How to Write 舫 (fǎng) — Meaning “pleasure boat / houseboat”

Imagine a square (方) boat (舟) decorated with colorful paintings, like a floating living room. This image of a "square pleasure boat" helps connect the components to the meaning of houseboat or painted boat.

Write the left part 舟 first, with 6 strokes – note the horizontal stroke at the bottom extends slightly left. Then add 方 on the right, making sure the top dot and horizontal strokes align neatly. A common mistake is making 舟 too narrow or forgetting the dot in 方.

舡 (chuán) is a general word for boat, while 舢 (shān) specifically refers to a small wooden boat called a sampan. In contrast, 舫 (fǎng) denotes a decorative pleasure boat or houseboat, often used in historical or cultural contexts rather than everyday speech.

舫 appears mostly in historical or literary contexts, such as 画舫 (painted pleasure boat) for sightseeing on lakes. 石舫 (stone boat) is also a common architectural feature in classical Chinese gardens, like the famous marble boat in Beijing's Summer Palace.

Common words containing 舫 include: 画舫 (huà fǎng) — Painted pleasure boat; 石舫 (shí fǎng) — stone boat (architectural structure); 游舫 (yóu fǎng) — Pleasure boat.