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March 24, 2026
艇tǐng(ting3)
艇 (tǐng) refers to a small boat or vessel, often used in contexts related to water transport or recreation. It commonly describes smaller types of boats like canoes or punts, which are typically used on rivers or lakes rather than the ocean. This term emphasizes the size and maneuverability of the vessel.
Strokes12Radical舟Frequency#12977DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, boating is often associated with leisure and family outings, particularly during festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival, where small boats are raced to commemorate historical events.
Memory Tip
Think of a small boat (艇) that 'ting' (sounds like 'ting' in English) as it gently taps against the dock. The character has the radical for water (水) on the left side, suggesting its connection to aquatic environments, and the right side resembles a boat shape, making it easier to remember.
Meanings of 艇
tǐng(ting3)
1vessel
2small ship
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 艇
艇Simplified
12Strokes
舟Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#12977Frequency Rank
Podcast: 艇
Podcast: 艇
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AI Study Notes for 艇
Quick Contrast
舟 (zhōu) - use 艇 for smaller, more maneuverable boats, while 舟 refers to boats in a broader sense, often including larger vessels.
Usage Notes
While using 艇, be mindful of its context; it is more appropriate in informal settings rather than formal discussions about maritime topics. Common collocations include phrases like '小艇' (xiǎo tǐng) meaning 'small boat'. Learners should also be careful with the pronunciation, ensuring the third tone is correctly used.
HSK Study Tips
Although not included in HSK levels, 艇 connects with other water-related vocabulary like 船 (chuán, boat) and 流 (liú, flow), which are important for discussing travel and transport in Mandarin. Students should focus on the nuances between different types of vessels as they expand their vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 艇 with 船 (chuán), which means 'boat' but can refer to larger vessels. A common mistake is saying '大艇' (dà tǐng) when '大船' (dà chuán) is more appropriate for larger ships.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 艇
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Phonosemantic compound. 舟 represents the meaning and 廷 represents the sound.
1The meaning half舟 carries the sense.
2The sound half廷 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayboat
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 艇? 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 艇?
Decomposition of 艇
IDS Structure⿰舟廷
艇Full Character
=
舟zhou1
left
廷ting2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 艇?
How to say vessel in Chinese
“vessel” in Chinese is艇tǐng
艇 (tǐng) refers to a small boat or vessel, often used in contexts related to water transport or recreation. It commonly describes smaller types of boats like canoes or punts, which are typically used on rivers or lakes rather than the ocean. This term emphasizes the size and maneuverability of the vessel.
When to use 艇
While using 艇, be mindful of its context; it is more appropriate in informal settings rather than formal discussions about maritime topics. Common collocations include phrases like '小艇' (xiǎo tǐng) meaning 'small boat'. Learners should also be careful with the pronunciation, ensuring the third tone is correctly used.
艇 or something close to it
舟 (zhōu) - use 艇 for smaller, more maneuverable boats, while 舟 refers to boats in a broader sense, often including larger vessels.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 艇 with 船 (chuán), which means 'boat' but can refer to larger vessels. A common mistake is saying '大艇' (dà tǐng) when '大船' (dà chuán) is more appropriate for larger ships.
Write 艇
艇
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Practice writing 艇 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 艇
艇 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). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. 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
5只划____排成一行从对岸出发了。
A string of five rowing boats set out from the opposite bank.
