船
Character Story & Explanation
船 is widely used in modern China — from ferry tickets (渡船, dùchuán) to shipping logistics (货船, huòchuán) and even maritime law. The famous idiom 顺风破浪 (shùnfēng pòlàng, 'sail with the wind and break waves') symbolizes overcoming obstacles smoothly, often referencing historical naval expeditions like Zheng He’s 15th-century voyages using massive treasure ships (宝船, bǎochuán). It’s also central in the phrase 水涨船高 (shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo), meaning 'as the water rises, the boat floats higher' — a metaphor for rising fortunes alongside general growth.
The character 船 first appeared in seal script (c. 3rd century BCE) and evolved from 舟 (a clear pictograph of a canoe-like vessel) plus 凡 as a phonetic component. Archaeological evidence from Warring States bamboo slips confirms its use for river transport — no mythical origins, just real boats on real rivers like the Yangtze and Pearl.
Hi everyone! Let’s explore 船 (chuán), meaning 'boat' or 'ship'. It’s an HSK Level 3 character — very practical for daily conversations, travel, and reading signs at ports or rivers. Notice its radical 舟 (zhōu), which means 'small boat' and appears in many water-related characters like 航 (háng, to sail) and 舵 (duò, rudder). This tells us right away that 船 belongs to the 'vessel' family.
The pronunciation chuán has a rising tone (second tone), so practice saying it like you’re asking a question with excitement: 'Chuán?' — as if spotting a boat on the river! Don’t confuse it with chuǎn (to pant) or chuān (to wear) — tone and context matter deeply in Chinese.
Visually, 船 is made of 11 strokes: the left side is 舟 (a pictographic radical showing a simple boat with a hull and deck), and the right side is 凡 (fán), which here acts as a phonetic hint — though its sound has shifted over time. This structure helps you remember both meaning and pronunciation together.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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