船 (chuán) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 船 (chuán) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 船 (chuán) means "Boat". It is an HSK Level 2 character, with 11 strokes and the radical 舟.

Q: How do you write 船 stroke by stroke?

船 has 11 strokes. The radical is 舟. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 船 and 舡?

船 (chuán) and 舡 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 船?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 舟. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 船?

Common words containing 船 include: 小船 (xiǎo chuán) — Small boat; 坐船 (zuò chuán) — To take a boat.; 船长 (chuán zhǎng) — Captain.

How to Write 船

The character 船 (chuán) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 舟 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

船 is pronounced chuán in Mandarin Chinese. It means Boat.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 船 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 船

小船 xiǎo chuán

Small boat

坐船 zuò chuán

To take a boat.

船长 chuán zhǎng

Captain

Example Sentences

河上有一只小船。

hé shàng yǒu yī zhī xiǎo chuán

There is a small boat on the river.

我们明天去坐船。

wǒ men míng tiān qù zuò chuán

We are going for a boat ride tomorrow.

船长在指挥开船。

chuán zhǎng zài zhǐ huī kāi chuán

The captain is commanding the ship.

Similar Characters

舡 chuán

舢 shān

舣 yǐ

Practice Writing 船 (chuán)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 船 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 船

What does 船 (chuán) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 船 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 船 and 舡?

What mistakes do learners make writing 船?

What common words use 船?

How to Write 船 (chuán)