船
A general term for any watercraft or vessel, ranging from small boats to large ships. It is primarily used to describe a means of transportation on water for people or cargo.
Examples
3 of 5夏休みに船で島へ行きました。
I went to the island by boat during summer vacation.
大型船が港に停泊しております。
A large vessel is currently anchored in the port.
あの船、めちゃくちゃ大きいね！
That ship is freaking huge, isn't it!
Word Family
Memory Tip
The left side of the kanji (舟) is a radical representing a boat. Imagine the strokes as the hull and the small dot inside as a passenger.
Quick Quiz
大きい___が海を渡っています。
Correct!
The correct answer is: 船
Examples
夏休みに船で島へ行きました。
everydayI went to the island by boat during summer vacation.
大型船が港に停泊しております。
formalA large vessel is currently anchored in the port.
あの船、めちゃくちゃ大きいね！
informalThat ship is freaking huge, isn't it!
この時代の船は主に木材で建造されていた。
academicShips of this era were primarily constructed using timber.
貨物船の到着が二日遅れる見込みです。
businessThe arrival of the cargo ship is expected to be delayed by two days.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
渡りに船
a godsend / a timely offer (literally: a boat at a crossing)
船を漕ぐ
to doze off (literally: to row a boat, describing the head nodding motion)
同じ船に乗る
to be in the same boat
Often Confused With
While pronounced the same (fune), 舟 usually refers specifically to small, man-powered boats, whereas 船 is the general term for larger ships.
Usage Notes
The word 'fune' is very versatile and covers everything from a tiny canoe to a massive tanker. In modern Japanese, use the kanji 船 for most general and large vessels.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use the particle 'を' with 'noru' (to ride), but it should be '船に乗る' using the particle 'に'.
Memory Tip
The left side of the kanji (舟) is a radical representing a boat. Imagine the strokes as the hull and the small dot inside as a passenger.
Word Origin
Derived from the Old Japanese word 'pune', possibly related to 'hune' meaning a hollowed-out container or trough.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
As Japan is an island nation, ships have historically been the most vital link for trade and cultural exchange with mainland Asia and the West.
Quick Quiz
大きい___が海を渡っています。
Correct!
The correct answer is: 船
Related Vocabulary
Related Words
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A1A very small piece or bit of matter, such as a grain of sand, a speck of dust, or a microscopic unit like an atom or molecule. It is commonly used in scientific contexts to describe the fundamental components of a substance or in photography to describe the grain of an image.
電子
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中性子
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元素
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化合物
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混合物
A1A substance made by combining two or more different materials without a chemical reaction occurring. It can be used in scientific contexts to describe chemical blends or in general contexts to describe a physical combination of items.
溶液
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溶媒
A1A substance, typically a liquid, in which another substance (the solute) is dissolved to form a solution. In a chemical context, it acts as the medium that facilitates the breaking down of particles.
溶質
A1A solute is a substance that is dissolved in another substance (called a solvent) to create a solution. In a mixture like salt water, the salt is the solute because it is the part that gets dissolved.
窒素
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