How to Write 船 (chuán) — Meaning “Boat”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember 船?

Imagine a wooden boat (舟) with a smokestack on top; the right side looks like a chimney and a cabin. As the boat chugs along, it makes the sound 'chuán'.

Q: How do I write 船 correctly and what common mistakes should I avoid?

First write the narrow left radical 舟, then the right part 㕣 (a roof over a mouth). Keep the left side slim and the right side balanced. A common mistake is making the 舟 too wide, which ruins the proportion.

Q: How is 船 different from similar characters like 舡 and 舢?

船 is the standard word for a boat or ship. 舡 (gāng or xiāng) is a rare variant, while 舢 (shān) specifically means a small sampan boat. Visually, 船 has 㕣 on the right, 舡 has 工, and 舢 has 山.

Q: When and how is 船 used in modern Chinese?

船 is used for any water vessel, from small boats to large ships, in everyday phrases like 坐船 (take a boat) and 船长 (captain). It also appears in cultural idioms, such as 同舟共济 ('to cross a river in the same boat'), meaning to work together through difficulties.

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.

chuán HSK Level 2 11 strokes Radical: 舟

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

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 93% of HSK Level 2 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 小船 (xiǎo chuán), 坐船 (zuò chuán), 船长 (chuán zhǎng).

Due to its 11 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 船 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

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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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.

What Does chuán (船) Mean in Chinese?

船 means Boat.

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

Character Data

Character	船
Pinyin	chuán (chuan)
Meaning	Boat
Strokes	11
Radical	舟
HSK Level	2
Difficulty	3.7/5

Origin of 船

船 is a compound character. Its left side 舟 (a pictograph of a boat) gives the meaning, while the right side 㕣 (originally depicting a river valley or channel) provides phonetic guidance. Together, they form the concept of a vessel for water travel.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a boat (舟) carrying eight people (八) in a cabin (口), all floating on the river.

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 Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
船 (current)	chuán	11	舟
舡	chuán	9	舟
舢	shān	9	舟
舣	yǐ	9	舟

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 are the components of 船 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The left part is the radical 舟, which means 'boat' and gives the character its basic meaning. The right part provides the sound chuán. Together, they form the character for 'boat' or 'ship'.

What is a good memory trick to remember 船?

How do I write 船 correctly and what common mistakes should I avoid?

How is 船 different from similar characters like 舡 and 舢?

When and how is 船 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 船?

How to Write 船 (chuán) — Meaning “Boat”

Practice Writing 船 (chuán)

How to Write 船

What Does chuán (船) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 船

Common Words with 船

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 船 (chuán)

Frequently Asked Questions about 船

More HSK Level 2 Characters

Characters with Radical 舟

Other 11-Stroke Characters