How to Write 舷 (xián) — Meaning “Side of a ship”

Imagine a boat (舟) with a mysterious (玄) line running along its edge — that line is the side of the ship. The 玄 component looks like a twisted rope or rail on the gunwale. This visual link helps you recall that 舷 means the side of a ship.

Write the left radical 舟 first: start with the top left stroke, then the hook, then fill the inner horizontal and vertical strokes. The right part 玄 begins with a top dot, then a horizontal stroke, followed by two strokes that curl down like a twist. Keep the overall shape balanced — 舟 is narrow, and 玄 is slightly wider.

舡 (chuán) is an old variant of 船 (boat) and uses 工 on the right, while 舢 (shān) means a small sampan boat with 山 on the right. In contrast, 舷 specifically refers to the side of a ship, not the whole vessel. Their right components also give different pronunciations and meanings.

舷 appears in nautical terms like 船舷 (gunwale), 舷窗 (porthole), and 舷梯 (gangway). It is used in contexts related to ships, boating, and maritime travel. Culturally, the character evokes traditional Chinese seafaring and ship design.

Common words containing 舷 include: 船舷 (chuán xián) — Gunwale; shipside; 舷窗 (xián chuāng) — Porthole; 舷梯 (xián tī) — Gangway.