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艄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
艄shāothe stern of a shipn, 13 strokes, radical 舟, rank #94313, Very Hard
艄shāostern of boatunknown, 13 strokes, radical 舟, rank #94313, Very Hard
shāo(shao1) T1
  1. 1the stern of a ship
  2. 2stern of boat
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March 24, 2026

艄shāo(shao1)

The character 艄 (shāo) refers specifically to the stern or the back of a boat or ship. It is a nautical term commonly used in contexts related to maritime activities, signaling the rear end of a vessel where the steering and control typically occur.

Strokes13Radical舟Frequency#94313DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, boats have historically been vital for transportation and trade, especially in riverine and coastal regions. The term 艄 reflects the importance of navigation in Chinese history and the significance of watercraft in daily life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a ship sailing away from you, with the stern (艄) facing you. The character includes the radical 艹 (grass), suggesting a connection to nature, and the sound 'shāo' can be linked to the sound of water splashing at the rear of the boat as it sails.

Meanings of 艄

shāo(shao1)
1the stern of a ship
2stern of boat
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 艄

艄Simplified
13Strokes
舟Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 艄

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Podcast: 艄

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AI Study Notes for 艄

Usage Notes

Be cautious of the context when using 艄, as it is a specific term for the stern of a boat rather than a general term for 'back' or 'rear.' It is more commonly used in formal or technical conversations about boating, rather than casual chats.

HSK Study Tips

Though not included in the HSK levels, understanding 艄 can enhance your vocabulary related to maritime activities. It's beneficial to learn it alongside other nautical terms like 船 (chuán - boat) and 船头 (chuán tóu - bow) to grasp the full context of boating language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 艄 with 船 (chuán - boat) and use it inappropriately in general contexts. For example, saying '我在艄上' (wǒ zài shāo shàng - I am on the stern) is incorrect unless specifically on a boat; it should be '我在船上' (wǒ zài chuán shàng - I am on the boat).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 艄

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Etymology of 艄

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

ship

Semantic (meaning)舟
+
Phonetic (sound)肖
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 艄

  1. 1The meaning half舟 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half肖 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayship
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 艄? 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 艄?

Decomposition of 艄

IDS Structure⿰舟肖
艄Full Character
=
舟zhou1
left
肖Xiao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 艄?

How to say the stern of a ship in Chinese

“the stern of a ship” in Chinese is艄shāo

The character 艄 (shāo) refers specifically to the stern or the back of a boat or ship. It is a nautical term commonly used in contexts related to maritime activities, signaling the rear end of a vessel where the steering and control typically occur.

When to use 艄

Be cautious of the context when using 艄, as it is a specific term for the stern of a boat rather than a general term for 'back' or 'rear.' It is more commonly used in formal or technical conversations about boating, rather than casual chats.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 艄 with 船 (chuán - boat) and use it inappropriately in general contexts. For example, saying '我在艄上' (wǒ zài shāo shàng - I am on the stern) is incorrect unless specifically on a boat; it should be '我在船上' (wǒ zài chuán shàng - I am on the boat).

Write 艄

艄

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 艄

Words Containing This Character3
艄shāostern of boat
艄公helmsman
船艄stern of boat
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 艄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 艄

艄 means the stern or back of a boat or ship.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 艄?

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.