Onyomi: セン · Kunyomi: ふな-, ふね · Meanings: boat, ship
Kanji for boat, ship
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The kanji 船 is made from the boat radical 舟 on the left and the character 㕣 (a phonetic component) on the right. 舟 represents a small boat, the basic shape of watercraft, while the right side adds sound and distinction to indicate the larger concept of a vessel. Together, they formed the image of a man-made watercraft used for travel or transport. Over time, 船 came to mean “boat” or “ship,” representing any vessel that moves across water, carrying people or goods.
A boat (舟) combined with a phonetic component (㕣) — together representing a vessel used to travel or carry goods on water.
Imagine a small boat (舟) shaped and guided carefully for travel, carrying people or cargo. That’s 船 — a ship or boat.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 船 | ふね | ship, boat, watercraft, vessel, seaplane | common JLPT-N4 JLPT-N3 Noun |
| 船 | せん | ship, boat, vessel | Noun, used as a suffix |
| 船舶 | せんぱく | vessel, ship, shipping, seacraft | common JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 船員 | せんいん | sailor, seaman, seafarer | common Noun |
| 船首 | せんしゅ | bow (of a boat), prow, stem, head | Noun |
| 船便 | ふなびん | surface mail (by ship), sea mail | common JLPT-N2 Noun |
| 船長 | せんちょう | ship's captain, skipper | common Noun |
| 船出 | ふなで | setting sail, putting out to sea | common Noun, Suru verb |
| 船旅 | ふなたび | trip by boat, sea trip, voyage, cruise | Noun |
| 船乗り | ふなのり | sailor, seaman, mariner | Noun |