舟 zhōu boat

源How it came to be

A boat seen from above: the hull as an outline with the cross planks drawn across it, the way a dugout canoe is braced.

用How it is used

• The classical/literary word for boat - everyday speech uses 船 (chuán), but 舟 survives in set expressions and poetry: 一叶扁舟 (yíyè piānzhōu) a tiny boat, 龙舟 (lóngzhōu) dragon boat.
• Idioms: 同舟共济 (tóngzhōu-gòngjì) to pull together in a crisis (same boat), 刻舟求剑 (kèzhōu-qiújiàn) to act rigidly, ignoring changed circumstances.

字Characters built with 舟

• 船 ship
• 般 sort
• 盘 tray
• 搬 move
• 航 vessel
• 艘 measure word for ships
• 舰 warship
• 舱 cabin
• 舵 helm
• 舶 large ship
• 艇 dugout

词Words with 舟

• 刻舟求剑kèzhōu-qiújiànliterally a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboardHSK 8
• 同舟共济tóngzhōu-gòngjìcross a river in the same boat (idiom)HSK 8