Hanzi Writer

How to Write 舟 (zhōu) — Meaning “boat / vessel”

zhōu HSK Level 7 6 strokes Radical: 舟

舟 (zhōu) means "boat / vessel" in Chinese. It has 6 strokes with the radical 舟, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 2.5/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 3% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 龙舟 (lóng zhōu), 小舟 (xiǎo zhōu), 独木舟 (dú mù zhōu).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 舟 with correct proportion and order.

Stroke order practice for 舟 - zhōu

Practice Writing 舟 (zhōu)

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

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How to Write 舟

The character 舟 (zhōu) is written with 6 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 zhōu (舟) Mean in Chinese?

舟 means boat / vessel.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 舟 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character舟
Pinyinzhōu (zhou)
Meaningboat / vessel
Strokes6
Radical舟
HSK Level7
Difficulty2.5/5

Origin of 舟

舟 is a pictograph of a boat. Its ancient form (甲骨文) depicted a wooden vessel with a pointed prow, a flat deck, and a curved hull, showing the basic shape of a small boat. The modern character retains a simplified outline of a boat with a central mast or structure.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine the character 舟 as a little boat with a tall mast (the vertical stroke) and two decks (the horizontal lines), floating on wavy water (the surrounding strokes).

Common Words with 舟

龙舟 lóng zhōu
Dragon boat
小舟 xiǎo zhōu
Small boat
独木舟 dú mù zhōu
canoe

Example Sentences

我们去看赛龙舟。

wǒ men qù kàn sài lóng zhōu

We are going to watch the dragon boat race.

湖上有一只小舟。

hú shàng yǒu yī zhī xiǎo zhōu

There is a small boat on the lake.

他在划独木舟。

tā zài huà dú mù zhōu

He is paddling a canoe.

Stroke order practice for 舟 - zhōu

Practice Writing 舟 (zhōu)

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

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

App Store ▶ Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions about 舟

The character 舟 is a pictograph that resembles a boat with a mast and hull. Its structure directly depicts the shape of a vessel, which is why it means "boat" or "vessel" in Chinese.

More HSK Level 7 Characters

伯bó呵hē哎āi哀āi唉āi/ài癌ái艾ài/yì滋zī抚fǔ逸yì昂áng凹āo/wā熬āo/áo奥ào卦guà扒bā/pá芭bā蕾lěi柄bǐng靶bǎ

Characters with Radical 舟

舡chuán舢shān舣yǐ舨bǎn航háng舫fǎng般bān舭bǐ舯zhōng舰jiàn

Other 6-Stroke Characters

㐆yǐn㓞qià丞chéng丢diū乑yín乒pīng乓pāng乔qiáo乩jī买mǎi