology.
When to use 舰
Learners often confuse '舰' (jiàn) with '船' (chuán), which means 'boat' or 'ship' in general. '舰' is more formal and specific to military contexts, so it’s best used in discussions about naval forces. Be careful with the tone; '舰' is pronounced with a falling tone which is crucial to its meaning.
舰 or something close to it
舰 (warship) vs 船 (ship) — use 船 for general vessels, while 舰 specifically refers to military warships.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is to use '舰' when discussing civilian ships, as in '我坐一艘舰去旅行' (I took a warship to travel), which should be corrected to '我坐一艘船去旅行' (I took a boat to travel). Ensure you use '舰' in military contexts only.
Write 舰
舰
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Practice writing 舰 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 舰
舰 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
你被任命为皇家海军____艇“鞑靼人”号的皇家海军志愿后备队中尉。
You are hereby appointed Sub-Lieutenant RNVR of HMS Tartar.
Example Sentences for 舰 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
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 rèn mìng wéi huáng jiā hǎi jūn jiàn tǐng“ “ dá dá” rén ” hào de huáng jiā hǎi jūn zhì yuàn hòu bèi duì。
You are hereby appointed Sub-Lieutenant RNVR of HMS Tartar.
